Puerto Duquesa properties
Exploring Puerto Duquesa
There is plenty of sightseeing to be done in the towns and villages that surround Duquesa. The beautiful Castillo de la Duquesa is major landmark in the area.
The castle is an 18th century fort which stands on the coastline close to the site of what was once a Roman fishing village.
The Castillo de la Duquesa dates back to 1767 and nowadays it is used as offices by the local authority. There is also a museum space which is used for temporary shows and exhibits. There are plans in progress to turn the castle into a visitor centre. Although the castle is not currently an official tourist attraction, it is usually possible to have a look round and the building is beautifully lit-up each night.
The castle is believed to be one of the remnants of an old Roman village, which was discovered by archaeologists in the late 1980s. Excavations in the grounds surrounding the castle uncovered extensive facilities and village infrastructures including a roman bath house complete with mosaic floors. There are also remains of a villa and the industrial areas of the town as well as a graveyard.
A few minutes drive from Duquesa is the village of Manilva, which itself has many interesting historical sights and tourist attractions. There is a working Roman bath house there, where Julius Caesar is rumoured to have bathed in order to cure himself of some skin complaints. It is still possible to bathe in the waters – as long as you do not mind the stink of the sulphurous water! The area around the Manilva baths – which are called the Roman Baths de Hedionda – is popular with local families who take picnics there at the weekends. Manilva is also very well known for its local Manilva Wine, the grapes for which are harvested in the area at the beginning of September in a community ceremony.
Drive for a short distance to the east of Duquesa and you will come to the busy town of Estepona. A working Spanish town, Estepona has a wide variety of shops, restaurants, banks, supermarkets and everyday facilities. It is a popular tourist area with a busy marina and some lovely beaches.
If you do choose to visit Estepona then make sure you stop off at the town’s bullring – Plaza de Toros – which is home to four different museums. In addition to a bullfighting museum you can look around a local history museum, an archaeological one and see a great fossil collection.
Further east up the coast from Duquesa and you get to the jet set resort of Puerto Banus and the lovely town of Marbella. Both places are definitely worth a visit on a day or afternoon trip from Duquesa. In fact, if you would like to see both places in one day, then park in Puerto Banus and catch the boat to Marbella marina which leaves every hour. The journey takes around 25 minutes and it is a wonderful way to see both places whilst enjoying some beautiful mountain scenery on the journey across.
