Published on Oct, 2019
We visited from the UK, and were told that Fortaleza de la Mota was worth a visit as it had "a few holes in the ground where bodies had been". Astonishing understatement. The citadel occupies a strategically imposing location looming over the otherwise sleep town of Alcalá la Real. Difficult to approach by car (some really steep and narrow medieval streets if you go the wrong way), and an unaccountably empty car park when we got there (was it closed for the day, we wondered?)
We managed to find the casually signpostedticket office, and bought tickets, together with the obligatory mobile commentary, and puffed our way up the access ramp which winds round outside of the fort, before spilling us out onto... a hilltop city. I'm afraid I rapidly abandoned the plodding English commentary in favour of the fairly plentiful English boards explaining each part of the site.
I found the whole place enchanting. It was clear considerable scholarly effort (and money) was going into the careful restoration of most of the whole site. We were told later that the money to do this was coming from central and local government, as well as EC grants. What was most surprising was how few people visited while we were there (weekday in early October). The ticket man told us that he had sold 80 tickets that day - 80! - which was probably as many as they sell to the Alhambra Palace just down the road. If you use your imagination with hardly anyone else around, I think it's a lot easier to imagine the place in its heyday.
We came away gobsmacked, with the site itself, but also astonished that the place isn't packed. Do yourself a favour - if you like your history and archaeology low key and sensitively presented, make a detour to Alcalá la Real. You won't regret it!
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