Sanlucar de Guadiana
General Information
Sanlucar de Guadiana is a small village on the banks of the River Guadiana with over 400 inhabitants. It is a pretty little place with beautiful views down to the river and Alcoutim on the Portuguese side of the river.
Todays' tranquillity belies a violent past. Fort St. Jerome and Castillo de San Marcos were built as protective measures in the seventeenth century. These protective measures have not always been successful and the village has been occupied by the Portuguese a number of times.
In 1371 Ferdinand I of Portugal met Henrique II of Castile on a boat midway acrooss the river. They agreed a Vatican-brokered treaty to stop hostillities on condition that Fernando married Henrique's daughter. The peace lasted until 1640 before once again cannonballs were being launched across the Guadiana.
The location of the village, so close to the Guadiana, has meant it has on more than one occasion suffered from flooding. The 1823 flood was a particularly severe one, destroying almost half of the villages homes and leaving many people encamped in the castle.
Due to its' strategeic location, Sanlucar became one of Andalusias' most important trading ports of the nineteenth century. Timber, metals, rice, sugar and many other commodities were exported from the port. However, as the river silted up trading became more difficult. Nowadays the port is home to local fisherman and leisure crafts.
The Castillo de San Marcos dates back to 1642 and was erected to guard against attacks. The castle is currently being restored. It is situated at the top of a hill and offers panaramic views of Spain and Portugal.
The historical church, La Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de las Flores (Church of Our Lady of Flowers) is a pretty liitle village church worth popping in to. The village has a school, a couple of stores and a small number of bars & restaurants.
The ferry to Alcoutim runs daily between 9-1 and 2-6. Alcoutim has an archaelogy museum and castle. The walk up the hill to visit these is well worth it just for the views alone.
Rural tourism is on the increase in the area. There are a number of different
hotel and accommodation
options in and around the village.
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