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Isla del Fraile

Águilas, Alto Guadalentín, Murcia

1 Villages · 7 Monuments · 4 Nature · 2 Activities · 3 Curiosities · 4 Historical milestones · 2 Food and drink

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Isla del Fraile

Monument · Águilas, Alto Guadalentín, Murcia

The Isla del Fraile is a steep, rocky islet of 6.8 hectares off the east coast of Águilas, in the Bahía del Hornillo, with occupations ranging from the late Roman period, when a garum factory with several salting vats was set up there, to the Islamic era and the early 20th century; an archaeological research project has been excavating the site since 2020. Declared a Protected Natural Area, it hosts inframediterranean vegetation and one of the richest seabeds in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula, with extensive Posidonia oceanica meadows; it is a passage for dolphins and holds an important colony of gulls. Geologically it belongs to the Subbetic ranges and is a popular spot for water sports.

Photo: Carlos Ramón (CC BY-SA 3.0)

What to see and do in Águilas