Castell de Biar

Castell de Biar is a pale stone crown sitting photogenically on a rocky hill above the town's tumble of terracotta roofs. The castle dates back in the 1100s and after the Christian conquest it held the frontier between the old kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. What survives today is an imposing fortress made up of a double ring of walls with rounded corner towers and a square central tower. There are lots of ways to capture the castle as it stands tall over the surrounding city. Exploring the old streets should allow you to find mumerous opportuities to shoot back at the castle sitting on its hill above the rooftops. From the top of the castle the view flips outward, with a panorama looking across the valley to the mountains that ring the whole area. Inside the keep there is a rare ribbed stone ceiling, the only vault of its kind in a Spanish fortress. It is worth a look if the castle is open. Late in the day is the time to be here. Low sun spreads warm light across the pale walls and the roofs below. Getting up to the castle grounds is an uphill walk. You can park in or below the old centre, then you'll have to climb the narrow lanes on foot to the top. The exterior and the esplanade views are free to shoot. Going inside the castle means a small fee and limited opening hours, so check before you count on it. (Biar, Valencian Community, Spain)