Arcos de la Frontera is a town in the province of Cádiz in southern Spain. It is located on the eastern bank of the Guadalete river, which flows to the Bay of Cadiz. The town commands a fine vista atop a sandstone ridge, from which the peak of San Cristobal and the Guadalete Valley can be seen. The town gained its name by being the frontier of Spain's 13th century battle with the Moors.
Arcos was settled by the Romans, Visigoths and Moors. It has one of the most charming ancient quarters in the whole of Spain. The whole of it was declared a National Historic Monument in 1962. The winding route of its streets reveal a dominant Arab influence which has been enriched by subsequent Christian periods.