Situated in the heart of the Guadalhorce valley, at the foot of two small sierras, and surrounded by thousands of orange and lemon trees, its territory forms part of the Hoya de Málaga, 17 km (11 mi) from the provincial capital.

From its main vantage point, the Hill of the Virgin, can be seen the different communities which make up the town: Cártama Pueblo, the ancient town with a 3000-year history and streets laid out in Moorish style; Estación de Cartama, which has its origin in the 1865 railway station; El Sexmo, Doñana, Aljaima and the Sierra de Gibralgalia, with views of the whole valley as far as Coín, Álora, Casarabonela and Málaga itself.

The area has been successively occupied by Iberians, Tartessians, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Byzantines and Arabs until it was finally conquered by the Christians in 1485.

Based on the sheer volume of archaeological sites – mosaics, sculptures, burial grounds and road remains have been found – the area must have been heavily populated.

It was built on the site of a previous Hermitage from the 15th century, and is a very beautiful building with an approach which winds up the hill above the pueblo, and which commands superb views of the surrounding area.

It was saved and placed on its current site in 1752 to mark the excavations carried out then by the Marquis de Valdeflores, as an inscription in its base testifies.

Between the 13th and 15th centuries its strategic situation meant that it became one of Málaga's more important defences, guarding against access from the Guadalhorce valley, which was one of the easier routes to mount an attack on the capital.

The castle's capture by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485 is recorded in the bas-reliefs of the Coro in the Cathedral of Toledo, which testifies to Cártama's importance at the time.

The carnivals occur during February, but the main festival of the year takes place in April to honour the town's patron saint, La Virgen de los Remedios.

The most notable feature is an extensive parade, which accompanies the image of the saint to the banks of the River Guadalhorce, where a celebration is held throughout the day.