Christians found haven in this village by the bay as early as the 14th century, but recent excavations proved that the village was already inhabited during the pre-historic era.
Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabel authored the founding of this village by the bay as a “real port” in 1483. Vested with all the privileges to operate as a port, naval commerce started to flourish. Monarchs and their families started to build grand houses along the bay.
The years that followed weren’t as glorious. War, civil unrest and pestilence troubled the world and Puerto Real wasn’t spared. The French Revolution and the “yellow fever” plague almost toppled it to the ground. It was a gloomy period but through it all, the spirit of its people to recapture its lost glory prevailed. By the middle of the 18th century, Puerto Real became an important sea port and its shipbuilding industry caught momentum. It was ready to meet the challenges of the times ahead.
