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.
Most visitors are delighted by the many Baroque and Renaissance frontages which are decorated by coats-of-arms and splashes of floral decoration. Additionally, there are many historic buildings, of which the most important include:- the churches of Santa Maria (15th century)and San Pedro and the convent of Mercedarias.