NATURE AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
SURROUNDINGS
Santa Ana La Real
For hiking lovers, Santa Ana La Real is the ideal place. You will go through beautiful routes in the heart of a Mediterranean forest.
It is one of the most well-kenown villages in the Natural Park of Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche. A natural area that invites its visitors to discover beautiful landscape and this Andalusian village located at 641 metres above the sea level and at 100 km of the city of Huelva.
Aracena
The historic centre of Aracena was declared place of cultural interest in 1991. The historic centre is situated in the north side of Cerro del Castillo, which was the origin of the settlement. From its origins there are seven turrets and the barbican of the Almohad castle.
Its historical heritage includes: the remains of the almohad castle, the gothic-mudejar temples and the renaissance churches of Nuestra Señora del Mayor Dolor, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Saint Catalina, El Carmen, Saint Domingo, Saint Roque, Saint Lucía, Saint Pedro and the Convent of Jesús, María and José. Its civil architecture includes a variety of white, gothic, renaisance, baroque and eclectic houses, which add a special charm to this town.
Cave of Wonders – Aracena
The Cave of Wonders is located in the town of Aracena. It is situated right in the urban area. Popular tradition tells that its discoverer was a shepherd, although the first historical reference to its existence dates back to 1886. It was opened to the public in 1914, being the first in Spain to do so. It is located on Pozo de la Nieve street in the city of Aracena, next to Plaza de San Pedro.
It is a phreatic cavity originated by the erosive dissolution action of water on the limestone rocks of the Castillo hill. The total known length of this underground complex is 2,130 meters, of which 1,200 are visitable. It exhibits a set of karstic formations of extraordinary beauty: vertical and eccentric stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, striped curtains, aragonites, coral-like formations, gours, etc. The beauty of the lakes, the spaciousness of the spaces, and the coloration of the varied stalactite and stalagmite formations constitute an exceptional ensemble.
Jabugo and its Iberian pork products
The municipality of Jabugo is formed by four population centers: Jabugo, El Repilado, Los Romeros, and El Quejigo.
Jabugo has gained worldwide fame for the excellence of its products derived from acorn-fed Iberian pigs. Hams, shoulders, sausages, and the exquisite meats of Iberian pork are a delight for the palate.
Visiting its shops, drying sheds, and acquiring some of these delicacies is a must.
Almonaster La Real and its Mosque
Almonaster la Real is the typical mountain village where strolling is a pleasure. Additionally, it boasts a monumental treasure that dominates the urban center: the mosque. Built on top of a Visigothic basilica from the 5th century, it is an irregular construction made of brick and quarry stone on a trapezoidal plan, whose shape was likely determined by the terrain slope. The mosque probably only had one entrance in the first northern section of the eastern central nave. Its scarce light was received from the courtyard, the door, and three narrow windows or loopholes, two of them to the left and right of the mihrab. In the prayer room, 16 undated tombs were discovered. Its archaic character may come from being built in the early 9th century, but it can also be considered as a provincial solution to the building program of the caliphate era.
Alájar and la Peña de Arias Montano
The urban center of Alájar retains all the charm of the villages in the Sierra de Huelva. It is a must-visit to stroll through its narrow and picturesque streets.
The Peña de Arias Montano or Peña de Alájar is a monument of nature with great scenic and historical value. Here lived the famous humanist Benito Arias Montano, who gave it its name, which is why it is now known as the Peña de Arias Montano. It offers incredible views of Alájar and everything to the south of the province of Huelva. Below, there is a network of caves among which stands out the Palacio Oscuro, a cave that is currently closed. The Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles is located within the Peña de Alájar. This 16th-century hermitage is a heterogeneous building formed by additions to a small temple. Located on the edge of the plateau where the Hermitage of the Queen of the Angels is located, in the Peña de Arias Montano there is a picturesque bell tower, accompanied by circular guard towers with a half-orange vault.
Trails of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park
The Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park is a paradise for nature lovers and hiking enthusiasts.
There are numerous signposted routes that traverse the most significant areas of the Park, ensuring that visitors enjoy every step of the way.
Additionally, most of these trails are suitable for Nordic Walking.
Río Tinto Mines
The Rio Tinto Mines complex offers travelers a landscape of unique beauty and color contrasts.
The history of the Rio Tinto Mines dates back to ancient times, reaching back to the earliest organized civilizations, even during the Copper Age (Tartessians, Phoenicians…). However, the mining development in this area began with the Romans. Their introduction of new techniques allowed mining activities to continue. In 1873, a British consortium purchased the mines from the Spanish government and founded the Rio Tinto Company Limited. The company brought about the revival of Rio Tinto; open-pit mines were opened, and underground mining was developed. The presence of the British in the mining basin left its mark on the architecture of Rio Tinto, exemplified by the English district of Bellavista.
At the Mining Museum, visitors can learn about the entire history of mining in the area. Inside, they can explore a replica of a Roman mine. The museum also serves as a starting point for other guided tours, such as the impressive Corta Atalaya, the largest open-pit mine in Europe, or the Mining Train, which offers the opportunity to travel through the mining environment on a steam train.
Aguas Teñidas Mines
The Veneros Resort is an ideal accommodation for workers of the Aguas Teñidas Mine due to its location.
The mining operation is located in the municipality of Almonaster la Real in Huelva, to the north of the Iberian Pyritic Belt. It is a mining district over 250 km in length, active since Phoenician times, more than 2,500 years ago.
Currently, MATSA is the only operating mining operation in the province of Huelva and one of the two copper mines in Spain. MATSA’s activity consists of the development and exploitation of the interior deposit of the Aguas Teñidas mine and a mineral treatment plant.
