In the province of Huelva, to
the northwest of Sevilla and close to Spain's border with Portugal,
lies La Sierra de Aracena, without doubt one of Spain's most
beautiful and unspoilt mountain regions.
It's
a land of glorious woodlands and far-reaching views, of soft, rolling
hillsides and crystal-clear streams. The hills are thickly wooded
with sweet chestnut and cork oak, giving the area a marvellously green
and verdant feel.
The
forests give way, here and there, to small groves of olives or walnuts
and to orchards of apples, plums, peaches and figs. Distant, rocky
escarpments are covered in cistus and heather. In Spring, an incredible
profusion of wild flowers carpet the meadows and clumps of peonies
grow in the shade of the chestnut trees. Travelling through the little
country lanes of the Sierra, it is almost reminisant of a perfect
day in the English countryside.
The
combination of altitude and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean has given
this very special part of Andalucía its unique microclimate,
fresh and sunny, and it is this which enables the magnificent groves
of chestnuts and oaks to flourish. It is a climate which is ideal
for holiday makers too, whether walking, touring . . . or just taking
it easy.
For
nature lovers it's a dream location. Quite apart from its marvellous
and diverse flora and fauna, the hills are home to a big rabbit population,
which provides the staple diet of carnivores like the rare black vulture,
weasels, stone martens, badgers, polecats, and wildcats. The woodlands
play host to over 85 species of birds, who reside here or migrate
through the sierra. These include imperial eagles and black vultures.
Aside
from the wildlife, the Sierra is also home to the prized Iberian black-footed
pig, the pata negra. In Autumn, this special breed is let loose
to range free in the forests, to forage for and feast on the acorns
that fall from the oak trees. The hams are salted and left to cure
in dark caverns for a year and a half, to become the delicious jamon iberico, a ham fit for princes, perhaps the most famed in
all the world. Hams from the village of Jabugo are, without doubt, the most
highly prized gourmet delicacy in all Spain.
Not
surprisingly, given the wealth of local produce here (the area is
equally renown for its wild mushrooms and asparagus), restaurants
and bars are above average. There's
usually more than one hostelry in just about every village, specialising
in dishes made from local pork and other specialities of the
region.
The
opportunities for appreciating the more authentic aspects of rural
Andalusian life are boundless here. Quiet and very relaxing, the Sierra
de Aracena still provides a taste of 'real' Spain. Its rich Moorish
heritage - evidenced by the hilltop castles seen above several of
the villages - together with its splendid scenery, its unique cuisine
and charming villages, make it an ideal destination for those who
appreciate traditional, out of the way areas. Life here is easy paced,
definitively Andalusian.
Cobbled
paths and ancient mule tracks criss-cross the Natural Park, meandering
through the pretty, wooded hillsides, linking together a series of
charming, whitewashed villages, their rural economies still reliant
on the production of quality cured hams, chestnuts and cork.
People
here are by nature, friendly and outgoing. In summertime they take
to the streets and plazas of the villages in exuberant fiestas, known
as romerias. The women don their flamenco dresses, the caballeros sit astride their horses and there is, of course, always a huge party!
Autumn
sees the chestnut trees ablaze with colour, and the chestnut pickers
fill their baskets in the woods. Mules are loaded with sacks for the
return journey to the village. Orchards are laden with fruit and the
forests provide a rich harvest of delicious, wild mushrooms.
Given
the Sierra's southerly position, winter is short and mild, and the
profusion of evergreen trees such as the ilex holm oak, provide a
green canopy for new-born lambs. Winter rains replenish the lush countryside.
This is an important time of year for curing hams and making chorizo and salchichón, the traditional sausages. Spring arrives in
March or even earlier, with a burst of flowers that lasts through
to June and temperatures that make holidaying here ideal. The warming
rays of the Andalusian sun and a million wildflowers bring colour
and joy to the green woodlands and gently rolling hills.
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The
altitude and its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean mean that summers
are cooler in the Sierra de Aracena than elsewhere in Andalucía.
Warm and sunny by day, nights are cool and comfortable. The chestnut
trees provide plenty of shade both in the towns and in the countryside.
In August, the town of Cortegana celebrates a medieval festival.
In Autumn, the acorns fall and the pigs get fat! Then, in November,
the chestnut trees turn glorious shades of yellow and red, as their
leaves prepare to fall. Autumn is also the time to hunt for mushrooms.
The Sierra de Aracena is just about perfect walking and riding
country. There are miles and miles of delightful paths and tracks which criss-cross
the rolling hills, passing through wonderful countryside, linking
the villages together. Everywhere,
there are splendid views.
There's
lots to discover here - touring around a little by car is very pleasurable. Equally,
it's a great place just to relax, read, and swim, listening to the
crickets and the birds singing in the trees.
Aracena
is the main town in the Natural Park with a population of approximately
5,000. Meandering up the hillside which is topped by an impressive
Moorish castle, it is both pretty and welcoming. There are several
excellent restaurants here, not to mention tapas bars and some good
shops. The town also has a popular Saturday market.
The
town boasts a fine thirteenth century church, but its most famous
landmark is The Gruta de las Maravillas, the "cave of
wonders", the most visited site in the province of Huelva.
For
centuries the townsfolk of Aracena were unaware of this marvel that
lay, unsuspected, beneath the very ground they trod. Discovered by
accident (by a stray pig apparently!) the Gruta de la Maravillas is the largest in Spain, a mile and a half long, and is truly a marvel
of subterranean lakes, striking colours and all manner of exquisitely
adorned stalagmites and stalactites.
Set in a deep valley, Alájar is famous for its
imposing 17th century shrine of Arias Montano which stands
on a rocky prominitory high above the pretty village. An annual pilgrimage
here attracts thousands of people, many on horseback or in horsedrawn
carts. Almonaster de la Real is another very beautiful village
dominated by its 10th century Moorish Mosque.
There are many more, equally handsome little whitewashed
villages, all well worth spending a little time in. Fuenteheridos is one of the most visited, others include Linares de la Sierra, Galaroza and Valdelarco. Close to the Portuguese border, Aroche with its medieval walls looking over the woods and meadows below, boasts a bull ring rather curiously built inside its Moorish
castle.
Further south, admittedly outside the designated
Natural Park are the giant opencast mines of Rio Tinto, as
surreal a landscape as one will find, this side of the Moon! Reputed
to be the oldest mines in the world, the continual search for iron
ore, copper, silver, sulphur and a host of other minerals has opened
up amphitheatres of gargantuan proportions, vast man-made craters
that measure several kilometres across.
The minerals have created unworldly colours - strange blues, greens,
yellows, reds and browns which permeate both the rocks and the rivers
of the region. All very eerie!
And the British have played their part too. Owners
of the mines for many years, they brought their sports with them and
it was here that the very first football match was played in Spain.
If
you crave urban adventure, the marvellous city of Sevilla is
just an hour and a bit away from here. Cities don't come any more
vibrant - or any more beautiful than this! The quintessentially Andalusian
city, Sevilla offers everything from bullfighting to flamenco, a
history which encompasses some of the greatest cultures ever, a multitude
of stunning buildings, the
much famed Sevillana nightlife, fabulous shops, restaurants et
al. Don't miss it, but in summer, beware, it's also famous for
being the hottest city in all Europe.
Then
there's Portugal, a different world away, yet less than an
hour's drive from here. It's enchanting, beguiling and so, so different from Spain.
To the south, The Parque Nacional de Doñana is 1½ hours away.
Here, on one of the world's most important and protected biospheres,
amid its sand dunes, marshes, pinewoods and freshwater lagoons live
flamingos, rare buzzards, lynx, mongoose and a startling variety of
migratory birds. The fine, white sandy beaches of the Costa de
la Luz are just a couple of hours away.
To get here, we recommend that you use Sevilla airport
which is 1½ hours away. Ryanair's daily, direct
flights from Stanstead to Sevilla even make a long weekend a perfectly
viable option. British Airways also have daily flights from
Gatwick as do Iberia from Heathrow. Aer Lingus fly to
Sevilla twice a week from Dublin.
Jerez de la Frontera (2½ hours away), Málaga and Faro on the Algarve Coast in Portugal (both 3½ hours away)
are other alternatives.
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