Huelva, Doñana and the Sierra de Aracena: the back story

About Huelva, Doñana and the Sierra de Aracena: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Andalusia Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Huelva is Andalusia’s quiet west: the Doñana National Park, the hill towns of the Sierra de Aracena, the mining country of Riotinto and long beaches running to the Portuguese border.

Doñana

Most of the park is seen on authorised guided routes; start at a visitor centre.

The sierra

Aracena and Alájar are walking country, with chestnut woods and the ibérico pigs that make the region’s famous jamón.

Doñana is home to the Iberian lynx and the Iberian imperial eagle (miteco.gob.es).

The coast

The Paradors at Mazagón and Ayamonte sit above long beaches; Isla Canela runs to the Guadiana and Portugal.

Our advice: combine Doñana with a seafood lunch at Sanlúcar, across the river.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Huelva, Doñana and the Sierra de Aracena: the back story before you go.