Huelva is the western most of the 8 provinces making up Andalucia which are
Seville,
Granada,
Cadiz,
Jaen,
Córdoba,
Málaga and
Almeria.
Huelva province covers a range environments from the low mountains of the Sierra Morena in the north bordering Portugal (beautiful, unspoilt, little visited mountain villages, built in typical Andalucían style showing a legacy of castles and fortifications), to the surreal Minas de Río Tinto towns (architecturally vestiges of British colonialism in unusual mining landscapes), the agricultural planes of the central Condado area (producing fantastic wines and a wealth of agricultural produce) and the coastal resorts of the C0sta de la Luz in the south (where the vast, uninhabited sand dunes, beaches and marshlands of the Cota de Doñana Natural Park provide a vital environment for wildlife).
The mild weather, outstanding natural beauty, low population density, proximity to Portugal and cheap flights to Seville and el Faro airports make Huelva a popular choice for holidays, buying and renting property.
The Costa de la Luz
150km of mostly unspoilt coastline stretching from Spain´s western border (the Portuguese Algarve) where picturesque
Ayamonte,
Isleta Canela, Punta del Moral,
La Antilla,
Islantilla,
El Rompido,
La Laguna del Portil and
Punta Umbria offer golf courses, marinas and beaches, eastwards down to the mouth of the Guadalquivir River flowing from Seville. Typical beaches on this stretch of coast have golden sands, clean waters and forests backing them. The Atlantic ocean is colder than the Mediterranean further east and popular for windsurfing and other water sports. Inland are the thriving towns of
Lepe and the riverside towns of
Cartaya and
Gibraleon. The coast around Huelva City, an ancient port surrounded by marshes, water and sea, is heavily industrialised until the resort of
Mazagón 20km away. The eastern corner of Huelva province is largely uninhabited due to the Cota de Doñana Nature Reserve, 40km of unspoilt, undeveloped coastline, marshes and sand dunes - an area of outstanding natural beauty - accessable from the beach resorts of
Matalascañas or
El Rocio,
Hinojos or
Almonte, inland.
Huelva City The provincial capital is an unpretentious, modest town of 146,173 (2007) people with a thriving industrial trade. On the estuary formed by rivers Odiel and Tinto,
Huelva city is dominated by the activity of its ports and marinas; a bustling, lively place with a unique and captivating atmosphere; rich in history and relatively undiscovered. Inland from the city are
Palos de la Frontera and
Moguer on the banks of the Río Tinto estuary in surroundings of wheat fields, fruit orchards and olive groves.
Inland Huelva In the east the Condado area is a flat, agricultural region with
La Palma del Condado and
Bollullos producing quality wines and a wealth of produce.
Niebla,
Bonares and
San Juan del Puerto are riverside towns while forests surround
Trigueros and
Beas nearby. To the east is the central strip of Huelva province: Andevalo y Parque Minero, characterised by the
Minas de Río Tinto, an ancient mining area where the excavated landscape and town design within it -
Valverde del Camino,
Nerva,
Zalamea la Real,
Cabezas Rubias and
Alosno is both surreal and dramatic. To the west, Andevalo is separated from Portugal by the Río Guadiana and the countryside in this area is scattered with rural white villages such as
Puebla de Guzmán,
Villanueva de los Castillejos,
San Bartolomé de la Torre,
Santa Bárbara de Casa,
Sanlucar de Guadiana,
Aroche and
Rosal de la Frontera, attractive border towns surrounded by agricultural land and forests.
Further to the north are the Sierra Morena mountains and unspoilt, little visited mountain villages of the national park of Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche - a beautiful, rugged and remote countryside. The main town of
Aracena, with its majestic castle and famous cave, is surrounded by numerous quaint and rustic white villages built in typical Andalucían style such as
Los Marines,
Linares de la Sierra,
Alájar and
Fuenteheridos. The towns of
Galaroza,
Castaño del Robledo and
Jabugo,
Almonaster La Real and
Cortegana all have ancient streets, castles and forests while near the border of Andalucía with Extremdadura, the dense and shady woods of the Sierra de Aracena give way to the more barren landscape of the northern interior with castled
Cumbres Mayores and Olalla de Cala.
Zufre and
Encinasola have ancient castles in picturesque wooded river valleys.
Statistics :Total area 10,134 km², population 483,792 (2005) of whom about 30% live in the capital
Weather: Huelva enjoys a mild, maritime climate with few extremes.
Main urban centres: Huelva City, Almonte, Ayamonte, Gibraelon, Cartaya, Lepe, Isla Cristina.
Travel: Nearest airports: Faro (code FAO), 30mins from the border and Seville (code SVQ) 1hr away. View
spanish airport map. Dual carriageways run through southern Huelva to Sevilla, and through northern Huelva into Portugal. The train line that runs through Huelva connects with Seville and Madrid.
Points of Interest: The Spanish Algarve / Costa de la Luz, Doñana National Park, Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park.
Maps :