Visit Spain

Only 30 km from the Spanish Border Tavira is superbly placed for you to explore Huelva the most westerly of the provinces of Andalucia.

Ayamonte

With its attractive tiled plazas, remniscent of neighbouring Portugal, lined with trees and restaurants and bars, the fishing port and resort of Ayamonte makes an ideal stopping place between Spain and Portugal. Situated on the estuary of the Río Guadiana, the second longest river in Europe, Ayamonte is less than 30 minutes from Tavira.

Take a leisurely stroll through the narrow pedestrianised streets of the town. These link many small, pretty plazas, which are tucked away but full of busy pavement cafés and bars serving great seafood typical of the region. The elegant Plaza de la Laguna, has a good choice of eating places with outdoor seating. Next to the main square, the Paseo de la Ribera, is the harbour. In the old town visit the fifteenth-century Iglesia de San Salvador, noted for its tower with superb views across to Portugal. There are similar good views from the tower of the sixteenth-century San Francisco church nearby.

Ayamonte is surrounded by protected areas teeming with wildlife. The Marismas del Guadiana, the marshes of the Guadiana estuary, are rich in birdlife, including herons, storks and flamingos.

The nearest beach is the new resort of Isla Canela, five minutes' drive away from the centre of Ayamonte. It boasts a particularly wide stretch of sandy beach, with chiringuitos (summer beach bars), parasols and hammocks for hire and showers. It is a fast-growing resort, with many new holiday apartment blocks, as well as a big hotel, the Ríu Canela, and a golf course. However, it also has extensive sand dunes and marshes which are home to abundant wildlife.

Huelva

Huelva, the capital of the region is a working port. The centre is a pleasant place with many pretty plazas, historical monuments and a many seafood bars and restaurants. The hub of the city centre today is the palm-lined square, the Plaza de las Monjas, close to the pedestrianised shopping district, along the streets of Concepción to Berdigón. 

The city is ancient having been the home of the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans who, along with the later arrivals of the Moors, left their mark on the city. It hayday as a port was in the 15th centuryfollowing with the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, who recruited local sailors for his voyage and sailed from here on his voyages. Today he is commemorated by the Monumento a Colón.

Badly damaged in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, Huelva lacks the architectural splendour of Seville but does have several notable churches, such as the Iglesia de San Pedro (oldest in the city), and the Catedral de la Merced, with a magnificent Baroque façade.

Visit the the Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora la Virgen de la Cinta where Christopher Columbus prayed on his departure for and return from the new world. 

Christopher Columbus

Seven kilometres south of Huelva city where the Tinto and Odiel rivers meet is the 15th-century Franciscan Monasterio de Santa María de la Rábida. If you're interested in Christopher Columbus, this is one of three places to visit around Huelva. The other two are the nearby town of Palos de la Frontera, where Columbus found his crew, and the Convento de Santa Clara in Moguer, which Columbus frequently visited.

La Rábida is where Columbus stayed between 1491-92 waiting for financial backing from the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, for his voyage to the New World. The monastery was built in 1412 on the site of a Moorish stronghold; 'rábida' is a Arabic word meaning fortress. Its Moorish influences can still be seen in its Mudéjar architecture, including the fine cloister. The monastery has a 14th-century Gothic-Mudéjar church, where Captain Martín Alonso Pinzón, from Palos de la Frontera, who sailed with Columbus in one of his ships, is buried.

La Rábida was damaged by the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and was left derelict until 1835 when restoration began. It reopened in 1856 when it was declared a national monument. In 1920 Fransican monks returned to the convent and monks continue to live there today.

The monastery, surrounded by magnificent botanical gardens full of exotic plants, is worth visiting for its museum detailing the discovery of the New World and Columbus's life. Also worth seeing are the murals in one of the monastery's rooms that depict Columbus's life, which were painted by the renowned local artist Daniel Vásquez Díaz in the 1930s. In the chapel is an alabaster statue of the Virgen de los Milagros (Virgin of Miracles), to which Columbus and his crew are said to have prayed. It is still venerated today, as the patron of neighbouring Palos de la Frontera. Every August the statue is taken to Palos for the town's religious festivities. In the Banderas room are flags from all the Latin American countries, along with a casket of earth from each.

Visits are by guided tours only by Fransican monks in Spanish, although there are audio guides available in other languages, including English, and some of the information plaques are in English as well as Spanish. 

 Nearby, on the Río Tinto estuary, the Muelle de las Carabelas (Harbour of the Caravels) is a waterfront exhibition with life-size replicas of Columbus's three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María, built for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 1992. The museum next to the boats has details of Columbus's life, regular video screenings and a café.

Close to the Muelle is the Monument Plus Ultra, which commemorates the first transatlantic flight between Spain and America. Opposite the habour is the Foro Iberamericano, a modern outdoor venue for summer plays and concerts.

In the park near the monastery is the Monumento a los Descubridores (Monument of the Discoverers), which was built in 1892 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the discovery of America. Also near the monastery is the Iberamericano University.

To the east of Huelva lies the Doñana National Park, a world heritage site.

The river Guadalquivir flows through Córdoba, Sevilla and ends then in a marshy delta at the Atlantic coast, between Cádiz and Huelva.   The marshlands are protected as a National Park, where no entry is allowed. The park as a whole comprises three distinct kinds of ecosystem, the marismas, the matorral and the dunes.   This is why the area has been designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

This park is a haven for migratory geese, spoonbills and many other migratory birds as well many birds of prey, most notably 15 pairs of Imperial Eagles as well as Black Kites, Griffon Vultures and Marsh harriers. From bird hides at the reserve centre, you can find Cetti's and Savi's warblers and watch egrets, herons and little bitterns.  Sometimes you may see a majestic imperial eagle (picture left) soar from the woods of Doñana over El Rocio to the Coto del Rey. In fact, 125 species of birds are known to breed in this fabulous wilderness, as well as 28 species of mammal, 17 reptiles, 9 amphibians and 8 varieties of fish.

Entrance to the park is strictly controlled  and it is at the western side that a large buffer zone is open for tourists. You can take half day trips with official guides or explore the environs of the visitors centres on foot. A typical safari trip will take in all three types of ecosystem, but only one thing is guaranteed - no two visits will be the same. To visit the park take the A483 past Almonte and El Rocio to El Acebuche (near Matalascañas) where you find the main visitors centre.  There are trips into the park at 08.30h and 17.00h every day except Sundays in the summer (1/06 - 15/09) and at 08.30h and 15.00h every day except Mondays in the winter.

Booking is recommended by phoning the visitors centre on +34 959 430432. Full day trips can also be organised for groups. The Visitors centre 'El Rocina' is nearer to El Rocio, it has an audio visual display and nature trail.

The park can also be reached ( but not entered) by taking the ferry boat across the Guadalquivir river from San Lucar de Barrameda where a new visitors centre is planned. This 3.5 hour excursion takes you for a leisurely trip up the Guadalquivir river. You stop off in two places to see the bird life and to visit an old traditional village. You may see a wonderful sunset when you return on the afternoon trip.

Book in advance to avoid disappointment. Tickets can be bought in the Old Ice Factory (Fábrica de Hielo) on the waterfront in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Daily Excursions : Nov – March : 10.00 April, May and October : 10.00 and 16.00 June – September : 10.00 and 17.00

Book by telephone : 956 363 813 or e-mail : info@visitasdonana.com The Fábrica de Hielo has an interesting visitor centre.