Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche: Rural Guide

In the north of Huelva province, the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park is part of the Sierra Morena range. It is a land of holm and cork oak dehesas, chestnut groves and well-preserved mountain villages, and the home of Jabugo Iberian ham. From Seville it is just over an hour’s drive along the N-433.

Aracena

Aracena is the main town of the area. Its star attraction is the Gruta de las Maravillas, a karst cave beneath the town itself, with lakes and calcite formations. Visits are guided only, in timed groups with limited capacity, and the tour lasts about 50 minutes. At weekends and on bank holidays, buy tickets in advance on the Aracena Town Council website, which publishes current opening times and prices.

On the hill above the town stand the castle and the Iglesia Prioral. The Ham Museum explains how Iberian pigs are raised and how the ham is made.

Alájar and the Peña de Arias Montano

Alájar is one of the prettiest villages in the sierra. Above it, the Peña de Arias Montano is a natural viewpoint with the hermitage of Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles. It takes its name from the humanist Benito Arias Montano, who retired here in the 16th century.

Jabugo and Iberian ham

Jabugo gives its name to the Protected Designation of Origin for Iberian ham from the Huelva sierra. We cover it in detail in our guide to the Iberian ham route.

Almonaster la Real

At the top of Almonaster stands a 10th-century mosque, one of the few rural mosques from the Al-Andalus period still standing in Spain. It also offers fine views over the village and the sierra.

Aroche and Cortegana

Aroche, near the Portuguese border, has a castle and a quiet old town. Within its municipality lies the archaeological site of the Roman city of Turóbriga. Cortegana, also with a castle, is on the way between Aroche and Aracena.

Small villages and walking

Linares de la Sierra, Castaño del Robledo and Fuenteheridos are small villages linked by a network of waymarked trails through chestnut groves and dehesas. Many routes go from one village to the next in a few hours. For longer hikes, the GR-48 Sierra Morena trail crosses the area.

When to go

• Autumn: the best season. The chestnut trees change colour, it is mushroom season and the montanera begins, when Iberian pigs feed on acorns in the dehesa (roughly October to March).
• Spring: green fields, flowers and mild temperatures for walking.
• Summer: cooler than the lowlands, but the middle of the day is still hot. Walk early.

Getting there and around

There are scheduled buses from Seville and Huelva to Aracena, but a car is best for getting between villages. Two or three days are enough to see Aracena, Alájar, Jabugo, Almonaster and Aroche without rushing.

Official sources

• Junta de Andalucía — Visitor’s Window (Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park)
• Aracena Town Council — Gruta de las Maravillas