Most beautiful villages in Sierra de Aracena (Huelva)

The Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park, commonly known as Sierra de Huelva, is the second largest natural park in Andalusia with its 186.827 hectares and an ideal place for a getaway for a few days.

It borders Badajoz to the north, Seville to the east and Portugal to the west and is dotted with small villages full of charm. A trip to the Sierra de Aracena in Huelva is a perfect plan to rest, enjoy nature and delicious cuisine. In addition, this land is home to the famous Jabugo ham. Who could resist?

Most of them have been declared a Historic-Artistic Site and preserve a rich monumental heritage with castles and fortresses, spectacular caves and viewpoints, without forgetting good gastronomy. This is my selection of 6 towns to visit in the Sierra de Aracena and why:

Aracena

The capital of the region is Aracena, which has a historic center full of monuments.
On the top of the hill around which Aracena extends there was once an Almohad fortress on whose ruins the Aracena Castle rose.

Under the castle is hidden the Gruta de las Maravillas, one of the most capricious karst complexes in Spain. During the time that the tour lasts, about 40 minutes, we will be able to contemplate stalactites, stalagmites, cones, eccentrics and crystalline lakes.

Other places of interest to visit in Aracena are the Museo del Jamón, the Plaza de San Pedro, the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción that presents a fortress aesthetic that draws a lot of attention. Likewise, we can also visit the Interpretation Center of the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park during our stay. in order to learn more about the natural environment that surrounds the towns of this Huelva mountain range.

Without forgetting the works of the illustrious Sevillian architect Aníbal González, author of the fabulous Plaza de España in the capital of Seville. In Aracena they belong to the Casino de Arias Montano, the Town Hall or the Fuente Concejo Public Laundry.

Jabugo

To say Jabugo is to speak of the capital of ham and Iberian pork sausages (morcones, loin canes, serrano sausages and blood sausages). The town brings together numerous slaughterhouses, dryers and sausage factories and here we will find the headquarters of the Protected DO "Jamón de Jabugo".

Plaza del Jamón, the epicenter of life in Jabugo, smells better than any other in the Sierra de Aracena, with its restaurants, bars and taverns that make ham a true art. But in addition to gastronomy, Jabugo offers tourists other attractions such as the Church of San Miguel Arcángel, the Tiro de Pichón (building designed by Aníbal González and current headquarters of the Tourist Office) or the Cueva de la Mora (an archaeological site of the Paleolithic).

Hoop

Surrounded by lush vegetation and orchards, Aroche, together with Aracena, gives its name to the Natural Park and is one of the oldest towns in the Sierra de Aracena whose urban area was declared a Historic Site in 1980 thanks to its stately homes and monuments. Some of the most outstanding are its Muslim castle (in which there is a bullring), the artillery wall from the XNUMXth century and the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance style.

As a curiosity, Aroche has a unique museum in the world and a very peculiar Guinness record: the Museum of the Holy Rosary, which houses more than two thousand rosaries from all over the planet, some of which were donated by illustrious personalities.

In the surroundings of Aroche, there are two very beautiful natural landscapes: the Rivera del Aserrador and the Picos de Aroche and Sierra Pelada, which will delight nature lovers. On the other hand, in the Lanos de la Belleza, 2,5 kilometers from the municipality, Turóbiga is located, the remains of a Hispano-Roman city from the XNUMXst century BC where we find the hermitage of San Mamés, a significant example of Gothic architecture. mudejar.

Major Summits

The historic center of Cumbres Mayores and its gastronomic festival on the December weekend "Taste Cumbres Mayores" are reasons enough to get to know this town in the Sierra de Aracena.

At the highest point of the municipality is located the XNUMXth century castle-fortress, which was ordered to be built by King Sancho IV to defend the Kingdom of Seville from the Portuguese.

Also very interesting are the visits to the Church of San Miguel Arcángel (which has an important collection of Mexican silver donated at the beginning of the XNUMXth century by an Indian) and the Hermitages of the Virgen del Amparo (XNUMXth century) and the Virgen de la Esperanza (located in a beautiful setting very close to Cumbres Mayores).

Visiting the town in the month of December will also allow you to get to know the gastronomic festival "Taste Cumbres Mayores" which offers the largest portion of Iberian ham in the world with 22 black legs.

Cortegana

Cortegana, with its medieval air, has a beautiful urban area that brings together all the characteristics of the popular architecture of the Sierra de Aracena.

Of all its monuments, the XNUMXth century castle built as a defense against the attacks of the Portuguese and currently converted into a museum and headquarters of a medieval fair during the month of August stands out in a special way. Declared a Site of Cultural Interest, the visit is worth it if only for the spectacular views of the surroundings of Cortegana from its towers.

Other places of interest in the municipality are the Gothic-Mudejar church of Divino Salvador, the hermitage of San Sebastián and the source of the source of the Chanza River, located in the same urban area.

In the surroundings of Cortegana, as a curiosity, you can visit the Montefrío Farm, an eco-friendly farm where the purebred Iberian pig is raised and learn about the process of the artisanal elaboration of organic acorn-fed Iberian ham.

Linares of the Sierra

Even in a small town, Linares de la Sierra perfectly preserves the typical architecture of the Sierra de Aracena with its cobbled streets and whitewashed houses. It is not lacking in attractions, perhaps that is why it was declared a Historic-Artistic Site like other charming towns in the area.

As soon as we reached Linares de la Sierra, we came across the parish church of San Juan Bautista and its beautiful fountain in the adjacent courtyard. Next to it is the Plaza de Toros, which is actually the town square (being completely round it is used for this purpose) and finally we can visit the Fuente Nueva, a curious structure composed of a four-pipe fountain, a circular laundry room and a trough.

The charm of Linares de la Sierra also lies in its surroundings, at the foot of the Sierra de Vallesilos. An excursion around its surroundings will allow us to enjoy nature and the outdoors on a sunny day.