What to do in Huelva

Huelva divides its territory between the Atlantic and the sierra, and the activities follow the same logic. Doñana, the largest national park in western Europe, stretches along the coastal strip between the Guadalquivir and the Atlantic. Horse-riding routes access park areas closed to motor traffic, crossing mobile dunes, marshes with more than 250,000 waterbirds in winter and pine forests where the Iberian lynx roams. The 4x4 safaris run by the Marismas del Rocío cooperative are the most common way into the park's interior. The Riotinto Mines to the north produce a landscape of iron oxides that stain the river a deep red. The area has a mountain bike trail network with technical climbs between the open-cast mining spoil heaps and cuts. The mine lake is navigable by kayak; the water colour shifts between crimson and orange depending on the time of day. For birdwatchers, Doñana is a continental reference: the park is Europe's main wintering ground for ducks and a staging post for millions of migratory birds. The Huelva coastline between Punta Umbría and El Rompido concentrates the best Atlantic winds for surf and windsurf during the spring months. The sandbanks that emerge at low tide in the El Rompido lagoon create flat-water conditions suitable for kitesurfing. The Sierra de Aracena inland has waymarked hiking routes between whitewashed villages through holm oak and Jabugo dehesa.