Huelva and the Doñana National Park - History and Nature

Adjoining the province of Sevilla to the east, and Portugal to the west, Huelva is a rewarding four-hour drive from the Costa del Sol. A weekend break in the provincial capital - whose chequered history dates back some 3,000 years – combined with a visit to the breathtaking landscapes of the world famous Coto Doñana National Park - promises a memorable trip for all the family.

Enjoying a strategic location close to the entrance to the Mediterranean, and between the estuaries of two of Andalucía’s most important rivers – the Odiel and the Tinto – Huelva was inhabited by Tartessians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans. In common with most of Southern Spain, it later fell into Moorish hands prior to its Spanish reconquest.

But it was the arrival of Christopher Colombus in 1485 that resulted in its finest hour, guaranteeing Huelva’s undisputed place at the forefront of world history. Unable to convince the King of his native Portugal to finance his visionary plans, Columbus landed in Palos de la Frontera and stayed at the La Rabida Franciscan monastery, where he enjoyed the welcome support of Friar Antonio de Marchena, an astrologer and cosmographer. And it was in these peaceful, XIII century cloisters that the two finalised Columbus’s ambitious project before presenting it to Spain’s Ferdinand and Isabella who agreed to sponsor the explorer’s 1492 watershed Voyage of Discovery to the New World.

Vessels were ordered to be built, and local crews mustered, and eventually Columbus set sail on 8 August, with his three trusty ships: the Santa María, La Pinta and La Niña. The rest, as they say, is history.

At the La Rabida Monastery (just nine kilometres from the city centre), you can pace the very same cloisters and view the refectory, Sala de Banderas and other rooms containing a rich collection of Columbus memorabilia. The modern Muelle de las Carabelas Museum (at Punta del Sebo), features replicas of the explorer’s three vessels built in 1992 to commemorate the V Centenary, and at Palos de la Frontera, you can visit both the historic embarkation point, and the well from which supplies of drinking water were taken aboard. The city’s River Tinto is overshadowed by an imposing statue of Christopher Columbus by American sculptress Gertrude Whitney, while the house in which the adventurer once stayed is also nearby.

Other landmarks and monuments not to be missed include the city’s quaint Barrio Reina Victoria (created for British workers once employed at the now closed Río Tinto copper mines), the British-engineered Río Tinto Pier, the Provincial and Fine Arts Museums, the Monument to Faith, XV century Church of San Pedro, the Conquero Mirador, Ibero-American University, the inviting Alonso Sánchez park, and the Plus Ultra Monument commemorating the first Southern Transatlantic flight.

THE DOÑANA NATIONAL PARK - Wet and Wild

Just 40 kilometres from the city of Huelva, the vast expanse of the Doñana National Park stretches across part of the provinces of Huelva, Sevilla and Cádiz. A unique, 100,000 hectare ecosystem, the region comprises marshlands, sand dunes, pinewoods and freshwater lagoons, and is internationally recognised as a major centre of conservation.

Mostly a wilderness inhospitable to man, the starkly beautiful landscapes of Doñana are ideally suited to wildlife, and are home to an impressive catalogue of some 125 different species of birds choosing this remote area in which to breed, as well as almost 30 types of mammals, 17 species of reptiles, nine amphibians and eight different types of fish.

A paradise for ornithologists, the list of birds spending at least a part of the year here is encyclopaediac, ranging from eagles, herons and vultures… to geese, flamingo, owls and hoopoes. Depending on the season, birdwatchers can enjoy an amazing flypast of literally dozens of different species from perhaps Europe’s best observation point – the El Rocío bridge.

There is also an abundance of game, including deer and boar, while you may even be lucky enough to spot a lynx, or Egyptian mongoose, both of which are sadly in danger of extinction. The Spanish Imperial Eagle is a similarly rare sight, even though more than a third of the dwindling population is known to breed in Doñana.

A delta, where waters flood in winter before receding in the spring to leave behind rich deposits of silt, as long ago as the XIII century Doñana was a hunting estate belonging to the Kings of Castille, and officially granted National Park status in 1969.

VIVA TOP TIPS

*Allow yourself plenty of time for this fabulous trip of discovery. You’ll never be able to see all the sights of Huelva in just one day, and if you want more than a nodding acquaintance with the vast Doñana National Park, you’ll need at least two days.

*In the summer, escorted half-day tours of the Doñana National Park operate Mondays to Saturdays, and in the winter, from Tuesdays to Sundays. In keeping with a conservation area of such magnitude, entrance is closely controlled, although the areas around the Visitors’ Centres can be explored on foot. Trips around the National Park should be reserved in advance by contacting the Visitors’ Centre.

*Make sure you take sensible footwear if you’re visiting Doñana, and have plenty of bottled water with you!

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Huelva Tourist Office:
Calle Niña 1, Huelva
Tel: (+34) 959 210 285

Doñana National Park Visitors Centre:
Guided Tour Reservations
Tel: (+34) 959 430 432

Turismo Andaluz Official Website:
www.andalucia.org

Doñana National Park World Heritage Official Website:
whc.unesco.org