ALMONTE - Huelva Province, Spain

The town of Almonte dates back to the Bronze Age and it is possible that the current buildings are situated on top of others of Roman origin. Tartessians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans have all populated this area at one point in time. It is a pretty town with paved, tiled plazas surrounded by palm trees and other plants all beautifully kept and very clean.
The town area boasts a large number of restaurants and bars for visitors to taste the local cuisine, most with the option to sit out in the sun and watch the world go by. There are many shops, a lot of which sell wares typical of the area such as Flamenco and horse riding goods. There is a tourist information centre situated in the main town area and there are signs to help you find it. The staff are very friendly and speak some English. Here you will find information on the local area as well as leaflets and maps for the rest of the Costa de la Luz. The 'Virgen Del Rocio' has been the patron saint of Almonte since the 15th century, when a hunter found a statue of the Virgin Mary in a tree trunk near the marshes. The devoted claim her intense powers can cure disease, infertility and mental disorders. It is this patron saint that millions of people come to Almonte to pay homage to on the Romeria del Rocio every year.
Coto Doñana National Park There are many things that you can do in Doñana, apart from marvelling at its natural beauty, throughout the year. With a nature guide and outdoor equipment half-day or full-day excursions can be taken to visit the shifting sand dunes, the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, pine groves and marshes. There is a Marine Life Museum showing the evolution of sea life in the area and the formation of the coastline. You can visit riding centres, old villages, hire bikes and take long walks to get the know Doñana in depth.  

 This is one of the most important protected areas in all of Europe and has been declared both a World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve. The nature that can be seen in Doñana is spectacular. There is a wide variety of landscapes and magnificent diversity in flora and fauna. Thanks to its geographic position between Europe and Africa, some three hundred different species of birds come to the area to show themselves off, flocking together by the thousands in the winter months. In the spring the floodplains serve as a great brooding ground for ducks, coots and other waterfowl. On the banks at the waters edge in the more mountainous parts live the world's last lynxes and the rare and magnificent imperial eagle. Large herds of stag and fallow deer and groups of wild boar can also be found in the marsh banks. You can visit the National park in a four-wheel drive vehicle, which shows you the ecosystems of the park and gives you a guided tour around the reserve. Prices start at approximately €20 and the tour can last up to four hours. The National Park has five visitor's centres, which can be visited freely and are open seven days a week. There you can find information points, exhibition areas, audiovisuals, foot-paths and observatories.

In the province of Huelva there are three visitors' centres between El Rocio and Matalascanas: El Acebuche, La Rocina and Palacio del Acebron. There is one in the province of Seville in the marshes of Aznalcazar: Jose Antonio Valverde and there is another in the province of Cadiz, Sanlucar de Barrameda: Ice Factory.

The horse is the symbol of Doñana and is a fundamental part of religious processions and pilgrimages. Today, horses are the most valued means of discovering the astonishing landscapes of Doñana. Cattle paths have remained intact over the years thanks to the continued use for the great Rocio pilgrimage every year.                                                                                                    

There are numerous riding excursions that can be booked with a guide leading visitors through rice fields and marshes. These trips make take half a day or a full day with lunch in the countryside. You can also visit the beaches of Doñana and Castilla on horseback.
In 2002 a bird sanctuary in Veta La Palma Estate was opened in the heart of Doñana's marshes. Here you can have group tours around the 5,700 acres of land showing a ranch with wild cattle, the fishing of gilthead bream, bass and prawns and the chance to see displays of nearly half a million waterfowl. You can tour the marsh in special, flat-bottom, horse-drawn boats. Watch cowboys on horses and taste the speciality cuisine of the wetlands. This is one of the best settings for bird watching in the whole of Europe.
The 35km stretch of beach is one of the longest unspoilt coastlines in Europe. The beaches of Doñana are a constantly changing landscape whose contours have been reshaped over the centuries by the tidal cycles of the sea. There are three 16th century beacon towers alone the coast, which are used as shelters by peregrine hawks. The south westerly winds constantly bring sand to the beaches of the National Park, blowing it inland to create the ever-evolving dunes.
El Rocio is a small village 15 km from Matalascañas beach, which can be reached by a road passing between Doñana National Park and the pre-park area, taking in some incomparable landscape on the way. The houses and other buildings are surrounded by sandy, earthy streets - perfect for the many horses in the area. On the edge of the "Marismas" (salt marshes) and surrounded by simple houses, stands the majestic, white-walled Ermita de la Virgen del Rocio (Hermitage of the Virgin of the Dew). Throughout the year many visitors come to see the “Blanca Paloma” (White Dove), as the Virgin is popularly known. However, the main reason for the hermitage and village is the Whitsun celebration of the Romeria del Rocio (The Rocio Pilgrimage). A million pilgrims from all over Spain gather here, many on horseback wearing traditional costume associated with the pilgrimage, accompanying the ox-drawn carts of their parochial brotherhoods (hermandades). The Pilgrimage makes for an unforgettable occasion full of high spirits and religious devotion.

More information on Donana: www.donanavisitas.com - Tel: +34 959 430 451 www.donona.es - Tel: +34 959 443 808
Almonte Information : Latitude: 37º 15'.  Longitude: -6º 31'.  Province: Huelva. Distance from the capital, Huelva: (km): 55. Altitude above sea level: (m): 75. Area: (km2): 859.  Nº of inhabitants: 16.902.  Postcode: 21730
Tourist Information Office Almonte Address: St. Alonso Pérez, 1, 21730 Almonte (Huelva), Spain. Telephone: +34 959 450 616 Fax: 959 451 834

Reproduced by kind permission of The Oracle Costa de la Luz, English language newspaper, published monthly and on-line at http://www.theoraclecostadelaluz.com