Ancestral customs, ancient mines, hermitages and dizzying zip lines in Andévalo

Less than an hour from Huelva , in the heart of the rich Pyrite Belt, lies El Andévalo, a region of white villages and verdant countryside, teeming with natural resources that straddle devotion and ancestral customs. The horizon of El Andévalo is covered by a blanket of pastures dotted with holm oaks and cork oaks, hills and forests, reservoirs and rivers. It is an area of delicious pastures that nourish rich flocks and vast herds. This privileged land and noble inhabitants offer endless resources where you can experience nature without limits.

In El Andévalo, the towns of Calañas, El Cerro de Andévalo, Santa Bárbara de Casa, El Almendro, Sanlúcar de Guadiana and the Tharsis Mines are fantastic places to get lost.

Calañas, nature leisure and trails

To explore El Andévalo, you must begin in Calañas, which, surrounded by reservoirs, riverbanks, streams, and tributaries of the Odiel River, offers a significant expanse of forested areas. In ancient times, Calañas welcomed Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and Muslims, all attracted by the opulence of its land, rich in copper and manganese. In the 19th century, it experienced significant development thanks to the reactivation of the copper and sulfur mines, until they were gradually closed in the 1960s and the region suffered a severe economic crisis.

Fortunately, today its splendid terrain offers numerous leisure options in nature, with interesting trails such as the Hornos de Cal and Los Molinos routes, or climbing the El Morante via ferrata. It also has interesting sanctuaries such as the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Coronada, just 8 kilometers from the center. Built next to a Roman necropolis, a hermit zealously cares for the patron saint of Calañas, tends the flowers that fill the chapel, and fervently takes care of the Virgin's clothing, which is changed at least three times a year.

Just opposite Nuestra Señora de la Coronada is the chapel of Nuestra Señora de España, where, according to tradition, Don Rodrigo, the last Visigoth king, lived, died, and was buried.

The Andévalo hill and its ancestral times

From Calañas, you must climb to El Cerro de Andévalo, which has a rich cultural tradition and impressive devotion to Saint Benedict the Abbot. The first Sunday in May marks the celebration of its ancestral pilgrimage, with great symbolism in the clothing, protocol, cuisine, and music, making it unique in the world. Its first regulations date back to 1594, and since then, work has been done throughout the year to perfect the unique and colorful costumes of both the zamugueras (women in traditional costumes) and the stewards. These elaborate dresses, traditionally passed down from mother to daughter, begin to be made when a girl is born in the family.

Strolling through the narrow streets of El Cerro de Andévalo, among its bright, white houses with red roofs, is a true delight. To learn about the history of the town and its people, there's nothing better than a visit to its Ethnographic Museum. Right in the center of town are two key landmarks of its monumental heritage: the Renaissance-style church of Santa María de Gracia, and, directly opposite, the Hermitage of the Trinity, which is now used for musical series.

Although its jewel is undoubtedly the hermitage of San Benito, its patron saint. Located about 20 kilometers away, in the San Benito Mountains, from where you can see almost the entire region, it seems to have been built in the 12th century as a priory for some medieval order. Documented since 1435, the hermitage was officially declared a sanctuary this year, 2025, by the Bishop of Huelva. With Mudejar and Baroque elements, it features a 17th-century bell gable and a beautiful façade that opens onto the Andévalo countryside.

Cerro de Andévalo offers a magnificent setting for enjoying nature and outdoor activities. Its old railway lines, centuries-old bridges, countless riverbeds, and extensive meadows are ideal for hiking, Nordic walking , horseback riding, and cycling.

Unexplored nature in Santa Bárbara de Casa

To the northwest is Santa Bárbara de Casa, which, with just over 1,000 inhabitants, was a stopover for black marketeers and adventurers traveling between Spain and Portugal. In Santa Bárbara de Casa, you'll find the archaeological site of the Zarcita dolmen, which has four necropolises and is believed to have once been a fortified settlement.

The hills of Santa Bárbara de Casa are dotted with windmills that remind us of the importance of flour as an essential food. The best part is that some have been remodeled to become birdwatching lookouts, especially for black and griffon vultures.

In Santa Bárbara de Casa, don't miss Finca El Baldío, with 18 hectares dedicated to all kinds of adventure sports. You can practice everything from canoeing to cantilevered rappelling, zip-lining, climbing, a rock wall, horseback riding, and archery. From Santa Bárbara de Casa, you should head to Puebla de Guzmán, a horse-riding destination where, apparently, one in three residents owns a horse. From its Águila hill, you can see almost the entire region, and its 15th-century chapel, dedicated to the Virgen de la Peña, reflects the devotion to its patron saint, to whom people descend on the town every six years on a pilgrimage.

The Guadiana Greenway, a walk through the mining past

To the south, in El Almendro, lies the mining town of La Isabel, an isolated spot that was born in the shelter of the abandoned La Isabel mine, an operation that almost became a leader in manganese production.

In La Isabel, the typical barracks-style buildings where the workers lived are still preserved. From here begins the Guadiana Greenway, a pleasant 17-kilometer hike that reaches the Puerto de La Laja in El Granado.

The Guadiana Greenway is a little-known trail that connects the old mining town of La Isabel with the ore loading dock at the Port of La Laja, along the old mining railway line. These rails transported ore from the area's mines to the Guadiana River, where it was loaded onto large ships bound for international markets.

The striking Puerto de La Laja is a former mineral wharf dating back to 1885, from where manganese and pyrite were transported from the mines. The port offers one of the most beautiful views of the Guadiana River, with its nostalgic ruins of the mineral deposits and the loading jetty. The Guadiana Greenway ends here, boasting incredible beauty due to its diverse landscape and definitely a must-see.

Two countries facing the Guadiana

South of El Granado is Sanlúcar de Guadiana, overlooking the Guadiana River and Portugal. Sanlúcar de Guadiana is small, with about 400 residents, but influential due to its strategic location, almost a stone's throw from Portugal.

The Arabs settled here under the Taifa of Niebla until it was conquered by Sancho II of Portugal in the 13th century, and the wars between the Portuguese and Spanish began over the possession of this natural border between the two countries. It was an obligatory passage on trade routes, where in the 19th century timber, lead, soap, liquor, sugar, rice, and other highly valued goods were exported. Today, the Guadiana River is an attractive meeting point for sailors from all over the world who come together to navigate the difficult stretches of the North Atlantic.

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In Sanlúcar de Guadiana, you must climb the Castle of San Marcos to enjoy the best panoramic view of the town, with its neat houses scattered along the hill, descending to the river and reflected in its waters. Near the castle is the platform for the world's first cross-border zip line, unique because it connects Spain and Portugal. At approximately 720 meters long, it is the longest in Spain and the only one connecting two countries.

The Tharsis mine, a vein of history

From Sanlúcar de Guadiana, you must return to the center of the region, to the heart of the earth, to travel back in time at the Tharsis mine. It was already called the Sierra Tarse in the Bible, and Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Arabs, Romans, and Germans passed through here until 1849, when Ernesto Deligny began extracting copper and laid the foundations for modern mining.

The open-pit veins of Tharsis are vermillion, a soil so scarlet it resembles a lunar landscape, where the colors of sulfur, copper, green, and red combine. This pyrite mine is one of the most important in the world, and Pueblo Nuevo was established next to it. The mine director's mansion, offices, a guest house, workers' quarters, and even tennis courts were built on this mining territory. The English cemetery, where relatives of executives of The Tharsis Sulphur & Copper Company Limited are buried, is striking, and where it is striking to read surnames such as Gordon, Crossman, and Gray on the tombstones.

Much of the history of the mine is found in the Tharsis Mining Museum, the former hospital of the British company. It houses an archive of incalculable historical value, as the Administration Books recorded in detail the expenses of the Glasgow offices, the police, cleaning, the pharmacy, horse maintenance, tree planting, as well as the costs generated by strikes and, of course, the costs and income of the business. It is the living history of that era. There is also a 19th-century locomotive and passenger carriages, differentiated by social class.

In the vicinity of Tharsis is the impressive Galería de la Sabina, with its striking walls tinged blue by copper sulphate and, above all, by the parallel gallery that the Romans dug centuries ago in search of the precious mineral.

The recommendation

The Cross-Border Zip Line is a must-see experience: it crosses from Spain to Portugal over the Guadiana River, and is the only one in the world that connects two countries. And, of course, you must enjoy the tour of the Tharsis Mines. At Cerro de Andévalo, you must purchase delicate embroidery, and in Calañas, the objects made from plant fibers are very interesting, including hats, baskets, and bags. High-quality saddlery is a tradition throughout the area.

Where to sleep * Posada Rural Los Molinos (El Almendro): The inn is made up of four windmills, each with two very original rooms. The views from the complex's porch are spectacular. * Narayana Casa Camilo (El Cerro de Andévalo): a rural house with eight exclusive double rooms. Each room has a unique and original décor. * Los Molinos (Sanlúcar de Guadiana): The Los Molinos rural complex features the exclusive Posada Los Molinos, with delightful decor and unbeatable views. In addition to the inn, they offer four rural cottages—Alcazaba, Marea Alta, La Rabá, and Kumara—in an incomparable setting, with excellent views of the Guadiana from the lounges and terraces. Where to sleep

El Andévalo boasts sensational cuisine thanks to the generous produce of its land, where gurumelo, an exquisite mushroom, is a delicacy cooked in countless ways. Its game is incredibly tasty, and its lamb and pork are of unbeatable quality. *Salustiano (Calañas): delicious Iberian shoulder ham, cachuelas, and exquisite Iberian secret. The tapas are a must. *Mesón La Comarcal (Puebla de Guzmán): in an old granary, you can savor the flavors of the land, where gurumelo and turma—El Andévalo's white truffle—reign supreme. The picadillo (minced meat), gurumelo soup, cheeks, and typical sweets, such as roscos de puño (fried doughnuts) and las rosas (roses), are impressive. *La Jara (El Almendro): excellent game meat, where the wild boar loin with dried apricots and the venison croquettes with date sauce are authentic delicacies. The chocolate and strawberry desserts are unique.