Huelva: Aracena, Riotinto and Doñana
Ham country and a show cave in the sierra, a red river at Riotinto, Columbus’s monastery and the wetlands of Doñana.
- Distance
- 263 km (163 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 38 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 6
- Countries
- Spain
- Updated
- August 20, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 263 km (163 mi) with 6 stops, from Seville to Doñana: El Acebuche. About 3 h 38 min of driving in total.
Route description
From Seville take the N-433 north-west into the Sierra de Aracena, a green upland of cork oaks and chestnuts where black Iberian pigs forage for acorns. Aracena has a castle on its hill and, beneath it, the Gruta de las Maravillas, a show cave with underground lakes; tours run through the day.
Head south through the hills to Minas de Riotinto, where millennia of mining have dyed the river red and carved vast open pits. The mining museum organises visits to the Corta Atalaya pit and rides on the restored mine railway beside the river.
Continue south to the coast at La Rábida, the monastery where Columbus prepared his first voyage; replicas of the Niña, Pinta and Santa María are moored at the quay below. Then drive east through strawberry fields and pine woods to El Rocío, a village of sand streets and hitching rails on the edge of the marshes.
The last stop is El Acebuche, the main visitor centre of Doñana National Park, with boardwalks to bird hides. To go deeper into the park book a guided 4x4 tour from El Acebuche or El Rocío. Autumn to spring is best for birds; summer is hot and the marshes dry.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Seville
Spain - 295 km
Gruta de las Maravillas
NatureAracena, SpainA show cave beneath the castle hill of Aracena, with underground lakes and delicate formations, visited on guided tours. Aracena is also the place to buy the Iberian ham of the surrounding sierra.
- 328 km
Riotinto Mining Park
OdditiesMinas de Riotinto, SpainFive thousand years of mining have left a blood-red river, open pits and a Martian landscape. The museum in the village runs visits to the Corta Atalaya pit and trips on the old mine railway.
- 476 km
Monastery of La Rábida
HistoryPalos de la Frontera, SpainThe Franciscan monastery where Columbus found support before sailing from nearby Palos in 1492. Life-size replicas of his three ships are moored at the quay just below.
- 550 km
El Rocío
Spain - 614 km
Doñana: El Acebuche
NatureAlmonte, SpainThe main visitor centre of Doñana National Park, with boardwalks through pine and scrub to bird hides over a lagoon. Access to the heart of the park is only on guided 4x4 or boat tours, which are worth booking ahead.
