Travel Guide to Huelva, Spain – Attractions, Shopping and Restaurants august 21, 2024 – Posted in: Spain, Travel – Tags: Andalusia, Archaeology, Attractions, Busses, History, Holiday, Huelva, Restaurants, Shopping, Spain, Vacation

Huelva – Plenty of Attractions in the Old Mining Town

Just an hour’s drive from Seville and also from the Portuguese border lies the old mining town of Huelva. While nearby Seville might surpass Huelva in both size and charm, the city has plenty to offer in terms of history, culture, shopping, and really good food! If you’re vacationing on the Costa de la Luz or in one of the smaller towns in southwestern Andalusia, Huelva is the place to go for a taste of city life and experiences.

Here, we’ll tell you a bit about what to see, do, and eat in Huelva!

The History of Huelva

Huelva’s history stretches far back into the past, with the city having been inhabited by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Muslims, and Christians, all of whom have left their mark on its landscape and cultural heritage. The city evolved over thousands of years from a simple fortress by the Odiel River to the modern port city you explore today.

The city’s rich history includes the Romans, the discovery of America, and the major Rio Tinto mines. Therefore, a visit to Huelva involves a look at the Romans in museums and on the streets, the large Christopher Columbus statue at Plaza de las Monjas, and the long mining bridge extending into the Ría de Odiel, where minerals from the mines were shipped out.

Sights in Huelva

Start your visit to Huelva by greeting Christopher Columbus at the city’s central square, Plaza de las Monjas. Many cities in Spain and Italy claim the great explorer as part of their history. What is certain is that he set sail from Huelva, or more precisely from the small town of Palos de la Frontera, with his three ships in 1492. To learn more about Columbus, you can see replicas of the three ships in the small port town or visit the La Rabida Monastery, where Columbus stayed before setting sail.

From the statue, it’s a short walk through the pedestrian streets to the city museum, Museo de Huelva. The museum’s 3,000 m² are divided into exhibits on fine arts, archaeology, and ethnology. Admission is free for EU citizens. Note: All explanatory texts are in Spanish, so you need to be able to read Spanish or have a good understanding of the area’s history and archaeology for the exhibits to make sense. Even with a basic understanding, the exhibition is great and tells the city’s fascinating history; from Roman mining to today’s industrial city.

After the museum, head out to enjoy the city’s fantastic lights. Behind the old bullring, you can reach the lovely viewpoint at Mirador Conquero. Here you have a beautiful view over the city, and if you come at the right time, you can capture the perfect sunset photos. At the top, there is an open exhibit about the Romans’ water supply, and if you walk down the mountain via the wooden stairs to Fuente Vieja, you can see the old Roman aqueduct, where water still flows.

End the Day at Muelle del Tinto – The Beautiful Old Mining Bridge, See the Image Above. Here you can enjoy the evening sun and the most stunning sunsets while strolling out over the water. From this bridge, the large ships used to load minerals, and the railway once extended 80 km inland all the way to Minas de Rio Tinto.

Today, the mine is a major excursion area where you can take a tour. The bridge was completed in 1876 and was in use for nearly a hundred years.

Best Restaurants in Huelva

Be sure to set aside a couple of days for your visit to the city, just for the many excellent restaurants! The city’s most popular restaurant is Azabache, located in one of the small side streets in the center. The place is in high demand, and you should arrive when they open if you want a table. The tapas bar also has a dining room in the back with starched tablecloths and a polite atmosphere. We passed on that and managed to dine twice in the lively and cheerful front area of Azabache – it’s that good. Choose from traditional tapas and order a beer or a good glass of wine.

On the more affordable end, but still with delicious traditional tapas, you’ll find La Teja. This small, cozy restaurant is also located in the pedestrian streets. We went for lunch and dined with the locals. They served croquettas, berenjenas con miel, tuna, revuelta – and it was honest tapas with no frills.

Being close to the sea, seafood is a popular dish in the city. The best place to enjoy it is at Paco Moreno, which is near the bullring. Here you get fried fish and seafood – and not much else. It tastes absolutely heavenly, but remember to bring napkins!

If you prefer meals with knife and fork, and perhaps a tapas dish with a modern twist, you should visit the lively restaurant street Av. Martín Alonso Pinzón, which extends from the pedestrian streets. We dined at the ultra-popular Kalaka and enjoyed goat cheese, fried chicken, and the most delicious dessert. Many people want to eat here, so book a table or come when they open.

Looking for a good place for coffee and cake? Be sure to visit the large pastry shop Panadería Granier on Calle Gravina. Here you can enjoy the life of the pedestrian street while filling up on coffee and the most delightful cakes!

Shopping in Huelva

If you live in one of the smaller towns in this part of Andalusia, you’ll love Huelva for its many shopping opportunities! The pedestrian streets Concepción, Palacio, Pérez Carasa, and Berdigón are charming and filled with many Spanish chain stores. Where the bridges cross over to Odiel, there is also a larger shopping area on Av. Molino de la Vega. Here you can also park for a fee if you plan to shop in the city for a few hours. Finally, there’s the huge shopping center Centro Comercial Holea with 115 stores.

However, the large food market, Mercado del Carmen, is also very cozy and authentic. If you want to take home some ham or chorizo or perhaps taste the famous Huelva strawberries, this is the place to shop. It’s open from 8 AM to 3 PM, and the market is enormous and bustling. If you exit through the gate at Av. de la Ría, there’s both a cafeteria and fresh churros in the morning.

Hiking in Huelva

If you need to get away from city life for a bit, you can do as we did and embark on a hike that’s a bit out of the ordinary. It’s possible to walk across one of the two bridges leading to the old mining area by the Odiel River. You access the bridge from the large shopping area on Av. Molino de la Vega. While crossing the bridge, you can see flamingos and another mining bridge, Muelle Tharsis.

Aside from the old mining town and the steam locomotive in front of the café, there’s not much to see on the other side – but the nature is absolutely magnificent. The area is a popular destination for dog walkers and mountain bikers.

How to Get to Huelva

Right next to the large food market is the city’s bus station. From here, buses depart to the smaller towns in the region, and you can find your bus here: Damas. There is also a train running a few times a day between Sevilla and Huelva, and you can find your departure here: Renfe.

Where to Stay in Huelva?

Our visit to Huelva was part of a long-term vacation we took in 2024. We stayed in a charming little townhouse, Flor de Sal, in Ayamonte, right on the border with Portugal. Occasionally, we needed a bit of city atmosphere, and it was lovely to have Huelva within a reasonable driving distance. We visited the city several times, both for day trips and overnight stays.

During our weekend trip to Huelva, we stayed at Hotel Exe Tartessos. The hotel is located on the lively restaurant street, actually right across from Kalaka, where we dined. And there was plenty of money left to enjoy the city: for 70 € per night, we got a lovely double room and a fantastic breakfast buffet with all sorts of ham, cheese, and small pastries. And that was 70 € for two people, including both the hotel room and breakfast.

Read more about the hotel here: Hotel Exe Tartessos and see all the other hotels in Huelva by clicking here. You can also do your own search for hotels in Huelva right here:

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