Costa de la Luz

As well as the dolmens there
are remains of Roman roads,
and the ruins of a 2 nd -century
amphitheatre on which the
Almoravids built a castle in
the 9 th century. It is now a
curious bull-ring. Near the
hermitage of San Mames is a
hamlet, originaly Roman,
where a major religious
festival, or Romería, is held.
The surrounding area is
peppered with castles from
the times of the struggles
between Arabs and Christians,
and white-housed villages
lying among holm- and corkoak
woods. Visitors to the
Sierra Pelada nature zone can
watch birds of prey, one
particularly rare species being
the black vulture.
Practically next door, at the
foot of the highest peak in
the range, lies Almonaster,
which has an Arab castle and
an interesting mosque – older
than the mosque at Cordoba –
with fine columns. Also
interesting are the Mudejar
and Gothic houses, and the
church of San Martín with a
15 th -century doorway in the
Manueline style.
The predominant tree species
in these parts are the
chestnut, oak and holm oak.
There are cherry orchards very
close by, in Fuenteheridos,
famous for its perenniallyflowing
twelve-spouted
fountain, and a little way
farther on, in Corterrangel,
there are orange groves.
Cortelazor, barely a hamlet
today, was once the capital of
an independent petty
kingdom. And right in the
middle of the mountains is
Valdelarco, a place for honey
and ham like all towns in
these mountains. Set on steep
slopes, Valdelarco is striking
for its soleras, a species of
terraced cultivation.
Sierra Minera
Valverde del Camino was once
a stop on a famous mining
railway when the English held
exclusive mining rights.
The railway no longer exists,
but the English influence is
still apparent in some of
the buildings, like the Casa de
Dirección or “management
house” and the railway
offices. But those wishing to
see real mining scenery should
visit the Riotinto mining area,
which is allegedly the largest
opencast mining works in the
world and has been in
existence for 5,000 years.
The place is known as
the cerro colorado, or “red
hill” because of the pyrites
which give the soil its red
colour.
Visitors to the town of Minas
de Riotinto can still see the
English quarter of Bella Vista,
a classic example of Victorian
architecture.
The road to Calañas crosses
the river Odiel, and there,
amidst woodlands of
eucalyptus, the waters acquire
all the colours of the rainbow
because of the copper that
they carry. Immediately on the
other side of the river stands
the hermitage of the Virgen
de Coronada, patron saint of
the district and site of a major
religious festival (romería) on
Easter Monday. The first thing
that strikes the eye on
reaching Calañas is the church
of Santa María de Guía,
surrounded by houses
recalling the town’s mining
past.
Ríver Tinto
Valdelarco
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