The Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche are located in the westernmost part of the Sierra Morena mountain range, in the north of the province of Huelva. In the Middle Ages, this region was the setting for many frontier battles with neighbouring Portugal. The historical legacy of those armed conflicts has been preserved in the form of numerous fortresses which comprise the so-called “Banda Gallega” (Galician Strip).


In the 13th century, a time of frequent border disputes with the neighbouring kingdom of Portugal, King Sancho IV (also known as Sancho the Brave) decided to organise a solid line of defensive strongholds. Most of these defecnes were located in the Sierra de Aracena, given the region's strategic position geographic importance. This military plan was known as the "Galician Strip" because many Spaniards from Galicia and Leon had been encouraged to repopulate the area after the Muslims were evicted. It was organised in three semi-circular rings of fortresses established in numerous townships, which were primarily designed to protect the city of Seville from Portugese invaders. The Castle Route is an excellent way to experience the historical value and heritage of the towns and regions of the Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park. This route can be taken at any time of year. The best option is to use a private automibile or public transport to visit the various towns along the way: Aroche, Cortegana, Almonaster la Real, Encinasola, Cumbres de San Bartolomé, Cumbres Mayores, Cala, Santa Olalla de Cala, Zufre and Aracena. Although there are several possible approaches to this route, we suggest an east-to-west itinerary that will allow you to visit a dozen of the fortresses that were once part of these three historical lines of defence. These castles are spread out across various townships and their state of conservation varies.

The tour begins in Cala and Santa Olalla de Cala. Although the stronghold in Cala is quite deteriorated, the walk up the hill and the magnificent view of the mountain range from the castle makes it a worthwhile visit. In Santa Olalla de Cala, the castle perches imposingly upon the peak of a hill overlooking the town; the building itself occupies an extensive surface area and is flanked by ten towers. This and the castle of Cumbres Mayores are the only two castles that were built expressly for the lines of defence rather, than on the sites of former Muslim fortifications. Just fifteen kilometres to the southeast, you will find Zufre, a town whose name and layout reflects its Arabic heritage. It was once a walled city fortified by the Almohads, and some fragments of that wall, such as the Torre de la Harina (Tower of flour), are still standing. This stronghold was not created as a result of border disputes with Portugal, although the walls did later serve to protect the town's inhabitants from the advancing armies of their ancient foe.



Located in the very heart of this mountainous region, Aracena is probably the most tourist-oriented town in the region and the main crossroads of the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park. Rising above the town is the Cerro del Castillo (Castle Hill), upon which are perched both the Iglesia Prioral del Castillo (Castle Priory Church) and the ruins of the ancient fortress taht once was of great stretgic importance. Hidden beneath the hill is the Gruta de las Maravillas (Grotto of marvels), an immense karstic cave that consitutes one of the Natural's Park main attractions. The southernmost limit of the three defensive rings runs almost parallel to the Seville-Lisbon road (N-433), which you can take west from Aracena to Cortegana, where a perfectly restored castle will immediately catch your eye. This castle is open to visitors year-round and houses a museum of archaeological treasures and period furnishings. In August, this castle hosts the popular "medieval days" that offer food, festivities and exhibitions. A few kilometres to the south, Almonaster la Real boasts one of the few surviving examples of Arab fortresses from the caliphate period. This particular edifice is part of a complex that includes a mosque dating from the same period and the more recent bullring built atop the former military parade ground.

The N-435 road from Huelva to Badajoz will quickly take you north along the second ring of the Galician Strip until you reach “Las Tres Cumbres” or three hills. These towns - Cumbres de San Bartolomé, Cumbres de Enmedio and Cumbres Mayores - came into being when an ancient Roman citadel named Concordia Julia Nertóbriga was abandoned and its inhabitants took up residence on three nearby hilltops. Cumbres Mayores is the largest, and the highest point of its fortified perimeter is crowned by a monumental castle known as Castillo de Sancho El Bravo (Castle of Sancho the Brave), which occupies a full hectare of land behind its ten-metre high, three-metre thick battlement-topped-walls. The castle was declared a National Monument in 1985. In the neighbouring town of Cumbres de Enmedio, you will dscover the ruins of an artillery wall dating from the same period.

This tour of the mountain castles ends with a visit to the outer defensive perimeter, the one closest to Portugal, which extends across the twonships of Fregenal de la Sierra in Badajoz, Encinasola and Aroche. Encinasola is the home to the ruins of a castle whose former importance can be inferred from the abundance of towers and the thickness of its walls. In the 16th century, several defensive bastions were built in this town; the only two that remain standing are the Fuerte de San Felipe (St. Philips Fort) dedicated to King Philip II and the Fuerte de San Juan (St. John's Fort), dedicated to Prince John of Austria, both of which have been restored and are open to the public.

The Carretera de las Contiendas (Road of Conflicts) will treat you to lovely views of the Múrtigas River valley on your way to the last stop on the route - the village of Aroche. This quintessential mountain settlement is surrounded by a colossal walled perimeter built in the 17th century; no less interesting is the nearby Castillo de las Armas (Castle of Arms) of Aroche. Originally built during the Almoravid period, substantial structural changes were later made by Spaniards as well as Portuguese, given the castle's proximity to the volatile border region. In the early 19th century, a bullring was also constructed in the castle parade ground, where bullfights and equestrian showes are still held today.