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municipality and capital city of the Province of Huelva, Spain
Europe > Iberia > Spain > Andalusia > Huelva (province) > Huelva
For other places with the same name, see Huelva (disambiguation).

Huelva is a city of 144,000 people (2018) in Andalucia, on the Gulf of Cádiz coast, in the estuary formed by the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. It draws visitors for its historical sites connected to Christopher Columbus, and for its historic pier, the Muelle de Rio Tinto.

Understand

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Get in

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There's a direct bus connection from Barcelona, and to Lagos. It's well connected by railway and major Andalusian road, just 70 km away from Seville. The nearest airports are Seville International Airport (75 km.) and Faro (Portugal).

By train

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Huelva train station is served by trains from Seville 3 times a day (which is connected to the AVE rapid transit network). There is a connection with the Altaria Talgo 200 to Madrid. From Atocha train station in Madrid to Huelva Término.

By bus

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The city of Huelva can be reached by DAMAS bus every hour from Seville (from Plaza de Armas). There is also a bus service from Faro (city) to Huelva.

By plane

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The nearest airport is the Aeropuerto de Sevilla (SVQ IATA) which is 75 km away.

The second airport is the Portuguese Aeroporto Internacional de Faro (FAO IATA). It is about 100 km from Huelva. To Huelva, take the EA bus which is to the left as you leave the terminal building. This route takes you to Seville Santa Justa Station. The bus fare is €4 and it takes 20-25 minutes. You can then catch a train which takes 1½-2 hours, depending on the service.

By ship

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Regular ferries sail to Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, taking around 30 hours. Fares are somewhat expensive for non-Canarian residents, but vessels are modern and comfortable with onboard shops and restaurants. With cabin accommodation, the crossing is essentially a cruise.

Ferries depart from the city's port. No public transport links the port with the town, as of 2023.

By car

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The well-developed A-49 motorway (Autovía del Quinto Centenariovon) from Seville to the Portuguese border runs through the province. From Seville the distance is about 90 km, from Madrid it is 620 km.

From Faro take the Portuguese motorway IP-1 and from Ayamonte take the A-49. The distance is about 100 km.

Get around

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Although the traffic is guided around the city centre by four-lane streets, the streets are the usual chaos during business hours. Parking spaces are rare and usually paid for (e.g. at the bus station, Avda. Alemania s/n). Parking garages are often difficult to find for those unfamiliar with the area, despite the signs.

There are nine urban bus routes that usually run between 05:30 and 00:00:

  • Line 1: Zafra - Colonias - Torrejón
  • Line 2: Zafra - Torrejón - Colonias
  • Line 3: Plaza de las Monjas - Higueral - Universidad
  • Line 4: Plaza de las Monjas -Torrejón - Hospital
  • Line 5: Zafra - Isla Chica - Hospital
  • Line 6: Zafra - Conquero - Orden Alta
  • Line 7: Plaza de las Monjas - Santa Marta - Orden Baja
  • Line 8: Plaza de las Monjas - Barriada Del Carmen
  • Line 9: Zafra - Nuevo Parque
  • Park of the Palomas
  • Statue of the Pinzón brothers in Palos de la Frontera
  • 1 Plaza de las Monjas. Until the earthquake in 1755, the nuns' square was the convent's vegetable garden. The traditional bullfights were later held here. Today the square is one of the city's central meeting points with a city tourist information office. Near the Plaza de las Monjas, in the Sfera fashion store (C / Vázquez López, 4), excavations from Roman times can be viewed through a bullet-proof glass floor. Plaza de las monjas (Q6080255) on Wikidata 
  • Park Moret. With 72 hectares the largest urban park in Andalusia. It is equipped with barbecue areas, children's playgrounds, skate rink and an artificial lake. With a wonderful view of the Marisma de Odiel Natural Park.
  • 2 Muelle Tinto (Muelle de mineral de la Compañía Riotinto). The Muelle Tinto, the Tintokai, is a pier designed in 1874 by engineers George Bruce and Thomas Gibson, was used to transport the ore from the mines in Andévalo to the port of Huelvas, where the ore was loaded onto ships from railway cars. It was shut down in 1975, restored in 2007, today it invites you to take a walk and enjoy the sunsets. Rio Tinto Pier (Q6025796) on Wikidata Rio Tinto Pier (Huelva, Spain) on Wikipedia 

Churches

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Catedral de la Merced
  • 3 Catedral de la Merced. a Renaissance-Baroque building with a colonial aesthetic. Construction began in 1605. The floor plan is that of a five-part basilica with three naves and a transept. Reconstruction began in 1775 after the earthquake. The church was declared a cathedral in 1953 and listed as a historical monument in 1970. The elegant facade and the statue of the Virgen de la Cinta , the patron saint of the city, are worth seeing. Next door on the Plaza de la Merced is the former monastery de la Merced from the same time, today the seat of the University of Huelva. Huelva Cathedral (Q2942684) on Wikidata Huelva Cathedral on Wikipedia 
  • San Pedro Church. The Mudejar style church from the 14th to 15th centuries rises above a former mosque. Later some changes in the baroque style were made, such as the tower. It is in the middle of the city on a hill, and is the oldest church in the city.
  • Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Cinta. A building from the 15th century in the Gothic Mudejar style. Here Christopher Columbus prayed after his first trip and thanked the Lord for his healthy return.
  • Iglesia de la Concepción. The Church of the Immaculate Conception. The building from the 16th century combines the Mudejar, Gothic and Baroque styles. It was rebuilt in 1755 after the Lisbon earthquake. It is said to be the first church in Spain to be dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Inside, the magnificent choir stalls are worth seeing.

Buildings

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  • Gran Teatro. Built in neoclassical style and inaugurated as Real Teatro in 1923. 
  • Mercado El Carmen. Huelva's oldest market (1868) moved to a new building opposite the main post office in 2008. Fishermen in particular offer their goods here every morning, but strawberries, citrus fruits, bread and meat can also be bought here.
  • 4 Barrio Obrero Reina Victoria. The Queen Victoria workers' settlement was built in 1917 by the mining company Rio Tinto Company Limited for its workers and mainly English engineers. Streets and houses follow the British architectural style of their time. Barrio Obrero de Reina Victoria de Huelva (Q5720817) on Wikidata 

Monuments

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Monument to the Discovery Faith, a 37-metre-tall sculpture celebrating the Columbian exploration of the Americas
  • Columbus Monument, "Monument to the Discovery Faith". Created by artist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1929. The 36-metre-high statue was a gift from the United States to the Spanish people who "made the discovery of America possible". It is on Avenida Francisco Montenegro, on the promontory popularly known as “Punta del Sebo”, at the point where the Río Tinto and Río Odiel meet, in the city's industrial area.

Museums

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  • 5 Museo Provincial de Huelva. Tu 14:30-20:30, W-Sa 09:00-20:30, Su public holidays 09:00-14:30. The exhibits give an overview of the history of Huelva from the Neolithic to Roman times. The Roman tool collection from the mines of Río Tinto is interesting. The Fine Arts Department exhibits works by contemporary artists from the province of Huelva. free for EU citizens with ID, otherwise €1.50. Museum of Huelva (Q6034594) on Wikidata 
  • Casa de Colón. Columbus's house. It was built in 1881 by José Pérez Santamaría on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in America, and opened in 1883 as the Gran Hotel Colón. It contains British, Colonial and Modernist elements. Today the building houses numerous temporary exhibitions and the city archive. Events such as the Ibero-American Film Festival take place in the Congress Palace.

Festivals

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Fiestas Colombinas
  • The Huelva Carnival is considered one of the most beautiful and important in all of Andalusia.
  • The Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a year from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. It is celebrated intensively and with great participation by the population. The most important part are the processions, the main procession is on Good Friday.
  • The Fiestas Colombinas[dead link] are celebrated at the end of July/beginning of August in honour of the day of the departure of Christopher Columbus (August 3, 1492).
  • On September 8th, the Fiesta de la Cinta is celebrated in honour of the Virgen de la Cinta , the patron saint of the city.
  • The Ibero-American Film Festival takes place for one week in December.

Spectator sports

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  • Real Club Recreativo de Huelva aka "Recre" plays soccer in Segunda Federación, away down in the fourth tier. It is the oldest Spanish football club still in existence, founded in 1889 by Dr. Alexander McKay and British miners in the Casa Colón. The Nuevo Colombino stadium, designed by Spanish architect Joaquín Aramburu and opened in 2001, is on the banks of the Río Odiel, near city centre. The stadium holds a total of 20,670 spectators, all of them seated.
  • Sporting Club de Huelva is the women's soccer team. They were relegated in 2024 and now play in Primera Federación the second tier. Their home ground is Campo del CD Lamiya west of the river.
  • Real Club Recreativo de Tenis de Huelva was founded in 1890 and is the oldest tennis club in Spain.

The shops are usually open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 13:30 and from 17:00 to 20:30. Department stores and shopping centres have continuous opening times from 10:00 to 21:00. Shops are mostly closed on Sundays with a few exceptions, such as some of the first Sundays of the month.

The largest shopping centres in the city are:

  • Centro Comercial Costa de la Luz. Branch of the well-known department store chain El Corte Inglés.
  • Centro Comercial Puerta del Atlántico

Almost all banks are open Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 14:00, some branches are also open on Saturday from 08:30 to 13:00. ATMs are available around the clock throughout the city, and most of them accept all major international cards.

You can pay with all major credit cards in almost all shops and restaurants, and payment with the Maestro card (EC card) usually works without any problems.

  • 1 Cervecería Bonilla Puerto, Muelle de Levante, s/n., ☏ +34 959 10 00 00. On the waterfront. Good food, excellent service, and popular with the locals at lunchtime. (updated Jun 2015)

Drink

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The nightlife shifts to Punta Umbria in summer. A relatively lively pub scene can be found at Plaza Quintero Beaz and in Cale Pablo Rada north of the center.

Sleep

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Connect

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  • BEN Andalucia, Avda Alemania 30, Internet access across from the bus station. €1/hr

Go next

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Routes through Huelva
Faro ← Isla Cristina ←  W  E  → Seville


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