Charlie’s unexpected stop in Andalucía
After a few amazing weeks in the Canary Islands, Charlie continued her travels to Portugal. During her research she had stumbled upon a ferry connection from Tenerife to Cadiz. She was planning to see the Algarve, and Cadiz was just around the corner – it made sense for Charlie to take that ferry. When she booked, she noticed that the port was actually in Huelva, not in Cadiz. Charlie had never heard of this town before, but why not check it out?
The best sunsets are in Andalucía
Charlie arrived by ferry in the morning and went straight to her accommodation. She had to catch up on some work. Around 5 in the afternoon, it was time to close the laptop and explore the town. She walked across the centre towards the water. Huelva is located at a river delta close to the sea and the map showed a pier that Charlie wanted to see. She took her time walking through the town and reached the waterfront just in time for the sunset. The pier was an old construction that had been used to load boats at the times when Huelva was a big industrial harbour. The sun was setting slowly behind that impressive historic pier. Charlie already knew from previous surf trips to Andalucía that the sunsets in this part of Spain were beyond beautiful and Huelva was no exception. Combined with a river mouth and a pier and you get the perfect postcard picture!
Things to see in Huelva
In all honesty, nothing beats that sunset! There are a few other places though worth a visit in Huelva. On her way down to the pier, Charlie had passed by some murals and stopped at the Plaza de las Monjas in front of the fountain and the Columbus statue to take some pictures. The background with the ancient Hotel París, also known as Casa de la Bola, the square and the palm trees make the perfect frame for some street photography.
Columbus House
The Casa Colon was built at the end of the 19th century as a hotel for businessmen that came to Huelva. The town had grown from a fishing village into an industrial city. The Rio Tinto Company was behind all that success that was based on the mining industry. The pier is another relict of that time. Back in the day, the Columbus House was one of the most luxurious hotels in the world with running water and heating.
The city of Huelva acquired the building at the end of the 20th century. It is used today as an auditorium and exhibition room, especially for the Festival of Latin-American Films. When Charlie visited Huelva, there was a photography exhibition at the Casa Colon – right up her alley!
Catedral de la Merced
The Cathedral in Huelva, Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Merced, is on the opposite side of town. It’s a bit of a walk from the Columbus House. It is unlike any other cathedral you might have seen in Spain. The façade in orange and beige is an example of colonial architecture. It has been rebuilt twice in its lifetime following strong earthquakes. In 1970, it was declared a National Monument.
Palacios
When walking through Huelva you can see a mix of historic and modern architecture in bright colours in front of a blue sky, decorated with palm trees. The town seems to be full of ancient palaces in traditional Andalusian architecture. Some of them have been converted into public buildings or restaurants. You can have a look inside and admire mosaic windows and marble staircases, for example in the Palacio de Mora Claros.
Charlie enjoyed her stay in Huelva. It was as unexpected as it was beautiful. She took the bus to Faro the next morning.