South Camino of Huelva

The South Route of Huelva connects the Onuban capital with Zafra (Badajoz), serving as a link to the Via de la Plata. A journey through marshes, the Andévalo and Extremaduran scrublands.

Organize your South Camino of Huelva

Origin

Huelva

Destination

Zafra

Distance

164 km

Days

7

Difficulty

Lowlands

General Description of South Camino of Huelva

The South Camino of Huelva is a 164 km Jacobean route that starts in the city of Huelva and heads north to connect with the Via de la Plata in Zafra (Badajoz). This route offers varied experiences, passing through landscapes such as the Odiel marshes, the Andévalo mining region, and the dehesas of Sierra Morena before entering Extremadura. It allows western Andalusian coastal pilgrims to connect with one of the major routes to Santiago, recovering ancient communication routes.

Connections of South Camino of Huelva

Way of the Plate
Distance: 963.6 km
Days: 38
Difficulty: High

The Silver Way (La Vía de la Plata) is the longest of the Camino de Santiago paths in Spain, with almost 1000 km. Its route, which starts in Seville, largely follows the ancient Roman road that connected Mérida to Astorga. It traverses Andalusia, Extremadura and Castile and León, offering pilgrims two options in Granja de Moreruela (Zamora): continue on to Astorga to link with the French Way or take the Sanabrés Way directly to Galicia.

It is a route of immense historical and monumental wealth. Due to its length and high temperatures in its southern section, it requires excellent planning. It offers diverse landscapes, from the extreme dehesas to the plains and mountains of Castile and León.

Stages of this variant:

Etapa 1
Stage 1: Seville to Guadahortuna
21.90 km 5.48h Baja
Etapa 2
Stage 2: Guillena to Castilblanco de los Arroyos
18.30 km 4.58h Media
Etapa 3
Stage 3: Castileja del Pinar to Almaden de la Plata
28.20 km 7.05h Media
Etapa 4
Stage 4: Mondovino to Monestier-de-Clermont
33.60 km 8.40h Alta
Etapa 5
Stage 5: Monastery at Fuente de Cantos
20.70 km 5.18h Baja
(19) more

Stages of South Camino of Huelva

Etapa 1: Huelva to Trigueros

22.00 km 5.50h Baja 30m

Description:

This stage continues across the Plain of Tierra de Campos, in flat terrain with no difficulties. The landscape remains dominated by cereal fields. It is a transition day that brings the pilgrim close ...

Origen: Huelva

Destino: Trigueros

Etapa 2: Trigueros to Valverde del Camino

21.00 km 5.25h Baja 70m

Description:

This long stage marks the entry into the province of León and the convergence with the Camino Francés. The route is entirely flat, one last stretch through the Tierra de Campos. Arrival in the histori...

Origen: Trigueros

Destino: Valverde del Camino

Etapa 3: Valverde del Camino to Minas de Río Tinto

17.00 km 4.25h Media 5m

Description:

The first stage of the Southeastern Way takes the pilgrim out of the great city of Valencia. The route is entirely flat and runs through the fertile Valencian huerta, a landscape of orange groves and ...

Etapa 4: Minas de Río Tinto to Aracena

28.00 km 7.00h Media 90m

Description:

This long stage enters the interior of the province of Valencia. The profile is a gentle but continuous ascent, through a landscape of orange trees and fields of cultivation. It's an demanding day due...

Origen: Minas de Río Tinto

Destino: Aracena

Etapa 5: Aracena to Cañaveral de León

22.00 km 5.50h Media 450m

Description:

This stage enters into a more mountainous terrain. The profile is a continuous rise and fall, with an demanding ascent at the beginning. The landscape changes, and the orange groves give way to pine f...

Origen: Aracena

Destino: Cañaveral de León

Etapa 6: Cañaveral de León to Valencia del Ventoso

32.00 km 8.00h Media 150m

Description:

This stage marks the passage of the Valencian Community to Castile-La Mancha. The route crosses the Corredor de Almansa, a natural pass between the tableland and the east coast. The profile is a gentl...

Featured Towns of South Camino of Huelva

Explore the key towns and cities of this route.

Millenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution South Camino of Huelva

Discover the origins and evolution of South Camino of Huelva

The South Route of Huelva is the Jacobean path that begins where land meets the Atlantic Ocean, in the southwestern extremity of Andalusia. It's a route that connects the onubense capital and its coast, with a rich maritime tradition and discoverer history, to the ancient Via de la Plata. Its history is that of a natural corridor that channelled the faith of the inhabitants of these lands and, possibly, of pilgrims arriving by sea from the Algarve Portuguese or even from the New World.

The province of Huelva has been an intersection of cultures since antiquity and a starting point for the unknown. It was the cradle of the Tartessian civilization and an important mining enclave for the Romans, as evidenced by the Riotinto mines. Its moment of greatest universal glory came in 1492 when three caravels from Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera. This deep connection with the sea and navigation has shaped the region's character. In this context, devotion to St James also took root, and Onubese pilgrims who wanted to travel to Santiago sought the most logical route to join the great interior roads.

The South Route of Huelva was born as that logical connection. Instead of taking a long detour east to start the Via de la Plata in Seville, this itinerary charts a direct diagonal northwards, seeking to link up with the same Via de la Plata in the important city of Zafra, already in Extremadura. This shortcut saved several days' journey and followed established trade routes and transhumance paths.

The route's path is a showcase for the diversity of Huelva province's landscape. Starting from the capital, Huelva, and passing through the marshes and pine forests of "La Tierra Llana", it then enters the El Condado comarca famous for its wines before entering the Andévalo's faja pyritic region, a zone with long mining tradition that has shaped its landscape. Localities like Valverde del Camino emerged from this activity.

The most spectacular section is the crossing of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park. Here, the landscape transforms into a mountainous and wooded terrain, a mosaic of oak, alcornoque, and chestnut forests that form the dehesa ecosystem where Iberian pigs are bred. The path passes through the capital of the comarca, Aracena, famous for its castle and above all for the Gruta de las Maravillas, an impressive underground cave.

After passing over the mountain range, which acts as a natural border, the pilgrim descends into Extremadura's plains to reach their destination: Zafra, in the province of Badajoz. Zafra, known as "Seville the Little", was an important medieval town with a magnificent castle and bustling market, a perfect place for Huelva pilgrims to join the Via de la Plata flow and continue their journey northwards.

The recovery and signage of this path are recent efforts, driven by local associations and the Huelva Diputación to showcase this heritage. Today, the South Route of Huelva offers an authentic pilgrimage experience and a little-traveled route, a journey through history from the Atlantic Ocean's light and echoes of the discovery of America to the heart of Extremadura's dehesa.

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