Huelva town is best noted for the fact that it's from there, or close by, that Christopher Columbus set sail for the Americas. It's also famous for the gigantic Rio Tinto mines, according to some the original King Solomon's mines made famous by Rider Haggard. It sits at the mouth of two rivers, the Tinto and the Guadalquivir, and was originally a major trading port for the Phoenicians. It is also allegedly the site of the famed lost city of Atlantis.

But what do you find today?

Huelva was pretty badly damaged during the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, and lost most of its early splendour. However there are still a couple of notable churches, and a number of pretty plazas with good quality bars and restaurants. The opencast mines can still be seen, including the impressive ironwork loading bays that lead down to the river. It's also next door to the great National Park of Coto Donana, teeming with bird life, lynxes, and the Spanish Imperial eagle.

If it’s beaches you're after, Huelva is part of the Western Costa de la Luz, famed for its golden sand and shimmering light, and the subregion is well populated by small resorts such as El Rompido, Islantilla and Isla Canela. From Isla Canela, probably the smallest and most exclusive resort and reachable from either Faro or Seville, it's possible to book guided tours to Seville, tours that follow the Columbus route or jeep tours through the Coto Donana.