Almonte, Spain

Almonte, Spain
Almonte is a town and municipality located in the province of Huelva, in southwestern Spain. According to the 2022 census, it had a population of 25,448 inhabitants, ranking third within its province, just after Huelva, the capital city and Lepe. With its 859.21 km2 (33174 sq mi), it is the 19th largest municipality in Spain, with a population density of 27/km2. Its elevation is 75 m (246 ft) over sea level and it is 50 km far from Huelva.
Almonte is recognised worldwide thanks to the village of El Rocío, which had a great influence in the American Wild West culture and hosts one of the most popular pilgrimages in the world. Most of the Doñana National Park, which is Europe’s largest natural reserve and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and the longest beach in Spain, which includes the popular Matalascañas beach, are also in Almonte. Moreover, it is one of Spain's top organic fruit exporters and the first blueberry exporter in Europe.
History
Prehistory
The region of Tartessia existed since the Chalcolithic, with river Tartessos (later renamed Baetis by Romans). There are remains left from the Bronze Age in Almonte, including Tartessian metallic tools by the San Bartolomé stream, in the northern part of Almonte's territory. It is thought that this Tartessian village had two different golden ages, one of them during the Chalcolithic and another one during the late Bronze Age, from the 9th and 6th centuries BC. The typical architecture from that age included the oval-shaped huts dug on the ground and made of sticks and mud. This settlement may have had an active trading with Greeks and phoenicians and was called San Bartolomé de Almonte, next to the current town and the ancient (Ligustinian Lake), which covered most of the territory between Seville and Cádiz, and dried completely in 700BC.
Ancient history
There are also remains of Roman presence in the area, with an ancient settlement called Alostigi which existed during the 5th century BC and could have been located where the current town of Almonte is. Archaeologists George Bonsor and Adolf Schulten, in their search for Atlantis, discovered remains of a garum fishing factory and a settlement near Cerro del Trigo (Spanish for wheat hill), which is nowadays part of Doñana. At least 15 other factories have been found throughout Almonte's coast, along with a Roman necropolis and coins dating from centuries 5th and 2nd BC.
The above-mentioned Ligustinian Lake, which was used for sea trading by Tartessian people, had been drying over time until becoming the current Guadalquivir's delta as the only major navigable connection to the Atlantic.
Middle Ages
The current town of Almonte was officially established during the 8th century AD with the name of Al-Yabal (literally, "the Mount") and was part of the Taifa of Niebla. The Umayyads were the first to tame and breed the wild horses which had inhabited the area for centuries, and were later registered as a protected species.
Almonte was reconquered by the nordics at the beginning of the 13th century, being taken over by the Crown of Castile, as a protectorate. After a major Muslim rebellion, the territory was absorbed by the Kingdom of Seville.
King Alfonso X "The Wise", wrapped up in the legend of a hunter who found the Virgin Mary deep within Woods of Las Rocinas, ordered to build in 1270 the first sanctuary devoted to Saint Mary of Las Rocinas, later becoming the worldwide-known Virgin of El Rocío. The statue of the Virgin of El Rocío is an anonymous gothic carved wood sculpture dating from the 12th century. The current version has sufferend some remodelling during the Baroque period.
In 1335, nobleman becomes owner of Almonte, which was already independent from the County of Niebla, established in 1369. In the 14th century, Almonte and Niebla went to war for territorial reasons. The conflict ended when the Duke of Medina Sidonia established the frontiers, becoming owners of Almonte, while being at the same time Counts of Niebla and Sanlúcar, neighbouring town.
Modern history
Trading flourished in Almonte during the discovery of America, when Christopher Columbus set sail from the neighbouring port of Palos de la Frontera and goods were transported from Seville. Olive oil was the main export from Almonte and the bustle of traders boosted the interest towards the Virgin of El Rocío and its sanctuary and picturesque village in the middle of the woods. Almonte exerted cultural influence over the American colonies, especially in the Wild West architecture and horse breeding. The typical sandy unpaved roads and the wooden hitching rails to tie horses up were already present in the village of El Rocío and most likely exported to the United States. The Mustang horse breed was also brought over from the surrounding areas, its name being derived from the Spanish "mostrenco" (meaning "wild"), a term which also applies to a local (cow breed from Almonte).
In the 16th century the duke purchased the surrounding woods of Las Rocinas, named after the homonymous stream that ends at the village of El Rocío, doubling its territory and becoming a coastal municipality. These woods would later become a Royal forest by order of the King and later renamed Doñana after the duchess of Medina Sidonia, Doña Ana de Silva. The Spanish monarchs would visit Doñana on a regular basis and finally established an official residence in the (Palace of Doñana).
In 1583 Almonte purchased Doñana from the duke and the locals could finally expand farming, agricultural and fishing activities there. Landowners would manage the economy up to the 19th century, when the population was about 1,500 people.
In 1598 the Virgin was taken to Almonte for the first time ever, and later this displacement became usual every time the town faced a crisis (from natural disasters to wars). This same year, a Confraternity is officially established, the Hermandad Matriz (Spanish for Matrix Confraternity). "Saint Mary of Las Rocinas", official name for the Virgin of El Rocío became patron saint of Almonte in 1653 and different surrounding towns affiliated to the Hermandad Matriz, becoming filial confraternities, the oldest ones being Villamanrique, Pilas, La Palma, Moguer and Sanlúcar. Over time, national and international confraternities would follow, including Belgium, Japan or Australia.
The Great Lisbon earthquake of 1755 swept away the entire Atlantic coast, including great parts of the city of Huelva and several fortified towers built on the coast to defend the shores. At least six of these towers were in Almonte and still remain standing, except for Torre de la Higuera (literally "fig tree tower"), which is upside down and is often referred to as a touristic symbol for the town. The sanctuary of El Rocío was damaged too and had to be rebuilt.
During the 18th and 19th centuries people from Almonte made a living with agricultural (chiefly olive grove and vineyard) and farming activities (horse, goat, sheep, pig and bees). Being one of the most extense municipal territories in Spain, its inhabitants have never lacked resources.
In 1810, during the war against France, French captain Pierre D'Oisseaux was executed in Almonte. The event brought about a response involving 1,000 French soldiers heading towards the town from the city of Seville. Unable to resist such an attack, the locals took the Virgin to town, praying for her intervention. The French troops would never arrive at Almonte and turned around at the time they were next to the neighbouring town of Pilas. People then decided to show their gratitude by celebrating an annual vow called "El Rocío Chico" (literally, the "small Rocío") every August. Several lands and properties were privatised and sold during the Spanish confiscation throughout the 19th century, boosting the number of farmers and landowners.
From 1949 on, it was established that the Virgin would be taken from her sanctuary in El Rocío to Almonte every seven years, spending nine months there. This event attracts hundreds of thousands of people to town, prompting a sophisticated security plan involving police, first aid rooms and ambulances, helicopters and firemen to ensure the festivity goes on correctly.
Within the 1940s large-scale reforestation policy in Spain, more than 30,000 hectares in Almonte were replanted with several species of blue gum, redgum, guayule, wattles and cypress. Other local species were also planted, like stone pine. 13 km south of Almonte, half between the town and the sea, a forest settlement called "Los Cabezudos" (Spanish for "the hillocks") was established. It had a school, church, doctor and several shops, being ahead of neighbouring towns regarding agricultural technology and drainage for its 300 inhabitants. These were engineers and foresters along with their families, whose job included wood, oil and cellulose extraction from trees in the factories.
Eminent people have visited the area over time, including the former Queen of Spain, who landed her helicopter in Cabezudos on her way to El Rocío in 1983. Cabezudos started to depopulate in the late 60s, ending up completely uninhabited in the late 80s. Most of the people moved to Almonte, the core town. Nowadays, Cabezudos is a ghost town in ruins within the surroundings of Doñana National Park and is therefore protected. A consensus on whether new uses can be given to the houses is currently held.
Almonte is internationally recognised today thanks to its emblematic village of El Rocío, the Doñana National Park (the largest nature reserve in Europe), its wide 50 km-length sandy beach (the longest in Spain) and its organic berry industry (one of the top exporters in Europe).
Demographics
Almonte's population boosted in the 60s, when foresters and their families left the forest settlements in the surrounding areas. Another boom started in the 2000s, due to the massive arrival of immigrants from 59 different nationalities, mainly Romania and Morocco. They make up nearly 20% of the total population (almost 5,000 people).
Almonte overtook Isla Cristina in 2007, becoming 3rd within the province's population rank, just after Huelva, the capital city and Lepe. Part of this increase is due to Matalascañas, Almonte's summer resort, which has a permanent population of nearly 3,000 people and the village of El Rocío, with around 1,700 inhabitants. Almonte's population increased by 1.19% per year between 2011 and 2014.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Almonte ranked 4th in population growing, just after Huelva, Palos and Lepe. This may have been due to people moving from big cities to the coast, looking for nature and less crowded places. Regarding the transient migrant population, which often goes beyond 15,000 people, cohabitation has developed with relative normality. In 2022 crime rate decreased by nearly 14%, with an average of 62 robberies, 40 burglaries and 3 car thefts; nearly all of them without violence.
Government and politics
Almonte's local government manages the three main urban areas in the municipality (town of Almonte, village of El Rocío and Matalascañas resort). This is a chart with the mayors in charge over the last hundred years.
The local government is made up of 21 councillors. Since democracy was established in 1978, PSOE is the one which has been in power for the longest time, while mayor Francisco Bella was its party chair. After two decades of political stability with Bella, who won in a five-term streak, there were two terms in which political parties of opposite ideologies teamed up to prevent Bella from regaining the government, even though he won the elections again. From 2011 to 2015, right-wing PP ruled with the cooperation of left-wing IU. The latter, at a regional level, sanctioned the two councillors who made it possible for PP to govern Almonte. In 2019, Bella won the elections again, this time with Ilusiona, his new political project. 61.63% of the adult population voted (10,153 people). There were 6,321 abstentions (38.7%). Ilusiona was the most voted party, with 3,513 votes, followed by PSOE (2,154) and PP (1,403). These two opposite parties and local party Mesa de Convergencia teamed up and Rocío del Mar Castellano (Mesa's candidate), with only 2 out of the 21 councillors, was invested mayoress. In the 2023 elections, Bella got a clear majority of votes, achieving a historical assignment of 12 councillors, which will allow him to lead a stable government that has an opportunity to manage such a demanding and complex administration as that of Almonte.
Owing to its extension and population increase over the second half of the 20th century, the government has faced multiple environmental, economic, social and demographic challenges. These include the waste derived from tourism that ends up polluting the Doñana National Park and its surroundings, including ditches, beaches and woods. During certain holidays, as in the summer, Matalascañas hosts more than 200,000 temporary inhabitants, mainly people from Seville and neighbouring towns, while more than one million people gather at El Rocío when the pilgrimage takes place in May. Almonte's urban core also hosts more than 200,000 people when the Virgin arrives and leaves every 7 years. Being one of the top organic fruit exporters in Europe, many paths, trails and even roads in Almonte are constantly used by all kind of agricultural vehicles of all sizes, make it difficult for hikers and bikers to enjoy nature in certain zones. There are nearly 15,000 seasonal workers as well, and many of them live in shacks or prefabricated modules, also endangering natural spaces. The international protected status of the Doñana National Park brings about constant agreements and polemics between Almonte's local government, regional government of Andalusia, the Spanish government and the European Union, mostly regarding sustainable watering of organic crops, pollution, hunting, etc.
Another main issue in the area is water. In spite of being a humid zone, illegal crops still remain in the area extracting subterranean water from the national park aquifer. Politicians often have to deal with European sanctions and create local legislation to control it. A desalination plant has also been proposed for watering crops and a water councillorship may be created in the near future.
Tourism and transport is another main issue that politics focus on. Being a main regional hub for neighbouring towns regarding work, leisure and holidays, more scheduled intercity transport is needed. Regular bus lines already operate to El Rocío and Matalascañas, but there is still need for transport with other towns concerning health services, leisure activities, etc.
In spite of having exceeded a population of 25,000 people, there are only three public health centres in the municipality, the main one in Almonte. Long queues and deficient attention are more frequent over time. The large migrant population contributes to the need of a new healthcare facility in town.
Geography
Boroughs
The urban area of Almonte has an extension of 3.2 km2 and a perimeter of 10.7 km. It can be divided into the following districts:
The Centre
The business and political centre has ended up being located in the north part of town, for the urban area has expanded more quickly towards the south. In this zone there is the town hall (a 17th-century building), the main square and the church (15th century), the museum, the theatre, the library, the music school, art gallery Jorge Camacho, the main fishmonger's, the court, the "Casino de La Paz" (social club and restaurant), the post office and the tourism office.
Northern area
This northern area has been expanded since the 60s and 70s and has been built around the road that exits town and head towards the northern part of Huelva, a mountain range. There are extense boulevards and wide pavements where many people walk and practice outdoor sport. The main sport centre is located here, with an area of 43,561m2, along with the two high schools, the park "Alcalde Mojarro" (46,500m2), the Wine Museum and the CIECEMA (a scientific centre which includes a high-tech astronomic observatory) and a rubber factory.
Western area
The western area of town has been growing since the 60s, when the urban area reached and overtook the road A-484 which comes from neighbouring town Bonares and was meant to end in Cádiz, turning a section of that road into an avenue called "Carretera del Rocío". This has become the main business street, being more than 1 km long and almost 30 metres wide. A roundabout with a statue of Alfonso X "The Wise" on top was installed in the late 2000s, breaking gridlock that worsened at rush hour with people getting in and out the town centre. Many restaurants, digital shops and other businesses have been opened in this avenue. The western zone also includes the health centre and several monuments like the one devoted to historian Lorenzo Cruz, the Winery Chimney Tower, the Discovery of America, the Bulls and the Sea Gate, the "Fuente de las Damas" park (which includes a cultural centre and a monument of an oil mill), two of the 5 petrol stations in the municipality and the bus station.
Eastern area
This area starts at the famous roundabout with the Monument to the Mares and includes the fairground, the Plaza de España square, the Padel centre, the Official Language School, the Flamenco school and the elderly's care home.Many grocery shops, cafés and other businesses are also here. It has wide streets with tree-covered pavements. It ends with the morgue and cemetery, 1 km far from town and road A-474 towards Seville.
Southern area
This is the area which has been growing the fastest. It includes the industrial estate "El Tomillar", with around 150 multipurpose units, another sport centre, a petrol station, the "Blas Infante" and the "Clara Campoamor" parks and a centre for public access to the Internet. This district is especially crowded in spring, during the pilgrimage of El Rocío, since its main street "Camino de Los Llanos" leads the way out of town towards the village of El Rocío. It is also a hot spot during the arrivals and leaves of the Virgin of El Rocío every seven years.
El Rocío and Matalascañas
The village of El Rocío, 15 km to the south, is a rectangular unpaved town next to a marsh, just in the limits of the Doñana National Park. All the streets are straight, except for the ones surrounding the sanctuary in the southern part. It has little more than 1,000 permanent inhabitants and basic services of education, health, police, etc. Its picturesque architectural style and horse culture was brought over to the American Wild West during the Age of discovery.
Finally, 26 km south from Almonte, in the Atlantic coast, the Matalascañas resort was built during the 50s. It consists of an urban area 4 km long and 1 km wide along the coast. Around 3,000 inhabitants live here permanently. From west to east, it starts with a lighthouse and the business centre. It consists mainly of detached one-floor houses with big gardens and swimming pools, most of them are taken for rent during the summer holidays. There are also tall residential flats, many 4-star hotels and restaurants, a golf course and wide turf spaces with a cycle lane throughout town.
Physical location
Almonte, as a municipality, is one of the largest in Spain and is located in southeastern Huelva, as part of the Costa de la Luz, which stretches from the Guadiana River to Tarifa, the southernmost point in Spain. Almonte's coast is the longest in Spain, with a 50 km straight uninterrupted sandy beach, from the archaeological ruins of the Torre del Río de Oro (literally, Tower of the Gold River) up to the Guadalquivir River. 28 of these 50 kilometers are protected as part of the Doñana National Park, and only 4 are urbanised, the ones at Matalascañas resort. Most of this coast is made up of semi-fossil dunes with low vegetation, without any rocky structure or cliff. The sand is light in colour and fine. However, along several kilometers between “Torre del Oro” and “Cuesta Maneli”, a 100-metre high dune cliff can be found. It’s “El Asperillo” and it’s the highest dune cliff in Europe, declared a Natural Monument of Andalusia.
Almonte is bordered by Bollullos to its north, Hinojos to its east, river Guadalquivir and Sanlúcar de Barrameda to it southeast, Rociana and Moguer to its west and the Atlantic Ocean to its south. It is located in the northern part of its municipality, 15 km north from the village of aldea del Rocío and 26 km from its coastal resort, Matalascañas.
Climate
This area has a combination of mediterranean and oceanic climate, due to its location near the limits of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Being an extense territory, it has a variety of microclimates and an average temperature of 17 °C (62.6 °F). It has warm summers and winters, without the extreme variations that can be found in landlocked provinces of Spain. Rain is not usual, barely reaching 700mm a year.
Within Doñana, there is certain humidity in winter and little rain in summer, being a spot where polar fronts and subtropical high pressures combine. In Spring and Autumn, torrential rain may occur, while anticyclones may appear in winter.
Even though Almonte's average temperature is mild due to oceanic influence, there are heavy storms in the coast during winter which leave important damages to the seafront structures, like restaurants and pavements. The council spends large quantities of money to rebuild certain zones, sometimes more than a million euros.
Almonte received in 2022 an investment of more than 170 million euros to build PV pannels. These will be installed by American company Matrix Renewables and Spanish Rolwind, with more than 115,000 cutting-edge photo-voltaic cells which will make the area get on top position regarding renewable sources at a European level.
In 2022 the Spanish government announced an investment of more than 365 million euros to restore part of the Doñana National Park. The meeting between the Minister of Environment and the mayoress of Almonte was held at Almonte's theatre "Salvador Távora" the 30th of November 2022. The plan will focus on watering, biodiversity, territory and environmental awareness. Besides, the Regional Government of Andalusia, announced an investment of 900 million euros exclusively for sanitation and drainage.
Flora and fauna
In the Doñana National Park and its surroundings, several species, including endangered ones, can be found. Regarding flora, there is typical mediterranean scrub (sabins, bulrush, eucalyptus, pines, reeds, wattles, cork oaks, ferns, crowberries, palmettos, sedges, rosemary, brooms, thyme, junipers). Fauna includes the precious Iberian lynx, deers, wild boars, foxes, herons, mongooses, rabbits, ducks, eagles, hawks, griffon vultures, eels, pikes, snakes, lizards, and chameleons. Likewise, there are extensive areas of pine repopulated in the 1950s and of underbrush (with rockrose and multiple species of aromatics). Throughout its 122,000 hectares, microclimates and very different areas appear, from jungles in the purest tropical style to desert dunes, including wetlands, beaches, meadows, etc. Almonte was declared in July 2022 “Hub of European Biodiversity” by the World Biological Corridor, an international project with scientists, universities and different organisations involved.
Culture
Inhabited since prehistoric times and having reached the Atlantic coast with its territorial expansion during the Middle Ages, Almonte has its own definite customs and a rich heritage. Some of them are worldwide-known, as explained in the historical section. Different civilisations, from Tartessians to the nordics, without forgetting Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths and Muslims have all shaped the traditions that settled over the centuries, usually focused on its privileged natural resources. Nowadays, these cultural and natural elements still attract around a million people from all over the world, from tourists who enjoy its extensive shorelines to the highest personalities of the country, such as the presidents of the government and the Monarchy, who visit Almonte regularly and even have an official residence in there.
Historical heritage
From the Bronze Age to modernity, a wide variety of historical elements can be found in Almonte. They include the following:
Holocene fossil footprints and marks
In Almonte's shore, nearby "Pichilín" restaurant, several extinct ungulate's tracks were found on the clay substratum that lies beneath the sand. They date back from 100,000 BC. They can be observed only when the tide is low and the sand moves back. There is an environmental association called "Parque Dunar", which organises free guided tours that include historical and geological commentaries and a voluntary litter collection. In a recent research published by Quaternary Science Reviews and carried out by the University of Huelva, it has been confirmed that the humanoid footprints belong to Neanderthals.
Tartessian metallic remains
As mentioned in the history section, there are remains of a settlement of 40 hectares, with pottery and metallic tools (gold, silver, cupper and lead) nearby the San Bartolomé stream, as well as a 3-metre high oven. Almonte was one of the two main silver producers and traders in the area, along with Huelva.
Roman fishing factory at "Cerro del Trigo
These ruins can be observed inside the Doñana National Park. Adolf Schulten and Jorge Bonsor were searching for the legendary capital of Atlantis when they discovered them. But they were overlooked, as the archaeologists were frustrated for not being able to find Atlantis. Scientists from the university of Huelva reaffirmed in 1999 that it was a garum factory from the 2nd century AD, buried 18 feet under a dune. Amphoras and other recipients used to ferment fish could be recovered, being the most important discovery out of the 16 archaeological places found in the coast. Archaeologists are still finding remains today, including ovens and necropolises.
Fortified towers along the coast
King Philip II of Spain ordered the construction of a series of watchtowers during the 16th century to prevent invasions from the sea, given the multiple wars that Spain was waging at that moment. At least six of these towers are located within Almonte's territory. These are, from east to west: Torre del Río de Oro, Torre del Asperillo, Torre de la Higuera, Torre Carbonero, Torre Zalabar and Torre San Jacinto. All of them are declared Bien de Interés Cultural, a protected cultural status in Spain. The three first towers are in ruins, while the last three can be observed as they originally were. One of the watchtowers, Torre de la Higuera (literally, "Tower of the Fig Tree") is located at the beginning of the Matalascañas resort and has become a symbol for Almonte, often appearing in postcards and other touristic elements.
Church and town hall
From centuries 15th and 16th, respectively. There may have been a secret subterranean tunnel connecting both buildings, but it was never searched for. The current church is a Baroque extension of the original building, from which a chapel has remained untouched, containing a tombstone of a girl from the 6th century. The original building of the town hall had a single floor and was remodeled in 1612, being a second floor added six years later. A third floor completed the building in 1927.
World War II bunkers
There are several bunkers from World War II in the shore next to the delta of river Guadalquivir in different coastal points. A programme called "Descubre tus fortalezas" (literally "Discover your fortresses") organises guided tours to these remains, with historians, architects and archaeologists participating. The bunkers were built by order of Franco in 1943 in fear of being invaded by the allied troops during the North African campaign.
Almonte's flute and tabor
They are part of the musical tradition in Almonte and can be heard at any moment, but especially during the Pilgrimage of El Rocío. The typical flute is called "gaita rociera" and is made of high-quality wood. The drum is called "tamboril rociero" and is typically painted with the Andalusian flag. Handmade one tend to be rather expensive.
Wineries and oil mills
In the first half of the 20th century, there were 58 wineries and 10 oil mills in Almonte. Many of them have been restored and are currently used as either public offices or museums, restaurants, etc. Others are in ruins, but can be identified by their typical towers. Wineries emerged after the Spanish confiscation, using former religious buildings. During the 60s, Almonte stood out for its solera wine.
Palace of "El Acebrón
Nearby the stream of La Rocina, 5 km away from El Rocío, there is a neo-classical palace embedded in the woods, within the surroundings of the Doñana National Park. It was finished in 1961 as the private residence of eccentric aristocrat Luis Espinosa Fontdevila, whose initials are printed in relief on the front. After all the sumptuous parties and expensive works to complete the palace and its garden, he ended up broke, so he sold all the area to the government, which used it to plant eucalyptus and use its wood. The stairs that lead to the entrance door are made of the remains or a Roman road and red marble stairs lead to the second floor. A two-headed eagle decorates the stone chimney. Today it has become a centre for visitors, hosting a museum about the customs of the traditional inhabitants of the area. It includes mockups of the traditional huts and information about hunting, fishing, farming and modern uses of nartural resources. The rooftop terrace offers fantastic views of the pine woods. Along with the palace, visitors can hike using a circular wooden path deep within the woods, passing by a beautiful lake.
Local festivities
Almonte has a wide variety of traditional festivities and holidays, many of which are related to the Doñana National Park and the economic activities carried out over the centuries all along the municipality, from the northern town to the southern coast. Some of these customs date back to the Tartessian age. Although some of the most popular traditions have a religious origin, only a small percentage of the population in Almonte currently declare themselves religious and it is unusual to attend mass, as the average population in Spain.
Romería de El Rocío
It is the most popular holiday in Almonte, declared an International Touristic Holiday by the Spanish government in 1980 and gathering more than one million people in town. These visitors include pilgrims from around 120 national and foreign filial confraternities, which get to the temple of El Rocío from different points over the world, walking or by horse or car, to worship Almonte's patron saint, the Virgin of El Rocío. It is a 12th-century anonymous gothic wooden carved sculpture. From the 60s on, the number of regular visitors boosted, reaching its peak at a religious level with the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1993. In order to successfully organise such a massive event, a security planning called "Plan Romero" has been executed since 1983. These preventive measures are carried out by the town hall, the regional government and Almonte's confraternity in a synchronous way in Seville, Huelva and Cádiz, the three main provinces from which the confraternities come. It involves more than 6,000 professionals (police, medical services, firefighters, etc.) and AML and GPS technologies, becoming one of the most expensive security deployments in Europe. The confraternities that have been affiliating to Almonte over the last centuries include include Madrid (1961), Barcelona (1969), Toledo (1986), Valencia (1991), Gijón (1998), Argentina (1993), Brussels (2000) or Australia (2000s). Besides the religious aspect, there's a strong cultural and festive interest and many visitors who are not into any religious feelings and do not participate in the religious part, in spite of being part of the pilgrimage. There's an environmental interest too, for the last part of the journey to the village is through the Doñana National Park, the largest natural reserve in Europe. The holidays take an entire week for the local people of Almonte, with two key days: Wednesday, when the "Hermandad Matriz" (Almonte's confraernity) makes the pilgrimage from Almonte to El Rocío and Monday, when the Virgin is taken out from the temple to tour the village.
La Venida de la Virgen
From 1589 on, the virgin has been taken from El Rocío to Almonte on a round trip each 7 years, staying in Almonte for 9 months. During these months, it tours the streets twice, after the arrival and then before leaving. The streets of Almonte are decorated with handmade white flowers and many lights, rosemary and fronds and arches. A huge structure called "Ephemeral Cathedral of Almonte" is also built on the main square. Nearly 200,000 people gather in the town during these special days when the Virgin tours the streets. The places involved in the route are completely closed to traffic and the entire town gets under a kind of siege with high security measures involving police, firefighters, helicopters and ambulances ready to act. Although originally a religious event, it is now a leisure festivity that brings a great economic benefit to the town, with dozens of businesses temporarily becoming pubs, cafés and restaurants exclusively during the nine months that the Virgin stays in town.
Saca de las Yeguas
The "Gathering of the Mares" is an annual livestock event that has been celebrated in Almonte for more than 500 years. It takes place each 26 June. The breeders, horsemen called "yegüerizos" get deep into the Doñana National Park to gather the semi-feral horses and take them out from the woods, swamps, meadows and marshes to Almonte, where they are sheared, cleaned and chipped before being sold. Early in the morning, thousands of horses are led to El Rocío, where they first gather in front of many visitors that attend the event. Later on, they head towards the town of Almonte, 15 km to the north, where they arrive at in the evening. There the horses parade through the crowded streets until they reach the livestock enclosure "Huerta de la Cañada", a fenced outdoor area in the northern outskirts of town. Next day "la tusa" is carried out, which is the process by which the horses are cleaned and sheared in order to be sold. The following days the town fair is held, and several activities are carried out regarding the horses. These include a morphological evaluation of the royal pattern of the mares and new foals of the ancient Marismeño breed, which is endangered and genetically related to the American Mustang horse. There are also photo contests and a horse race. When the fair ends, the horses which have not been purchased get back to the wild.
Feria de Almonte
It is an annual event whose origins can be traced as back as horse breeding and cow farming itself, around the 13th century. It was in 1872 that the fair was officially established as "Feria de San Pedro", held in the last days of August until 1896, when it was brought forward to June, so that it coincided with Saint Peter's day, as he's the patron saint of Almonte. The fair holidays take five days, just after the Gathering of the Mares has finished at the livestock enclosure, for the fair has a farming trade origin. The fair is held at the "Recinto Ferial", a trapezoidal area of 30,000m2 locally known as "El Chaparral", located in the town's eastern zone, with paved, unpaved and turf zones. Around 22 casetas with an average area of 400m2 are built, leaving five main temporary streets, including the main one or "Real". In the northeast part, different amusement rides for all ages are installed, including ferris wheels, rollercoasters, dodgems, pendulums, merry-go-rounds, drop tower, funhouses, tagadas, etc. The fair is typically inaugurated by an artist or celebrity, sometimes nationally recognised, like singer Rocío Jurado. Almonte's fair is the only one in Andalusia which has not got a flamenco dress code, but a smart casual one. that has because flamenco dresses in Almonte are reserved for El Rocío. The fair typically ends with some livestock show. All these particularities make it gather people from many neighbouring towns.
Transition Festival
It is an international alternative music festival launched in 2011 and held deep within the pine woods, 4 km southeast from Almonte. It is typically celebrated on the second week of May. Nature, music and art merge at a unique event which attracts people from all ages and nationalities. It consists of a main stage, an alternative second stage, a market, a workshop and a camping area. Trees are decorated with bright-coloured clothing and lights that provide the area with a fairytale atmosphere, especially at night. A clear sign that the festival is approaching is the arrival of motley caravans and hippie families to town, along with goths and other minorities. The idea of taking advantage of the stunning natural landscape and ideal temperature to organise a musical event was followed by the creation of Global Tribe, an ecovillage located just a few kilometers from where the festival is held. This community has its own organic vegetable garden and huts which are for rent. It also receives visitors from all over the world.
Christmas in Almonte
Something unique regarding Christmas in Almonte is the way they celebrate it at the Matalascañas resort. Environmental association "Aires Africanos" allows three of the camels they have at their natural reserve to be mounted by the Three Magi and walk along the coast, until they finally arrive at the end of the urban area. Some of the camels may be taken to Almonte and El Rocío as well to participate in the parade. Another original aspect of this holiday is the amusement park installed at "El Chaparral", the fairground, in the town's eastern zone. The main attraction is the 420m2 ice rink, along with multiple rides, food stands and Christmas decoration.
El Rocío Chico
It is a celebration held every 19 August whose origins can be traced back to a vow some people from Almonte offered to their patron saint, the Virgin of El Rocío. During the war against France, French captain Pierre D'Oisseaux was executed in Almonte and Napoleon sent more than 1,000 soldiers from neighbouring Seville to take revenge, but they never arrived at Almonte. Many believers thought it was a divine intervention by the Virgin, for they had prayed that the soldiers did not make it to their town. Nowadays, a mass may be held at the temple of El Rocío, but beyond its religious origin, it is also a day for people to make the most of their leisure time.
Cultural institutions
Almonte has several buildings with cultural purposes, but also playing a research or touristic role. Many of them are free of admission charges and have been created in the 90s and 2000s, using old wineries and oil mills purchased and remodelled by the town hall.
La Ciudad de la Cultura
With an area of 6.445m² and a perimeter of 396 m, this space is located in the northern part of town. It was inaugurated in 2011 and part of it was a former winery, property of the Count of Cañete. It consists of 5 main buildings embedded within an outdoor paved area decorated with pictures, benches, lamp posts and plants. These 5 buildings are:
Theatre "Salvador Távora", a modern square-shaped building designed by architect Juan Pedro Donaire Barbero and inaugurated by Spanish filmmaker Salvador Távora. It has a seating capacity of 512 people, ranking 2º in the province of Huelva, just after the capital's theatre. Almonte's theatre hosts nationwide-known plays and other national events, having been visited by Spanish ministers and well-known actors such as Pablo Carbonell, Lola Herrera, María Castro or Gorka Otxoa. Apart from the theatre itself, the building includes an indoor space for exhibitions and a second-floor terrace with a café.
Cultural Centre "Baler Church": it is a 162.27m² replica of the famous fortified church of Baler (Philippines), which became famous during the war between Spain and the United States. In 1898, during the Siege of Baler, Spanish soldiers quartered in the church were surrounded by the Filipinos. The Americans, already fighting against Filipinos, tried to rescue the Spanish soldiers. Spain finally surrendered on the 2nd of June 1899. One of the Spanish survivors, José Jiménez Berro, was from Almonte. The replica was inaugurated by former Filipino president Gloria Macapagal and is used for administrative purposes. It also hosts an exhibition explaining the involvement of Almonte in that war. There is also a street in Almonte named "Heroes de Baler", in honour of the soldiers.
Public Library "Ana María Matute". It is a 1,000 m² two-floor library with more than 15,000 works. Apart from the different spaces for reading and studying, it has a multimedia room. It was inaugurated by Cervantes prize-winner Ana María Matute.
Art School "Manolo Sanlúcar", inaugurated by the homonymous Spanish musician. It includes a music school and several guitar, singing, dancing and painting workshops.
Templete: it is a small open temple located on the former winepress, where grapes where squeezed. It is the only original element left from the former winery.
Town's Cultural Centre
It has replaced the former 15th-century Hermitage of James the Great and is located in the "Fuente de las Damas" park, in the west side of town. It is used for multiple cultural purposes, but chielfy as the headquarters of the Municipal music band.
Town Museum
It has replaced a former oil mill, the "Molino de Cepeda" and shows Almonte's local customs, including wine, wheat and oil production and the ancient agricultural and farming tradition linked to the Doñana National Park. The extensive ethnographic collection focuses on the symbiotic relationship between the urban and the natural environment and is divided into three main blocks: coast and marsh (farming, fishing and hunting), Almonte's agriculture (cereal, vineyards and olive) and industry (beekeeping, charcoal and tree oil, pine nut and wood extraction).
It also hosts a great exhibition about El Rocío, including a replica of the "Abuelas Almonteñas" monument, whose original version is located in the east side of town. It also has a replica of the ephemeral cathedral built each seven years during the Venida de la Virgen.
Museo Forestal
The Wood Museum is a protected area of around 60 hectares at km8 of the (A-483 road), which connects Almonte with its other two urban areas, El Rocío and Matalascañas resort. Beyond the importance of the natural landscape itself, there is an organic farm school, a research centre for the Iberian lynx (which includes several multimedia rooms) and another one for the local pine tree, with a huge hollow trunk which people can visit. There is also a recreation ground integrated within the natural environment, with more than 162 different rides on trees including nets, bridges and walkways, hoops, bars and zip wires, some of them hanging at a height of eight metres above the ground.
Wine Museum
The "Museo del Vino de Almonte (MUVA) is a 1,000 m²building inaugurated in 2014, after a ten-year remodelling of a 19th-century winery which belonged to the Escolar brothers, pioneers in wine technology. The museum offers guided tours, restaurants, shops and wine tastings. Local wines from Almonte, like Raigal or Orange Wine are promoted and explained throughout its five main rooms, including their history and elaboration.
Central patio: it is a 280 m2 outdoor area from which visitors can either enter the museum or the restaurant. Tables are usually laid on a corner for tasting products and there is a central decorative structure made of wine bottles. This patio included the former winepress, the fermentation and ageing tanks, the laboratory and an area for bottling and shipping. Big trunks and trailers unloaded the grapes here. Once the patio is finished, there is a covered area to access the museum.
Winery: it is the main indoor room, with a separated area containing several American oak wine casks and a strong smell and another room with potographs explaining the harvest, elaboration and transportation of wine. It contains relics such as an iron weight, a still, a screw press, etc.
Storeroom: this room includes a cellar, glass boxes to smell different raw materials and three of the eighteen original concrete tanks with a capacity of 10,000 litres.
Gastronomy
Almonte's mediterranean cuisine is pretty varied, but mostly focus on either game meat or fish, for it is a territory where the Atlantic Ocean and the Doñana National Park merge. Wild rabbits, deers, boars and partridges are the most common recipes regarding meat, due to hunting in the Doñana surroundings, a very traditional activity. As for fish, the worldwide-known "gamba blanca" (white prawn) is the signature dish, along with atlantic mackerels and sardines. Berries have also become trendy over the last decades, since it is one of the top berry exporters in Europe Concerning vegetables, wild asparagus and beans are quite frequent. There are also many desserts which have a Muslim origin and whose main ingredient is honey, a traditional ingredient of the zone. Some of the most typical dishes include:
Stuffed atrichokes
It is a traditional recipe consisting of artichokes stuffed with jamón, garlic, onion, boiled eggs and parsley. Once stuffed, they are wrapped up in breadcrumb and after being stir-fried, they are cooked. There is a separate typical dish in which the hearts are stir-fried with oil, garlic and small ham cubes.
Caracoles and cabrillas
These are small and big snails, respectively. They are typically eaten in Spring and served in taverns and outdoor establishments, being seldom offered at restaurants. Unlike in certain places of Cádiz, snails are not eaten before drinking its soup in a glass, but rather served straight on a plate. Cabrillas are typically cooked in a sauce, like tomato or others.
Lamb stew
Lamb recipee usually cooked with vegetables, bread and wine. Offals are often included in the dish.
Cocido almonteño
This is an original version of the typical Spanish cocido consisting of chickpeas, green beans and pumpkin, along with chicken and beef. It ends up with an orange colour.
Coquinas a la marinera
Alike typical wedge clams, they are stir-fried with oil, garlic and parsil, but adding onion, tomato, saffron and paprika.
Stone bass in almond sauce
A sliced salted bass cooked in its soup and complemented with a sauce of fried almond, onion, garlic, bay and wine. Rice or potatoes may be added too.
Habas Enzapatás
It is a signature dish from Almonte consisting of big broad beans cooked with garlic, pennyroyal or coriander and salt. It can also be found with some different ingredients in neighbouring towns.
Hallullas
These are crunchy half moon-shaped toasted bread, stuffed with a wide variety of ingredients, the most common being pringá, cod, salmon, chorizo, frigate tuna with tomato, blue cheese and pork.
Pan bazo
It is the signature bread of Almonte, with a very dense texture and typically sold by local bakery Martín Naranjo, so they are locally known as "pan de Naranjo" (Naranjo's bread). It also produces the "Roscos Almonteños", very famous breadsticks.
Stewed partridge
It is the signature game dish in Almonte. Partridges are cleaned and salted. Then they are stir-fried with garlic and paprika. they are finally cooked as a hotpot and served with either rice or chips.
Pezuñas
It is a local dessert consisting of a hoof-shaped sponge cake, soaked in syrup and filled with pastry cream. Egg yolk cream is then spread on top.
Poleá con miel
It is a typical Spanish poleá, but in Almonte they often spread some honey and add clove to the original recipe.
Revuelto de Matalascañas
This is a scrumbled eggs recipee with fresh cod, stir-fried with garlic, onion, bay and parsil.
Repápalos
These are traditional pieces of wheat, leavening, water and salt fried in olive oil. They can be soaked in hot chocolate, honey or sugar, but can also be eaten alone.
Goose Marismeña Soup
It is a recipee made of fried goose cooked with several spices which is served over slices of bread soaked in the stew soup. Egg, spearmint and garlic may also be added.
Marismeña cow with rice
This is another signature game dish from Almonte. Local marismeña cow is used. The meat is cooked with carrots, wine and spices. Then rice is added.
Doñana Cake
It is one of the most traditional dishes in Almonte. It consists of whipped cream and jelly, dry figs, pine nuts, raisins, almonds, dates, walnuts and honey.
Almonte's Strawberry Cake
Like the previous dessert, it also has whipped cream and jelly, but mixed with a sponge cake and soaked in syrup and orange or lemon juice. Then it is covered with a layer of organic strawberry jam.
Raigal Wine
It is a dry white wine made in Almonte, using organic zalema grape. It comes in at 10.5% ABV. It has a greenish colour and a soft flavour.
Sports
Almonte’s stable warm weather has made it possible for the town to focus on outdoor sports. The council and different local sport organisations invest great quantities of time and money in promoting sports, having people of all ages participate actively. Many of them have been awarded with gold and silver medals both at a national and international levels, in sports like duathlon, judo, cycling, motocross, or rhythmic gymnastics. Another important activities focus on horse riding, with several contests regarding sport but also fashion and horse and camel rental to enjoy natural spaces. Almonte is the only city in eastern Huelva with an olympic swimming pool, located in the northern sport centre, one of the main ones in the province.
There are three main public centres, two of them in Almonte and a third one in El Rocío. The main one has an area of 43,561m2 and is located in the northern part of town. It has two football pitches, three tennis courts, an outdoor olympic swimming pool, an indoor swimming pool and another one for children, a running track and a covered stadium. The second one is “Los Llanos”, in the southern area of town, with four padel courts, a basketball court and a covered court. A little bit southwards there is an outdoors pétanque boulodrome. Outside town, to the south, there is a motocross circuit and an aeromodelling runway.
The third one, called “Campo Municipal del Deporte”, is located in the eastern outskirts of the village of El Rocío. It has a 25-metre swimming pool and another one for children, four basketball courts, two padel courts, an unpaved football pitch and a covered court.
As for the private sector, there are 4 gyms in Almonte, three of them in the main urban core and a fourth one in the Matalascañas resort, area which also counts with a paragliding club, a saliling and fishing club and several organisations for horse and camel riding.
Several sport schools also offer training and degree certificates at several levels, for example the Regional Judo School, which provides middle and advanced titles. Other schools which also offer advannced certificates are football, indoor football, basketball, handball, athletics and lifeguarding. The “Almonte Balompié” is a top-class football team established in 1985. Its equipment consists of red t-shirt and socks and blue shorts. It plays both at the Top Andalusian League and Huelva’s Regional League.
Cycle sport also plays a main role in Almonte, both at professional and amateur levels. Local María Isabel Felipe won the European XCM in Laissac (France) in 2023. Regional cross-country race Huelva Series XCM is often organised in the area and there are important cycle clubs like Atrochamonte, which organises MTB marathons like “Doñana Natural”, an annual race started a decade ago. Matalascañas has also a 30-km cycle path which stretches from the easternmost point of the urban area up to Mazagón, a town 25 km to the west.
Hunting, both at a sport level and for animal overpopulation purposes has always played a key role in Almonte, being the main reason behind the establishment of the Doñana National Park, which was for centuries a royal forest. There are more than 700 hunting licenses and three main organisations. Hunters and amateur locals have long been demanding a shooting range in town, for the one located at the coast is restricted to military activities. Almonte is soon expected to build the first olympic shooting range in the province, which would host contests both at a national and international levels.
Almonte currently keeps on investing and innovating on sports. The first Inline Alpine Slalom club in Andalusia was founded in 2022, with the first track ever built in the southeastern part of town, within Clara Campoamor park. The town participated in the Spanish Cup in Barcelona and got the 1st position in the masculine U11 category.
Sister cities
Almonte has six twin towns established in the last decades, the more recent ones being Clare and Céret. They share different cultural activities and economic deals with each other. Sanlúcar de Barrameda, for example, shares frontier with Almonte, being separated by the Guadalquivir river and Sanlúcar's filial confraternity is one of the first to participate in Almonte's pilgrimage and holiday, El Rocío. Baler was the city where some Spanish soldiers, including one from Almonte, got surrounded by the Filipinos during the Spanish American War. Clare was the first Australian town to apply for membership to El Rocío, becoming a filial confraternity. Farsia's adhesion to the list focuses on some exchange programmes by which Sahrawis spent their summer holidays in Almonte, being hosted by local families, as a sign of solidarity with this African community.
Céret (France) /
Clare (Australia) /
Farsia (Western Sahara) /
Baler (Philippines) /
La Estrada (Spain) /
Sanlúcar (Spain)
Cinema
Almonte, thanks to its diverse and extensive territory, has been set for several films, shorts, documentaries, TV programmes and shows. Key landmarks include its long beaches, the village of El Rocío and the dunes inside the Doñana National Park.
Films shot in Almonte
Some worldwide-known films that have been shot in Almonte include: The Neverending Story or Lawrence of Arabia, shot in the dunes of Doñana.
French thriller Anything for Her was shot in the town Almonte and the village of El Rocío, as well as Dutch The Flying Liftboy
German film Sunburned (2009), directed by Swedish filmmaker Carolina Hellsgård, was shot in the Matalascañas beach.
As for Spanish cinema, some of the films set in Almonte are: Tenemos 18 años (1959), Canción de cuna (1961), Armas para el Caribe (1965), La Cólera del Viento (1972), El Viento y el León (1975), Mi Bello Legionario (1977), Made in Japón (1985) o La Cruz de Iberia (1990).
Film industry
The Film School of Almonte has been training filmmakers since the 90s, including the authors of cartoons "Aventuras en Doñana", which later inspired film The Missing Lynx (2009). This film won a Goya Award for Best Animated Film and was produced by Antonio Banderas, who visited Almonte the previous year to sign a commitment to save the Iberian lynx.
In 2001, the film company Producciones Doñana S.L was founded, having produced several works, including the short "Hambre" (2011), directed by Spanish filmmaker Mario De la Torre.
Almonte joined the Andalusian Film Commission and celebrates the Doñana International Scientific and Environmental Film Festival, promoting nature and sustainability. This festival sponsors new filmmakers and train scientific popularisers. Film sessions are usually held at the CIECEMA, in Almonte. A contest is also held, in which a professional jury awards the best film.
Economy, resources and transportation
Almonte has an extensive private industry due to two main factors: its vast amount of natural resources and tourism. The locals have traditionally made a living out of olives, vineyards, acorns, honey, pine nuts, salt, wood, charcoal, farming, agriculture and fishing. In the 50s, Almonte had 58 wineries, 10 oil mills, 4 wheat mills, two soda factories, 10 butcher's, 8 fishmonger's, 12 fruit shops and 20 grocery shops.
Schools
Almonte has 28 schools, from which 13 are elementary schools, 7 primary schools and 3 high schools. "I.E.S. Doñana" is the largest high school in the region, located in the northern part of town. More than 1,300 students and around 110 teachers work there. Neighbouring high school "I.E.S. La Ribera" is also in this area.
Almonte is the only town in Huelva, excluding the capital, with an Official School of Languages. It has also 3 public libraries.
Transportation
The main road to get to Almonte is motorway A-483, a turn-off at km49 of motorway A-49, between Seville and Huelva. It bypasses Almonte and passes by El Rocío, ending at the Matalascañas resort, in the Atlantic coast. Secondary road A-484 departs from Bonares and get to Almonte, passing by neighbouring Rociana. Secondary road A-474 connects Almonte to Seville, passing by neighbouring towns Pilas or Castilleja de la Cuesta.
Around 20 taxi companies work in Almonte.
Almonte has a regular bus line to reach its urban areas of El Rocío and Matalascañas. The bus station, in the east part of town, is often busy due to local transport either related to temporary workers going to the berry fields or to summer transport to the beach. It also has regional lines to Huelva and Seville and international lines to Portugal and Romania. The street with busiest traffic is Carretera del Rocío, the main business avenue, where two roundabouts have been installed over the last two decades to smooth gridlocks at rush hour. Busiest road is A-483, which connects Almonte to the Atlantic coast. In the summer, especially at weekend evenings, long-lasting traffic jams are produced in this road. Nearest train station is located 10 km to the north, at neighbouring town La Palma. There is another one in Huelva and high-speed train in Seville. Nearest airports are: Seville Airport (58 km away), Faro Airport (Portugal), 132 km away) and Jerez Airport (144 km away). Almonte has a sailing and fishing club at Matalascañas resort and a ferry route across the Guadalquivir river that gets to neighbouring fishing town Sanlúcar.
Primary sector
Agriculture
Almonte has 2,843 hectares of arable crops (chiefly strawberries and sunflowers) and 4,334 to wood crops, mainly blueberries and olives. Around 20 companies have its headquarters in Almonte, some of them topping European charts. Almonte is the first blueberry exporter in Europe.
Fishing
Even though nearly half of the coast of Huelva belongs to Almonte, it hasn't got a great fishing industry. It's due to three main factors: the distance between the town and the coast (around 26 km) and its rather "recent" acquisition of the coastal territory (16th century). Also, with the establishment of the Doñana National Park, 28 km of Almonte's coastal territory have been restricted to authorised fishing only. Most fishers are self-employed restaurant owners and fishmongers who sell at a retail level. Virtually all the restaurants in Almonte offer high-quality fresh fish.
Secondary sector
There were 1,677 manufacturing businesses in Almonte, 561 devoted to car repairing; 284 to restaurants, 232 to construction, 103 to science and 80 to manufacturing.
There are two main industrial states: "El Tomillar", in the south of town, with an area of 110,000m² and 150 multipurpose units which focus on steel, furniture, meat production, ice, rubber, etc. and "Matalagrana", located between Almonte and El Rocío, with 200,000m² and chiefly focused on agriculture (berries and honey), with international-scope companies such as Bionest, Atlantic Blue or Fresmiel.
Tertiary sector
Leisure areas
Almonte has 9 public parks, the largest being "Alcalde Mojarro", with an area of 44,831m². It has several tree species, a central lake which hosts migratory birds, fish and amphibians, several recreative areas with swings and other rides and calisthenics devices, a bonsai workshop, a skating rink, two captive donkeys, an open-air cinema, a gardening worshop and a multipurpose building for conferences. The Matalascañas resort has another open-air summer cinema, an amusement park and an outdoor enclosure for festivals called Surfasaurus.
Tourism
Almonte has 23 accommodation establishments, of which 11 are hotels and 12 are hostels, the total number of beds being around 3,500. Most of them are located in El Rocío and Matalascañas and some of them are 4-star hotels. The town of Almonte has three main public parking areas, from which two are free. "Martín Villa" parking, located in the homonymous street, has three floors with an area of 768m² each and space for around 90 vehicles. The Carrefour supermarket, located in that same street, has a parking lot for 35 vehicles and the Dia supermarket, at the small roundabout in Carretera del Rocío street, offers around 40 spaces. The two free parking lots are both located in Picasso street, nearby the town centre, with a conjoined area of 1,500m2 and capacity for 120 vehicles. When massive events such as "La Saca de las Yeguas", El Rocío or "La Venida de la Virgen" take place, alternative parking areas are made available, such as the one in street Avenida de los Cabezudos, with 2,600m².
There's also an ecovillage called Global Tribe, 5 kilometers southeast from Almonte, at km.16 of road A-483. it was founded by two participants of the Transition Fest. This community offers accommodation for rent in sustainable tents and has its own organic vegetable garden. It hosts visitors from all over the world, mainly German and Dutch travellers. They sell organic berries, clothing, etc.
Almonte has been participating in Fitur (the International Tourism Trade Fair) for more than 40 years, promoting its extensive touristic offer. Apart from the Doñana National Park and its surroundings, beach tourism and El Rocío, there's also the flamenco fashion industry, with popular designers such as Rocío Cabrera, José Joaquín Gil, Rima Prociviecene or Juan Francisco Gil Ortiz and contests like SIMOF (International Flamenco Fashion Week).
Almonte ranked 10th in the list of the 22 most beautiful Spanish towns by magazine Viajar, being first in its province. It has also featured in TV documentaries and programmes such as "Callejeando", highlighting some of its most emblematic streets. A great part of this comes from the cultural investment over the last decades.
Despite being one of Almonte's main economic source, this massive tourism has also brought about some environmental damages, such as litter on the ditches bordering road A-483, which connects the town to the coast. Light and noise pollution are also a main concern, specially in urban areas located in the Doñana National Park surroundings. That's why the town council has taken several measures, including fines of more than €30,000.
Restaurants
Almonte has more than 100 establishments, excluding coffee shops, from which more than 30 are located within the town. Around 23 are in the village of El Rocío and around 37 in Matalascañas. They typically focus on its traditional cuisine.
Science and technology
Almonte's coastal location and biodiversity thanks to Doñana provides its territory with great opportunities to develop all kinds of scientific research. It was in the 40s when forest engineering arose, with many forest settlements focused on oil and wood extraction. In the 60s, Doñana was established, and more than half of the park is in Almonte, making up 35% of the municipality. In this decade, the focus of study turned into biology and botany. In this same decade, making the most of the optimal average weather conditions, several military facilities were installed at the beach, widening the scientific focus on defense and technology. Finally, an interest in astrophysics has been rising since the 2000s, reaching its peak with the building of an astronomical observatory in town.
Astrophysics
Almonte has an astronomical observatory inaugurated in 2010 by CSIC's astrophysicist and cosmologist Juan P. Mercader. It's located in the CIECEMA (International Centre for Environmental Studies), in the north part of town. It has a 500mm-diameter mirror and a high-resolution CCD camera, being unique in the region. It's managed by Almonte's Astronomical Association, whose headquarters are in this same building.
Many scientists and amateur people meet nearby the Matalascañas's lighthouse to observe lunar eclipses, for the area has little light pollution and the sky is clear at night. The town of Almonte also organises an event called "Ciencia al Fresquito", held at night in the summer at park "Clara Campoamor", which is rather elevated. Anyone can use several telescopes to observe the night sky at this event.
I.N.T.A.
In 1966, as requested by NASA, a rocket launch station was installed at the coast, in the border area between Almonte and Moguer. More than 500 sounding rockets have been launched so far, most of them focusing on weather research. It is currently run by the Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology. NASA has also provided high-tech radar technology and there are both European and American scientists working in there.
In April 2022, the first recoverable launch vehicle in Europe, the Spanish-manufactured Miura 1, will be launched from this site.
Biology
Captive breeding centre "El Acebuche"
This space, created in 1992, has an area of 120,000m² and is located at km 37 of road A-483. It has 18 different sections to breed the Iberian Lynx So far, there have been around 128 births and 33 releases. Scientists, veterinarians, watchers and security guards work at the facility, along with the Supervisory Committee for the Lynx, which has members from 15 international organisations. Next to this scientific building, there is a centre for visitors where two of the lynxes can be directly observed. It has a parking lot and restaurant.
Estación Biológica de Doñana
The "Doñana Biological Station" is a national research complex founded in 1965 and administered by the CSIC, with headquarters in Seville. It studies and preserves a protected area of vital biological importance within the Doñana National Park, in Almonte. Unlike the rest of the park and its surroundings, which are controlled by Almonte's council and Andalusian Junta, this biological reserve is under the Spanish government's control. They have a scientific collection of more than 100,000 species, making up almost 20% of the world's total vertebrate species.
La Semana de la Ciencia
This Science Week was launched by schools with the cooperation of the town council, the Junta, the CSIC, the Ministry of Equality and environmental organisations like Ecoembes. Experiments, layouts, lectures and workshops related to biology, physics, chemistry and maths are organised. Botany and virtual reality are the main disciplines. There is also an open laboratory in which citizens can present their scientific ideas, which are analysed and may end up becoming real measures and pilot projects.
Military technology
Almonte is the only place in Spain where surface-to-air missiles can be launched. There is a 257-hectare facility and military training area founded in 1981 in a zone known as "Médano del Loro", in the westernmost tip of the coast. Many soldiers are posted to this facility for short-term training and the area appears pixelated on satellite maps, so as to provide privacy and keep it secret. The access to the beach from the road is restricted along a 2.5 km stretch. Patriot and Hawk are some examples of missiles launched from this facility.
References
External links
- Almonte's City Council
- Tourism is Almonte
Almonte - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía
- AlMontrealDia.com - Digital News for Almonte, El Rocío and Matalascañas
Municipalities in the Province of Huelva