Matalascañas's long sandy beach stretches for 4km along the south edge of town, merging at either end into the wilder beaches of Parque Nacional de Doñana. To reach the best part of the beach, follow the main road east to a trail leading down along the edge of the park. From a control post on the beach below the Gran Hotel del Coto, a 1.5km boardwalk trail snakes through the dunes, here dotted with umbrella pine and maritime juniper.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
6.9 MILES
Established in 1969, this 54,251-hectare national park is one of Europe's largest and most important, sheltering a huge variety of flora and fauna. The…
25.43 MILES
In the pretty, peaceful village of La Rábida, don’t miss this palm-fringed, hilltop Franciscan monastery, visited several times by Columbus before his…
25.64 MILES
On the waterfront below the Monasterio de la Rábida is this pseudo 15th-century quayside, where you can board life-size replicas of the Niña, the Pinta…
18.33 MILES
Now run by the eighth generation, family-owned 1792-founded Bodegas Hidalgo still produces the famed La Gitana manzanillas that made its name, along with…
10.07 MILES
A striking splash of white at the heart of the town, the Ermita del Rocío was built in its present form in 1964. This is the permanent home of the…
18.57 MILES
Just off the old town's Calle Caballeros, this rambling palace was the home of the Duques de Medina Sidonia, the aristocratic family that once owned more…
28.14 MILES
This wide-ranging museum is stuffed with history and art. The permanent ground-floor exhibition concentrates on Huelva province’s impressive…
25.13 MILES
Columbus spent a night of vigil and prayer at this grand 14th-century monastery upon returning from his first voyage in March 1493. Highlights of the 45…
Nearby Andalucía attractions
2.12 MILES
On the western edge of Matalascañas, the Parque Dunar is a 1.3-sq-km expanse of high, pine-covered dunes laced with a maze of sandy pathways and boardwalk…
5.46 MILES
Serving as a buffer zone around Parque Nacional de Doñana, the 68,236-hectare Parque Natural de Doñana is less strictly protected than the national park,…
6.9 MILES
Established in 1969, this 54,251-hectare national park is one of Europe's largest and most important, sheltering a huge variety of flora and fauna. The…
10.07 MILES
A striking splash of white at the heart of the town, the Ermita del Rocío was built in its present form in 1964. This is the permanent home of the…
14.55 MILES
This stunning 6km stretch of cliff-backed sands at the western edge of Parque Natural de Doñana is one of the prettiest beaches in Huelva province. Access…
18.33 MILES
Now run by the eighth generation, family-owned 1792-founded Bodegas Hidalgo still produces the famed La Gitana manzanillas that made its name, along with…
18.57 MILES
Just off the old town's Calle Caballeros, this rambling palace was the home of the Duques de Medina Sidonia, the aristocratic family that once owned more…
8. Palacio de Orleans y Borbón
18.59 MILES
At the top of Calle Cuesta de Belén you'll spot this beautiful neo-Mudéjar old-town palace, built as a 19th-century summer home for the aristocratic…