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| Cumbres Mayores in the province of Huelva boasts an enormous castle
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By Jo Williams
Huelva is one of the least visited regions in Andalucía, but it has many unique places to discover and explore. Indeed, its escape - so far - from mass tourism is one of its attractions. It lies at the western edge of Andalucía, bordered by Portugal to the west, Seville province to the east and the autonomía (autonomy) of Extremadura to the north.
 It is probably best known for the Parque Nacional de Doñana, one of Europe's most important wetland areas, and home to an incredible multitude of wildlife in its sand dunes, marshes, pine woods, salt flats and freshwater lagoons. Here is one of Europe's last remaining habitats for the endangered lynx and the rare Spanish Imperial Eagle. The best time to visit is in winter and spring when the park is full of wildfowl. In winter thousands of geese and ducks arrive from the north, while in spring there are many flocks of breeding birds, including herons, spoonbills and storks.
A long Atlantic coastline with miles of unspoilt and often uncrowded beaches of golden sand is also a feature of this province. This forms part of the evocatively named Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) that continues into Cadiz province. This coastline is rich in maritime history; most famously, it is where Christopher Columbus found his crew and ships and set sail for the New World.
In the north of the province is the gently rolling
Parque Natural
Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche, a protected area with excellent
walking opportunities and home to the famed cured ham from Jabugo.
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