Hotel Convento Aracena & Spa
Why we like it: Four-star hotel inside a former convent in the centre of Aracena, with a spa, a seasonal outdoor pool and a gym.
Duration2 nights
Best timeLate October – November
Budget€180–300 pp
Getting thereCar, A-66 and N-433
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for arriving on Friday evening from Seville. Buy the cave pass and the Cinco Jotas visit beforehand, and book Saturday's and Sunday's lunches.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival in Aracena
A stroll round Plaza Alta and the centre, and dinner in the town.
Saturday
- 19:30Loop round the Cerro del Castaño
Twenty minutes by car to Castaño del Robledo. The Natural Park's waymarked route: a 5.5 km circuit, two hours, among chestnut groves, gall oaks and pigs in montanera. It starts on Calle Arias Montano.
- 214:00Lunch at Jesús Carrión
Next to the cave, on Calle Pozo de la Nieve: acorn-fed ham, venison carpaccio and Iberian meat. Open at midday from Wednesday to Sunday. Book.
- 316:30Gruta de las Maravillas and the castle
The cave with lakes beneath the village, with a guide and a pass bought beforehand. Then the castle hill in the last light.
Sunday
- 110:30Tasting at Cinco Jotas, in Jabugo
The curing cellars and an acorn-fed ham tasting with wine, an hour: €28 per person and €15 for ages 3 to 12. By booking.
- 212:30Ham Museum
Back in Aracena, the dehesa, the Iberian pig and the curing of ham, in 45 minutes with an audio guide.
- 314:00Lunch and the drive back
Lunch in Aracena and set off for Seville in mid-afternoon.
In autumn the Sierra de Aracena has two harvests in view: the chestnut, in the groves that turn yellow from late October to November, and the acorn, which Iberian pigs eat freely on the dehesa during the montanera. It is the best time of year to walk it: it is cool, the cobbled paths between stone walls pass through gardens and chestnut trees, and the ham is tasted where it is cured. Aracena, with its cave and castle, is the base.
Where to sleep
| Accommodation | Where | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Convento Aracena & Spa | Former convent in the centre, four stars | Couples: spa and everything on foot |
| Finca Valbono | Estate 1 km from Aracena, among holm oaks and chestnut trees | Families: apartments, riding ring and restaurant |
If you walk more
Swap Sunday's museum for a linear route among chestnut groves: from Linares de la Sierra to Alájar by the Caracol, 4.4 easy kilometres under the Peña de Arias Montano, or from Aracena to Linares, 4.6 km between gardens and dehesa. Arrange the return to the car beforehand.
The montanera, from the path
From October to February the Iberian pig grazes loose on the dehesa. You will see it at the estate gates: don't go in, don't feed it and leave the gates as you find them. The chestnuts on the ground belong to the grove's owners.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Sierra de Aracena, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Sierra de Aracena
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Aracena as a base, and a car for the villages
Aracena can be seen on foot, but the sierra is many villages spread among chestnut groves and dehesas: for Jabugo, Alájar or Linares you need a car, or to walk from one to another along the park's trails.
60–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Convento Aracena & Spa…
- Getting aroundPark on arrival and do…
- Where to eatJesús Carrión, next to the…
- ServicesTourist office at the Gruta…
Where to stay
- Hotel Convento Aracena & Spa, in the centre, with limited parking
- Finca Valbono, 1 km away, with free parking on the estate
Getting around
- Park on arrival and do Aracena on foot: the Gruta, museum and castle are close together
- Jabugo, about 20 minutes; Alájar and Linares, about 15
Where to eat
- Jesús Carrión, next to the Gruta, open on Sunday at midday
Services
- Tourist office at the Gruta reception centre
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Finca Valbono
Why we like it: Three-star rural hotel and apartments on an estate 1 km from Aracena, among holm oaks and chestnut trees, with a pool, padel court, riding ring and restaurant.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Aracena | Gruta, castle, museum, hotels | |
| Alájar and Linares | Paths among chestnut trees, Peña de Arias Montano | |
| Jabugo | Ham cellars |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Sierra de Aracena
Jesús Carrión Restaurante
What to order: salted presa carpaccio and boletus risotto in half portions, and griddled Iberian presa or pluma
Finca Valbono Restaurant
What to order: mountain cooking; in summer, informal lunch by the pool.
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Buy the cave pass on the council website before you leave: the weekend slots sell out.
We'd skip it
If you only want to walk without people: avoid the November long weekends, when the sierra fills with visitors.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When are the chestnut trees yellow?
From late October to November, depending on the year.
Are the routes hard?
The Cerro del Castaño is medium difficulty, 5.5 km. The one from Linares to Alájar is easy, 4.4 km one way.
How much does the ham tasting cost?
The Esencia de Cinco Jotas visit costs €28 per person and €15 for ages 3 to 12.
Do I need a car?
Yes, to get between the villages and to the starts of the routes.