The shadow of the Giralda is very long. This tower and other well-known icons of the capital of Seville are so famous that they eclipse the rest of the attractions scattered throughout the province of Seville. However, there are numerous corners with a peculiar enchantment and far removed from any cliché. That is the case of the Sierra Morena of Seville, located in the north of the province.
It can be reached in just one hour by road from the capital. Or a little less if you opt for the train. But such a short distance represents a real leap in sensations, aromas and flavors. A change that is felt before even arriving. As the traveler approaches the mountains, they notice the transformation of the landscape. What for kilometers were plains with large cultivated plots where olive trees abounded, suddenly became gentle hills with rugged river courses. And what used to be fruit trees are now pastures dotted with holm oaks and cork oaks, or poplars and poplars along the banks forming thick gallery forests.
A beautiful natural complex, but also of great ecological value, which is why it is protected as a natural park of the Sierra Morena of Seville. A space of almost 180,000 hectares full of trails for walking, pedaling or riding. Thus it is possible to reach hermitages, springs, old mills, ice wells that supplied ice water to the distant city or Carthusian convents with centuries of history and changes. There are even those who ascend from the center of Guadalcanal to the peak of La Capitana, the highest in the mountains, to take in the surroundings and the neighboring lands of Extremadura.
There are itineraries for all tastes and levels, although the most popular ones lead to two exceptional places. One is the Huéznar River waterfall, spectacular in times of rain. And another is Cerro del Hierro. Both declared natural monuments, although in the case of the hill its appearance is due to both nature and the action of man. After all, Cerro del Hierro has been a mining area since remote Roman times until a few decades ago. For centuries people excavated here in search of metals, thus carving a stone landscape full of tunnels, hard spurs ideal for climbing, deep chasms and rock platforms that today are no longer sculpted by men, but by meteorological erosion.
The attractiveness of this and other mountain landscapes is undeniable, although what gives the region a unique character are its ten towns. They are Constantina, Cazalla de la Sierra, San Nicolás del Puerto, El Pedroso, Alanís, Almadén de la Plata, Real de la Jara, Las Navas de la Concepción, Guadalcanal and Puebla de los Infantes. Each of them with their particularity but complementing each other to form a set worth enjoying calmly.
You breathe an atmosphere of frozen time wherever you go and there is always an invitation to feel its tranquility. For example, enjoying a dip on the river beach of the Galindón River with views of the old Roman bridge of San Nicolás del Puerto. Or spending the night at the Almadén de la Plata public astronomical observatory, a viewpoint to infinity and beyond to contemplate the overwhelming spectacle of the stars. Although the stars are superbly visible throughout the mountains thanks to the low light pollution. So much so that Seville's Sierra Morena has become a Starlight destination in its own right.
That is at night, but during the day there is a lot to see in the mountain towns. For example, the castles of Arab origin that crown the crowded towns of Constantina and Alanís. Or the Consolación parish in Cazalla de la Sierra that shows an artistic sequence of centuries that goes from the Almohad to the Renaissance, passing through the Mudejar and the Gothic. While in La Puebla de los Infantes the Casa Bonita is preserved, a construction in which Aníbal González participated, the same architect who years later would create the Plaza de España in Seville. And to mention big names, in the church of San Bartolomé del Real de la Jara there is a canvas by a certain Francisco de Zurbarán.
A rich artistic heritage to look at. But the mountains keep one last treasure to smell and taste: its gastronomy. It is a territory accustomed to self-sufficiency based on hunting, mushrooms, orchards and local livestock, where acorn pigs stand out. These animals live in the pastures and some companies such as Los Romeros de Alanís turn them into a delicacy. These hams and sausages, as well as lamb, venison pâtés, mycological richness, cheeses, traditional sweets, wines and anise made in the local distilleries of Cazalla or Constantina come together in one of the most popular fairs in the province. . It is the El Pedroso Gastronomic Fair that will celebrate its XXVII edition from December 6 to 10, attracting thousands of Sevillians and Andalusians to buy some of the essential delicatessens of every Christmas.
