The village of Higuera de la Sierra and the church of San Sebastian.
Higuera de la Sierra is a village in the north-east of Huelva province, 97 km from the provincial capital. It has a famous Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings procession), when everyone in the town takes part in playing out Bible scenes. It is the only one of its kind in Spain, and is also one of the oldest.
The village dates back to earliest times, due to its strategic location at the crossing of various Roman routes - parts of the original road still remain.
It has various interesting monuments, including the baroque St Sebastian´s church, which has an impressive art collection featuring a possible Murillo. Just outside the church is a statue of the popular and respected 20th-century religious sculptor Sebastian Santos Rojas, born in Higuera de la Sierra, who was responsible for various statues of the Virgin Mary for hermandades (brotherhoods) in Seville and other cities.
Plaza de la Concepcion, Higuera de la Sierra.
The town has well conserved streets and its houses have typical interweaved metal grilles. The bullring was built in the 19th century and hosts an annual bullfighting festival in aid of charity. The Christ of the Rosary chapel, next to the bullring, dates from the 16th century
The town is ideal for nature lovers, with its views of idyllic hills and magical places such as the Cave of the Tobas, half a kilometer away, with its clear waters, small waterfall and leafy vegetation. There are also various hiking trails.
Cascading flowers in the Plaza de la Concepcion, Higuera de la Sierra.
Local handicrafts include cork and wood, while typical dishes are chestnut soup and pork.
In addition to the Three Kings celebrations, other important local fiestas include the town's patron saint's day in May, and the festival of St Antonio of Padua.
To get to Higuera de la Sierra, you take the A49 motorway towards Huelva, then turn off at exit 75 towards Valverde del Camino on the N435, then take the A461.
