2019 - October  : 5 day trip trip into Spain
                          - Aracena, Jerez de los Caballeros, Zalamea de la Serena, Medellin

In a week full of sunshine in early October a group of 26 members of the AAA visited the less touristic and less visited area between Huelva and Merida.
After leaving the Algarve the first stop was in Aracena where we visited the Grutas de las Maravillas (Groto of Marvels), one of the most spectacular cave systems in Spain. It is  located below the hill on which the Aracena castle stands and includes over 2 km of subterranean passages linking the various caverns and lakes. Coloured lights on the lakes and mineral formations add to the spectacular effects.  (Pictures right)

Those that had still energy left went to visit the hill-top castle and church (Castillo-Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores). The castle was erected in the 13th century over the ruins of an earlier castle. From the various towers there was a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside and town. Adjacent to the castle is a church built by the knights Templar with a Mudejar-style tower. Unfortunately closed on Mondays. (Pictures left)
Thereafter we departed for Jerez de los Caballeros where we stayed for 2 nights.

We then returned to Jerez de los Caballeros to visit the Villa Romana del Pomar which was not very impressive, slightly disappointing. The old historic town of Jerez de los Caballeros however is a charming place, be it with some very steep streets here and there. After lunch in a parador located in an old convent we went on to visit the town with its old palaces and churches. Following the 1755 Lisbon earthquake the towers of these churches had to be rebuilt and it was then fashion to get architects from Portugal, leading to Portuguese blue tiles and blue ceramic decorations being used. The brave ones amongst us went up the tower of the San Bartolomeo church all the way to the church bells. (Pictures right)
The next morning we visited the Dolmen del Toriñuelo located on a Finca outside of Jerez de los Caballeros. It is dated from the calcolithic time and had a funerary function. The location chosen was ideal, an area rich in agriculture, cattle, mining, close to a river, and situated on traditional pathways. The dolmen consists of an artificial hill of 70 m diameter with a 25 meter long corridor leading into the hill with at the end a slightly oval room of almost 4 m in diameter covered with a false dome. Some of the megalithic stones lining it still show some sculptured designs. (Pictures Left)

The next morning we departed for Zalamea de la Serena (called Iulipa in Roman times) where we first saw the Roman funeral memorial (a Dystilo erected in 102 AD). The guided tour further led us into the castle which was a former Moorish fortress. Here Antonio de Nebrija wrote the first Spanish grammar at the end of the 15th century. Then the house of San Pedro Crespo was visited, a historical figure who is also the main character in a play that is re-enacted every year in august by the inhabitants of Zalamea. (Pictures right)

In the afternoon we visited the Sanctuary of Cancho Ruano. This is a Tartesian complex dating from the 7th to 4th century BC. It was constructed in adobe but due to the fire set to it at the end of its use the adobe turned into a tile like consistency which made it withstand the wearing of ages. It was a complex structure with a central altar for religious functions and animal sacrifices. Around were rooms for storage, commerce, and social events, judging from the luxurious objects found. Around the complex was a small rectangular moat/ditch which always had water, even in periods of drought, thanks to the ingenious engineering and canalization. (Pictures Left)
After this visit we continued the journey to San Benito where we stayed for 2 nights.
The next morning we visited Medellin located at the Guadiana. As this was a fordable place in the river, the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius made here his military camp, which grew out to be an important Roman city, initially called Metellinum. Medellin was also the birthplace of Hernan Cortés and several cities in Columbia, Mexico, Argentina, and the Philippines are named in honour of this small village.
The Roman theatre was only discovered in 2007. After excavation 400 wooden seats were added to complete the still existing original stone ones. This theatre is 50 years older than the one in Merida. It is surprising that it had remained hidden and unknown for such a long time. Passing of time saw the theatre buried into the hill during the Visigoth and Arab time. In the 10th century a Moorish castle was erected on top of the hill. The castle as currently seen is from the 14th century. It has a double walled perimeter with numerous circular towers and reinforcement towers from which there is a wide view over the country side, village and the baroc bridge (the Roman one being destroyed by a flood). In the interior of the castle there is still a 12th century Moorish cistern (the Al-jibe). 
After a delicious lunch in Medellin we returned to San Benito where some took an easy afternoon at the pool and others went to visit the very interesting Ethnographic museum.


The next day on our return to the Algarve we stopped again in Aracena to visit the Museu de Jamon (ham museum) which has very informative displays and a video explaining about the Iberian pig (porco preto) and the curing process and what influences the flavor and subsequent qualities (with pure acorn fed Iberian pigs being the most expensive). And of course a little shop to take a ham souvenir back home to the Algarve.