Discover El Madroño: Trails, trees and local culture

El Madroño combines nature trails with a protected landscape and cultural landmarks in the town. When planning your visit, you can focus on different things: a route with views of El Madroño and the Nerva mining area, trails through varied landscapes, or chapels, the church and local cuisine.

Routes: landscape, views and history

On the Ruta de los Mineros, the route down to the Río Tinto includes a 1.5-kilometre descent through a landscape of yellow-stained rocks. The route also offers views of El Madroño and the Nerva mining area. This trail therefore focuses both on the descent and on views of the town and mining area.

The Sendero de las Cuatro Aldeas runs mostly through dehesa landscapes, with some sections crossing eucalyptus groves and low scrubland dotted with rockroses. It links Juan Gallego, Villargordo, El Álamo and Juan Antón. Compared with the Ruta de los Mineros, the landscape and the connection between the four villages are the key points to consider when choosing this trail.

The Camino de los Camellos offers a historical perspective: it was a livestock drovers’ route linking El Castillo de las Guardas, Aznalcóllar and El Madroño. Its former purpose sets it apart from the specific landscape and viewpoint descriptions of the other two trails.

The Río Tinto and the Encina de los Perros

In the protected Río Tinto landscape, the waters are highly acidic, red and rich in iron. They are home to microorganisms adapted to extreme environments. 225 hectares of the protected area lie within the municipality of El Madroño. Both the waters’ distinctive properties and the life forms adapted to them are part of this natural environment.

Access to the protected area is free. From El Madroño, take the SE-9200 road towards Berrocal; after about 700 metres, a track branches off and joins the old Palomares road. As trail conditions can vary, check the route in advance.

Another notable natural landmark is the Encina de los Perros, one of the trees listed as remarkable in Andalusia. It is over 16 metres tall; its crown reaches up to 28.5 metres in diameter and provides 600 square metres of shade. Access to the tree is restricted, but it can be viewed from the road. Check access conditions before your visit.

Chapels, the church and local cuisine

The buildings and historical landmarks offer other points of interest. The chapel of Cruz de Arriba has a single nave and is decorated with modern blue-and-white tiles; the chapel of Cruz de Abajo dates from the mid-20th century. The Church of San Blas is on Plaza de la Constitución in the centre of El Madroño and also has a single nave. At Cerro del Riscal, there are rock hollows and small caves that were probably used as refuge and shelter in prehistoric times.

Local specialities in El Madroño include Sopeao and Caldereta de Chivo. Alongside the trails and buildings, regional dishes are another option to focus on during your stay.

Discover more destinations

El Alamo, Fuentes De Andalucía, La Puebla De Los Infantes, Olivares, Constantina, San José De La Rinconada, Esquivel, Valdezorras

For the main travel overview: Seville.