Sierra de Aracena

Valle del Arroyo is located in the heart of the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park, on
the municipal border of the villages of Los Marines and Cortelazor, just a stone’s throw from
Aracena. You will find peace and quiet here, in an environment where each season strikes you with
its particular, natural hue of beauty. There are a variety of outdoor activities on offer in the area.
There are many hiking routes and mountain-bike trails, and horse lovers can explore endless
tracks through the hills and valleys of the Sierra. Quaint little villages where you can still
experience typical Spanish traditions and tastes are there waiting to be discovered.

The Sierra de Aracena is one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in Europe. Amongst olive, holmoak
and cork-oak trees, cows, sheep and pigs graze, the most renowned being the black Iberian
pig. Grazing in the meadows and feeding on the the acorns of the holm oak is what creates the
sweet, melt-in-the-mouth ‘Pata Negra’. This cured ham, of which Bellota is the highest quality,
comes from the heart of the Sierra de Aracena. In the village of Jabugo you can go on a hamtasting
tour in the factory where the Spanish royal family have reserved hams hanging for the long
curing process.