Casa Norma Beautiful walks start from the doorstep

Casa Norma is situated in the middle of the pretty hillside, white village of Canaveral de Leon, 20 minutes from the market town of Aracena. The village is easily accessible from the major airports of Seville (1.5 hours), Jerez (2 hours), Malaga (2.5 hours) and Faro (2.5 hours).

Only one hour from Seville, the Sierra de Aracena is a National Park encompassing 180,000 hectares of mainly Mediterranean oak. It is an area of contrasts with gently rolling hills and wooded valleys giving way to dramatic rocky outcrops on high peaks. The area is full of footpaths and old drovers’ trails that are easy to follow and well signposted on walking maps.

Cañaveral’s Patron Saint Marina

Cañaveral de León is a pretty white-washed village of some 500 inhabitants, nestling on the slopes of the valley beneath the Sierras that mark the border of the Huelva and Badajoz provinces. It is off the beaten track, providing the perfect base to discover ‘real Spain’. The village has a bank, two general stores, green-grocer, bakery and three small bar/restaurants. It "boasts" a beautiful open air swimming pool with amazing views of the surrounding hills (open June to September). There is a new library, a theatre and for the more energetic, a gymnasium. In 2007, the Olive Mill Museum was opened, the first of its kind in Andalucia.

This is a superb area to visit all year round, though those with a keen interest in birds and flowers may prefer spring, when the migrants arrive and the fields are a riot of colourful flowers. Autumn sees the chestnut harvest and a profusion of wild mushrooms.

Casa Norma (VTAR Registration Number: AR/HU/192)