Top 9 Things to do in Ayamonte
If you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path vacation in Spain, you need to know about the town of Ayamonte. It’s located in western Spain, on the banks of the Guadiana River, just off the Portuguese border. You can enjoy a laid-back local atmosphere in this place. TopFlightsNow will help you learn about the top things to do in Ayamonte, whether you are planning a full week vacation or a day trip.
The town of Ayamonte is a great choice if you want to avoid mass tourism. This part of Spain is usually visited by domestic tourists throughout the summer. It’s a great city to explore the old town, seaside villages, sandy beaches, and even some parts of Portugal.
What is the best time to visit Ayamonte?
To get the best out of your Ayamonte holiday, we suggest visiting during the summer. You’ll have access to tons of beaches to cool down and relax. Whenever you visit Ayamonte you are in for a slow type of vacation with time spent on the beach and restaurants. During the evenings you can enjoy walks in the old city and promenade in warm weather. All this makes summer the perfect time to visit, with August being the best month to visit Ayamonte.
How to get to Ayamonte?
To get to Ayamonte you must book a flight to Seville airport. As the city doesn’t have its own airport, Seville is the closest international destination you can fly to. Our recommendation is to rent a car at the airport for your Ayamonte vacation. Although there is public transport available from Ayamonte to the beaches, you are better off with a car to explore all the top things to do in Ayamonte. From Seville to Ayamonte it’s a 1h 30m drive.
You can also opt for public transport from Seville to Ayamonte. As there is no railway station in Ayamonte, choosing a bus is your only option. Multiple buses are running daily between the two cities, with the earliest at 7:30 in the morning. The price is around 20-25 EUR and the journey takes almost 3 hours.
Top Things to do in Ayamonte
Explore the narrow streets of the old town, the beautiful churches, and houses in the city. Enjoy tapas bars and take the ferry to Portugal. Chill on the beach and get your tan on as you enjoy the best things to do in Ayamonte.
1. Explore the Old Town
The Old Town part of Ayamonte is full of narrow streets and medieval buildings. Take a walk around the entire historic part of the city, and experience the atmosphere of this charming place.
The main square is called Plaza de la Laguna where you will see a ton of beautiful architecture. Ensure that you stroll around the square and explore the colorful tiles that make the main square stand out as unique. Around the edge of Plaza de la Laguna, the historical buildings will provide a great sight.
2. Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias
The main church of Ayamonte is found just off the main plaza. It’s called Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, a beautiful church built in the 16th century. Throughout its history, it had to be rebuilt partially twice. At first, it has suffered great damage from an earthquake, the second time around it was the Spanish Civil War that has left the charming church in ruins.
Not only it is a beautiful sight from the outside, once you visit the interior, you can also wander at all the beautiful artwork and architecture inside.
3. Go to the Beach at Isla Canela
One of the best things to do at Ayamonte is relaxing on the beach. Get your swimsuit on and head to Isla Canela for the best experience. It’s a small island with kilometers of sandy beaches. You can easily reach it by car or the public frequent buses that run from Ayamonte to the beach each summer.
The south shore of Isla Canela is basically a huge sandy beach, where you are guaranteed to find a secluded spot for yourself. Visitors can go swimming, get their tan on in the sun, go snorkeling, or do some more extreme activities like windsurfing. Between the palm trees, cocktails, and the crystal clear Mediterranean it’s an amazing beach to visit. It’s the best beach around Ayamonte and one of the best in the province of Huelva.
4. Visit Portugal
As Ayamonte is located right next to the Portuguese border, a ferry link runs daily between the two countries. The ferry will take you to Vila Real de Santo António, however, the place you want to visit is Castro Marim.
Castro Marim is a beautiful town in Portugal, with a spectacular medieval castle ruin. You can explore its historical city center and experience Portuguese architecture. A visit to Castro Marim is also the perfect opportunity to try something different and taste some of the local Portugal foods.
Another popular attraction next to the town is to check out the salt marshes. There is a huge salt farm in Castro Marim that’s a great sight to check out.
5. Explore Marismas de Isla Cristina National Park
Due to the multiple rivers and lush vegetation, there is a nice marshland national park south of Ayamonte. This area is perfect for hiking trips and enjoying nature. Most of the national park is made up of marshes, forests, and natural dunes. One of the main features of the park is the huge variety of bird species. It’s a real wildlife sanctuary for birds and heaven for bird watchers.
You can also visit an Ecomuseum and a salt farm within the park. Both will provide an interesting and unique experience to enhance your holiday in Ayamonte.
6. Shop Around
If you want a souvenir while you are in Ayamonte, check out all the shops selling locally produced items like wine and olive oil. There are also other shops where you can buy local foods and other things. You will find that many of the eating out and shopping places can be found around Paseo de la Ribera and Plaza de la Coronación.
One of our favorite places to eat out is Bar El Paladar in Ayamonte. This is an especially great place to check out when you are trying to get a feel for the local meals and cuisine. It’s close to both the central district of the town and the marina.
7. Try Golf at Isla Canela
Little known facts for travelers is, that Isla Canela has a number of quality golf courses. For those who haven’t tried golf yet this might be a really good opportunity to do it in an amazing environment. You can choose from multiple places to try gold and have a great time on your holiday.
8. Day Trip to Huelva
The city of Huelva is around halfway from Ayamonte to Seville. It’s a pretty good day trip to include on your things to do in Ayamonte itinerary. Huelva is an amazing historical port city in Spain. It’s located at an interesting spot where two rivers meet the sea.
You can marvel at beautiful churches and medieval buildings if you choose to take a trip to Huelva. The old town of Huelva is full of cobblestone streets, cute restaurants, and interesting buildings. There is a lot to explore and enjoy in this amazing town.
9. Day Trip to Seville
Seville is a well-known tourist destination with amazing monuments and attractions to check out. Whenever you are in Ayamonte you should use the opportunity to visit Seville on a day trip. Seville is very easy to reach and you can travel by train, bus, or car.
The Alcázar in Seville is the best-known monument in the city. This building alone could worth the visit due to its incredible beauty. However, you also have the Catedral de Sevilla as a jaw-dropping gothic church. Plaza de Espana and the surrounding park will charm you into nature, tricking your mind to forget that you are in the middle of the city.
Hidden Gem Near The Border
The small town of Ayamonte is a hidden gem amongst the popular tourism resorts. If you decide to rent a car and explore Huelva, then this city is a good choice. You can experience the laid back nature of life in Spain during summer.
We suggest that you try as many local foods as you can and enjoy the beach during the day. In Ayamonte a local experience awaits you.
