If you fancy escaping from the towns and cities or the beach then you should head for the province of Huelva where toy will find the stunning 15th-century Franciscan Monasterio de Santa María de la Rábida.

This monastery was where Christopher Columbus stayed for a year while he waited for the financial backing he needed for his journey to the new world in 1492

It can be found near the small town of Palos de la Frontera south of the province capitol Huelva. It was originally constructed in 1412 on the site of Moorish stronghold, and it is from this settlement that the monastery takes it name. Rabida means fortress in Arabic. You can still see the Moorish influence in the buildings Mudéjar architecture. Located in the Monastery is a 14th century church built in the Gothic-Mudéjar style and here is the burial place of Captain Martín Alonso Pinzon , who sailed with Columbus and who was a resident of the nearby town

In 1755 the beautiful was badly damaged by the Lisbon Eathquake and in 1835 the monastery was left derelict until 1856 when after restoration it was made a national monument and reopened. The Fransican Monks have lived at the Monastery since 1920

Things To See

In one of the rooms of the monastery you can find a stunning collection of murals painted in the 1930’s by Daniel Vásquez Díaz , a well renowned local artist, depicting the life of Columbus.

In the chapel you will find the beautiful alabaster statue of the Virgen de los Milagros (Virgin of Miracles), (the parton saint of the nearby town of Palos de la Frontera It is said that Columbus brought his crew to the monastery to pray to the statue before embarking on their voyage.
The people of the nearby town of Palos de la Frontera take the statue from the monastery every August during the towns religious festivals.

Another interesting room is the Baneras room where you will find flags from all the Latin American Countries and also in this room you find a casket of earth from each of the countries as well.

There is also a museum dedicated to Columbus’s life which centers around the discovery of the New World by Columbus in 1492

The Botanical gardens that surround the monastery are full of exotic plants and make the visit to this fabulous attraction complete

The only way to see the monastery is by guided tour conducted by the monks themselves. The tours are in Spanish but there are audio guides available in English and other languages

While visiting the Monastery you should also take time to visit the Muelle de las Carabelas (Harbour of the Caravels) where you will find a waterfront exhibition built for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 1992. with life-size replicas of Columbus’s three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María, There is also a museum next to the boats where you can see details of the life of Columbus and Café.

You will also find the Monument Plus Ultra, built to commemorates the first transatlantic flight between Spain and America

The Monumento a los Descubridores (Monument for the Discoverers), built in 1892 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the discovery of America can also be found in the park near the monastery

It is a fascinating place to visit especially if you are interested in the life of Columbus and his journeys. It has something for all the family and both the old and the young can enjoy this as a welcome relief from the normal beach holiday.