Diana Festival: Aroche relives Roman times with history and fun

Among the municipalities in the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche region with the longest history and the best preservation of their heritage is Aroche, one of the most visited destinations in the province. In addition to its historical value, it offers a privileged natural setting for enjoying activities such as hiking, birdwatching, and gastronomy, based primarily on pork products, mushrooms, and garden produce.

But if there's one special place you shouldn't miss, it's the Roman city of Arucci Turóbriga , the only site of its kind open to visitors in the province of Huelva, along with the Hermitage of San Mamés. This Hispano-Roman enclave was founded during the reign of Nero (between 54 and 68 AD) and represents the culmination of the widespread occupation and control of the territory known as Celtic Baeturia.

The numerous excavations and interventions carried out at Arucci/Turobriga over the past two decades, and the daily maintenance of the site, make it possible to visit its forum or public square, its market, a campus for military and associative use, the thermal baths or public baths, the wall, and domestic buildings such as the Casa della Columna, the Casa Norte (famous for the discovery of a small treasure), and the Casa del Peristilo, among other discoveries.

The complex is located within the Llanos de la Belleza (Llanos de la Belleza) , a name that evokes the uniqueness of a valley filled with pastures, bathed by the Chanza River and protected by the last foothills of the Sierra Morena. A vibrant place, where the popular pilgrimage in honor of San Mamés is held, whose hermitage, a 13th-century gem, was built on the site of the old Roman basilica.

This beautiful corner of Arochena will host the Diana Festival on July 25 and 26 , which this year celebrates its tenth edition. These days of Roman culture and historical reenactment have become a landmark over the years, featuring a wide and varied program of activities centered around the Arucci Turobriga archaeological site, the only one of its kind open to visitors in the province of Huelva.

Thus, the Diana Festival, which honors the goddess of nature and the hunt, will feature a packed program of activities for children and adults alike, including lectures, Greco-Roman theater, reenactments of Roman life in the city of Turóbriga, visits to the Cilla Museum, and the participation of the local historical reenactment group Baebia Arucitana, as part of its musical section.

Thus, the tenth edition of the festival will kick off with the presentation on Friday, July 25, at 8:00 p.m., at the Hotel Casa Palacio Conde del Álamo, followed by the lecture "Diana: The Indomitable Face of the Great Goddess," by researcher Víctor Vázquez, also on the same stage. At 9:30 p.m., this time on the Paseo de la Iglesia, the Vlpia Aelia association will delight those in attendance with gladiatorial games.

Saturday morning will take place in the Archaeological Museum building, beginning with a Roman breakfast at 10:30 a.m. In addition, the Vlpia Aelia association will offer an explanation of how a thermopolium (food establishment) works. The morning will conclude with a lecture titled " Unveiling Arucci Turobriga: Teaching Strategies for Understanding a Roman City," led by archaeologist Sergio Cansino.

In the afternoon, with the opening of the archaeological site at 8:15 p.m. , the Roman Games with Vestigia will begin, an activity that is a success every year with the little ones. Also new this year is a hot-air balloon ride to explore the Roman city from above, observing the Roman past from a different perspective.

Meanwhile, the local group Baebia Arucitana is once again present in the program, giving special prominence to music with a historical reenactment. And to close the evening, the eagerly awaited Greco-Latin theater performance features the comedy "The Assembly of Women," performed by Balbo Teatro. The Diana Festival remains a benchmark for learning about the past and enjoying history.

On the tour of the town centre of Aroche, declared a Historic Site in 1980, visitors can enjoy the charm of its stately homes, its Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, built by the Catholic Monarchs in 1483, and its imposing Castle of Arab origin, whose parade ground houses a bullring, as well as its old walled enclosure from the 17th century, of which various fragments are still preserved today.

To enjoy Aroche and all its heritage and cultural riches, the Visitor Reception Center, located in the former Jerónimos convent known as "La Cilla," offers all the information about the town, including opening hours and must-see sites. Inside, you can also explore the Archaeological Museum and the Rosary Museum, a unique museum with a more ethnographic focus.