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Tourist Information

 

Natural Parks

Spain is a wonderful place for naturalists and Andalucia has a number of interesting nature areas that attract many visitors. These areas are classified as follows:

Natural parks - are locations of great ecological, scientific and educational value. They have ecosystems that have been little altered by man. Together they demonstrate an enormous range of geology and climate, from salt flats and dunes to mountain ranges and woods.
Natural areas - are moderately protected areas due to the risk to or the uniqueness of the fauna, flora or landscape.
Natural Reserves - are small enclaves to protect an ecosystem or natural fragile element. Natural reserves offer the greatest level of protection. To enter a Natural reserve special permission is required from the warden of the reserve.

One of the most important natural parks in Europe is Parque Natural La Doñana. It is an immense area; the park itself and surrounding parque natural or Entorno de Doñana (a protected buffer zone) amount to over 1,300 sq km in the provinces of Huelva, Seville and Cádiz. It is internationally for recognised for its great ecological wealth. Doñana has become a key centre in the world of conservationism.

La Doñana is also well known for its enormous variety of bird species which is comprised of permanent residents, winter visitors from north and central Europe, and summer visitors from Africa, like its numerous types of geese and colourful colonies of flamingos. It also has one of the world's largest colonies of Spanish imperial eagles. The park as a whole comprises three distinct kinds of ecosystem: the marismas, the Mediterranean scrublands and the coastal mobile dunes with their beaches.

La Doñana can be accessed from a number of different points. Tours in large, all-terrain vehicles can also be arranged. For more information, call 959 430 432.

Another jewel of Andalucia’s natural parks is Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema located in the province of Cadiz. Designated a UNESCO Biosphere reserve in 1977, the Sierra de Grazalema was declared the first natural park in Andalucia in 1984 and is one of Spain's most ecologically outstanding areas. The 51,695ha park is famous for its spectacularly rugged limestone landscape of cliffs, gullies, caves and gorges. By far the most impressive gorge is Garganta Verde, with its exceptional griffon vulture colony and rocky walls that tower vertically for 400m. Andalucia's largest cave system is also here, the Hundidero-Gato with its biggest cavern measuring 4km long and an entrance of 60m tall.

The region is well known for being the rainiest place in Spain, with an annual rainfall of 2,200mm and 1300 Mediterranean plant species have been registered there, many of them unique to the sierra. There is a magnificent forest of the rare Spanish fir (a relic from the Tertiary period) in the Sierra del Pinar on the slopes of Cadiz province's highest peak at 1,654m, El Torreón.

Dotted around the sierra are attractive whitewashed villages, the one in the most dramatic setting being Grazalema, nestling between two rugged peaks, the Pico del Reloj and the Pico de San Cristóbal. There is a Centro de Visitantes (visitors' centre) in Cortes de la Frontera (952 154 599), with information on geology, flora and fauna of the park. In El Bosque is the main park office (956 727 029), which has maps, walking routes and issues permisos (permits) for walks. The tourist offices in Cadiz (956 258 646) and Malaga (952 213 445) can also provide information.