Natural Parks in Andalucia

Natural Parks in Andalucía highlight the region’s striking mix of mountains, wetlands, coasts, and forests. The Sierra Nevada Natural Park, home to Spain’s highest peak, offers alpine landscapes and unique flora. The Doñana Natural Park protects one of Europe’s most important wetlands, vital for migratory birds. Along the Mediterranean coast, Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park showcases volcanic cliffs, hidden coves, and unspoiled beaches. Inland, the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park features dramatic limestone gorges and dense forests. Together, these protected areas conserve biodiversity while offering opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, and exploring Andalucía’s natural and cultural heritage.

The Tabernas Desert

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The Tabernas Desert

The Tabernas Desert is located in the province of Almería, in the southeast of Andalucia. It is a semi-arid desert that covers an area of approximately 280 square kilometers (110 square miles). The landscape of the Tabernas Desert is characterized by its rugged terrain, barren hills, and dry riverbeds.

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Doñana National and Natural Parks

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The Doñana National and Natural Parks occupy the northern area of the Guadalquivir river where it meets the Atlantic Ocean
  • Region: Andalucia
  • Provinces: Sevilla, Huelva, Cadiz
  • Declared a Natural Park: 1969 reclassified in 1978
  • In1963 WWF and the Council of Scientific Research bought land (6,794ha) and set up a research station
  • In 1994 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site  
  • Natural Park surface area: 54,200
  • National Park surface area: 50,720 hectares – Total area: 77,260ha:
  • World Heritage and Special Bird Protection Areas: 50,720ha.
  • National Park and Ramsar site; buffer zone 26,540ha.

Towns and Villages

  • Huelva: Almonte, El Rocio, Hinojos, Bollullos Par del Condado, Rociana del Condado, Bonanes y Lucena del Puerto, Palos de la Frontera, Moguer, La Puebla del Río and the Isla Mayor
  • Sevilla: Aznalcázar, Pilas y Villamanrique de la Condesa.
  • Cádiz: Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Points of interest

The Doñana National and Natural Parks occupy the northern area of the Guadalquivir river where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Six thousand years ago it would have been a wide estuary, but this has mostly been closed off by a long, natural sand bar. This in turn created a large saline lake which gradually collected silt leaving a huge wetland area with lagoons, marshlands and semi-permanent sand dunes.

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Bahía de Cádiz

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This 5km bay area (Bahía de Cádiz) is a wintering ground and summer breeding area to 200 different aquatic bird species
  • Region: Andalucia
  • Province: Cádiz
  • Declared a Natural Park: 1989
  • Park surface area: 10,522 hectares
  • Towns and Villages: San Fernando, Chiclana de la Frontera, Puerto Real, Puerto de Santa María and Cádiz

Points of interest

The 5km bay area (Bahía de Cádiz) is a wintering ground and summer breeding area to 200 different aquatic bird species. This Atlantic tidal area consists of sandy beaches, river estuary, marshlands, salt pans, dunes and rocky inlets. Extensive pine groves once covered a large part of this area.

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La Breña y Marismas de Barbate

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Halfway between The Bay of Cadiz and El Estrecho between Mediterranean and Atlantic waters is the La Breña y Marismas de Barbate Natural Park
  • Region: Andalucia
  • Province: Cadiz
  • Declared a Natural Park: 1989
  • Park surface area: 5.077 hectares (3.925 land plus 1.152 marine.)
  • Declared a Zone of Special Protection for Birds: 2002
  • Towns and Villages: Barbate, Vejer de La Frontera

Points of interest

Halfway between The Bay of Cadiz and El Estrecho between Mediterranean and Atlantic waters is the La Breña y Marismas de Barbate Natural Park.

Although one of the smaller parks in Andalucia it has 28km of marked pathways and covers both land and marine areas. 100 metre cliffs drop vertically into the powerful Atlantic ocean. Above the cliffs is a dense woodland of Stone pines (Pinus pinea) which create a naturally rounded canopy of shade. As well as the pine woods and marine zone there are moving dunes and wetland where the Barbate river reaches the Shore.

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