Natural Parks in Andalucia

Andalucia, a region in southern Spain, is home to a number of natural parks that showcase the area’s diverse geography and biodiversity. One of the most famous is in Andalucia is Sierra Nevada Natural Park, which spans over 86,000 hectares and is home to Spain’s highest peak. Other natural parks in the region include Doñana Natural Park, which is one of Europe’s most important wetland reserves and home to a wide range of bird species; Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, which features volcanic landscapes, rugged cliffs, and pristine beaches; and Grazalema Natural Park, which is characterized by its limestone peaks, deep gorges, and dense forests.

These protected areas offer visitors a chance to experience Andalucia’s rich natural beauty, as well as its cultural and historical heritage.

How Rainfall Revived Doñana in 2025: A Wetland in Full Bloom After Years of Decline

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How Rainfall Revived Doñana: A Wetland in Full Bloom After Years of Decline
A Rare Spring Transformation

Doñana National and Natural Park is bursting with life this spring, thanks to a season of heavy rains. The once-parched marshlands have returned to their former glory, offering a rare spectacle of biodiversity and a glimpse of the wetland’s ecological potential. This resurgence has flooded over 39,000 hectares, transforming the landscape and reminding us why Doñana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Sierras de Tejeda Almijara y Alhama

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The peaks of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Mountains
  • Region: Andalucia
  • Provinces: Granada / Málaga
  • Declared a Natural Park: 1999
  • Park surface area: 40,663 hectares
  • Z.E.P.A
Points of interest

The parkland of Sierras de Tejeda Almijara y Alhama is limited in the south east by the Mediterranean sea and rises in craggy mountains towards the north west. 52% of the park is in Granada province with 48% in Málaga province. The combination of altitudes and from sea shore to the peak of La Maroma at 2,080m encourages a diversity of vegetation, including some endemic species.

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Sierra de las Nieves

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Sierra de las Nieves National park

In the summer of 2021 The Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park was upgraded to NATIONAL park status. It covers a huge area of approximately 300 square kilometres with its limits ranging from Marbella inland to include the villages of El Burgo, Istan, Monda, Parauta, Ronda, Tolox and across to the Sierra Bermeja close to … Read more

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, 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.

Latest news and Iberia Nature Forum discussions here.

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