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 Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia

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The Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia

The Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia is a section of the Betic Cordillera and runs parallel to the Mediterranean sea for around 100km.

The temperature range is dramatic with the summits under snow for many months, followed by a hot Mediterranean style summer. This creates special microclimates across the exposed rocky summits, glacial lakes, sheer sided gorges, mixed oak woods, pine woods and fast rivers with wooded banks.

Declared a National Park in 1998 and encompassing an area of 86,208 hectares it is a popular destination throughout the year. It holds an exceptional variety of animal and plant life due to the combination of altitude and its proximity to the Mediterranean sea.

The area has also become famous as a starlight destination. The Starlight Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2009 to promote the protection of the night sky and the development of “astrotourism” and there is an ever growing list of starlight destinations in Spain to visit.

Find a hotel in the area

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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.

The area is known for its unique scenery, which has been used as the backdrop for many famous Western movies, including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “For a Few Dollars More,” and “A Fistful of Dollars.” Because of this, the desert is sometimes referred to as “The Hollywood of Europe.”

Despite its harsh environment, the Tabernas Desert is home to a variety of flora and fauna. This includes several species of reptiles, birds, and mammals. The area also has a rich cultural history, with evidence of human settlement dating back to prehistoric times.

Today, the Tabernas Desert is a popular tourist destination. Many visitors coming to explore its unique landscapes and enjoy activities such as hiking, cycling, and off-road driving.

Activities and Guided tours in The Tabernas Desert from Get Your Guide

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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

This 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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Huétor

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Situated just north east of Granada on a main arterial route park area of Huetor is limestone mountain terrain

Region: Andalucia Province: Granada Declared a Natural Park: 1989 Park surface area: 12,428 hectares Villages and Towns in the area: Cogollos Vega, Beas de Granada, Huétor Santillán, Víznar, Alfacar, Nívar, Diezma. Points of interest Situated just north east of Granada on a main arterial route the natural park area of Huetor is limestone mountain terrain … Read more