Natural Parks in Catalonia

• Region: Catalonia
• Province: Tarragona (Part of the park lies in Teruel (Aragon) and Castellón (Valencian Community)
• Declared a Natural Park: 2001
• Park surface area: 35,000 hectares (Within the park is also Les Fagedes dels Ports Natural Reserva with 866,89 hectares)
• Other protection: It is part of the European Natura 2000 network and a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA). Also a Site of Community Importance (SCI). Most of Els Ports natural park is included in the core area of the Tierras del Ebro Biosphere Reserve, known as the EbreBiosfera. (2013)
• Towns and Villages: Alfara, Arnes, Cenia, Horta de San Juan, Mas de Barberáns, Pauls, Prat de Compte, Roquetas and Tortosa

Points of interest

The Els Ports Natural Park mountain range (Parque natural de Los Puertos) consists of calcareous rock dating back to the Mesozoic era and is characterized by its sheer outlines. It holds many peaks over 1000m, the highest of which is Mont Caro at 1447 metres. The rivers cut deep gorges creating an area of sharp contrasts.

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clive

Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.

Through Wildside Holidays, I share practical information about Spain’s natural parks, mountains, wildlife and walking destinations, drawing on many years of living and travelling in the country. The aim is to help visitors discover Spain’s natural landscapes responsibly and plan rewarding walking and wildlife experiences.

• Region: Catalunya
• Province: Barcelona
• Declared a Natural Park: 1972. The first management plan for the park dates from 1972. A second plan was approved in 1982 due to the excessive growth of the urbanizations that surrounded it. In 1987 the natural park was declared by a decree of the Generalitat of Catalonia and then In 1998 the plan was modified to expand the park limits by an additional 4,055 hectares to the current 13,694 hectares.
• Park surface area: 13, 694 hectares
• Towns and villages: Castellar del Vallés, Granera, Matadepera, Monistrol de Calders, Mura, Rocafort y Vilumara, Rellinars, San Lorenzo Savall, San Vicente de Castellet, Talamanca, Tarrasa and Vacarisas

Points of interest

Sant Llorenç del Munt i L’Obac Natural Park, the first Natural Park to be declared in Spain, is a largely rocky mountain massif in central Catalonia close to Barcelona. The highest summit (where the Romanesque Monastery of Sant Llorenç del Munt is located) is called la Mola at 1,104 metres. Montcau 1,056 metres is another important peak of the massif.

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clive

Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.

Through Wildside Holidays, I share practical information about Spain’s natural parks, mountains, wildlife and walking destinations, drawing on many years of living and travelling in the country. The aim is to help visitors discover Spain’s natural landscapes responsibly and plan rewarding walking and wildlife experiences.