• Region: Valencian Community
• Province: Valencia
• Declared a Natural Park: 2007
• Park surface area: 4,480 hectares
• Towns and villages: Quart de Poblet, Manises, Paterna, Riba-roja de Turia, l’Eliana, Vilamarxant, Benaguasil, Llíria and Pedralba

Points of interest

The Turia Natural Park hosts a valuable Mediterranean riparian woodland along the banks of the river Turia with Aleppo pine, Mediterranean scrub and an important representation of typical Valencian agricultural farmland. It holds a richness of biodiversity within a highly-populated and industrialized area making it one of the last remaining forestry lungs in the metropolitan area of Valencia.

The declaration as a protected area was quite a success and came after many years of pressure from local people and various wildlife protection groups.

The area has some important elements of geological and historical heritage. Among them are sites from the Bronze Age (Poblado de la Loma de Betxí) and, from the Visigothic period the fortified fortress of Valencia la Vella. There is also a great architectural infrastructure made up of dams, ditches, aqueducts and reservoirs that have been in use for many years in order to take advantage of the water flow for agriculture.

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Flora

The vegetation of the Turia Natural Park presents great biodiversity with almost 1,200 taxa recorded between species, subspecies and hybrids. However the area has not been without a few issues such as changes in land use, the proliferation of invasive alien species, forest fires and the felling of trees for charcoal and firewood.

The existing forest formations are made up of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) located in most of the hills that make up the protected natural space. In the pine forests there is a shrub layer with a great diversity of species, among which rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Mediterranean buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), lavender (Lavandula latifolia), kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), gorse (Ulex parviflorus) and mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). The presence of holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. Rotundifolia) is less common, while wild olive (Olea europaea) and carob (Keratonia siliqua) are much more abundant. In addition, species such as strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), white heather (Erica arborea) and lavender (Lanvandula stoechas) are also present.

The riverside vegetation and, in particular, its woodlands have been confined to small groves and isolated stands of trees and shrubs that are connected by reedbeds (Arundo donax). The most representative species of the riparian woodland are black poplar (Populus nigra; Populus deltoides), white poplar (Populus alba), willow (Salix neotricha, Salix purpuera, Salix eleagnos, Salix atrocinerea, Salix fraglis), tamarix (Tamarix canariensis ), elm (Ulmus minor), blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius), oleander (Nerium oleander) and myrtle (Myrtus communis).

The Iberian-Valencian endemisms or species with different degrees of protection in the “Catalog of Endangered Flora Species of the Valencian Community” are abundant in the different ecosystems of the natural park with birthwort, (Aristolochia clematitis) and the Cartagena cistus (Cistus heterophillus subsp Cartaginensis), listed as endangered species. Garidella nigellastrum and Lupinus mariae-josephae are cataloged as vulnerable and some orchids such as Serapia parviflora and Anthyllis lagascana are included as highly protected.

Fauna

The fauna of the natural park is very rich in biodiversity with biologists recording more than 400 animal species including 32 species of mammals such as stone marten, genet, hedgehog, rabbit, otter and bats.

107 species of birds nest in the area with the iconic Bonellis eagle a highlight.

Amphibians and reptiles within the area are Iberian water frog (Rana perezi), Iberian spiny toad (Bufo spinosus), Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis hispanica), Spanish Psammodromus (Psammodromus hispanicus), Spanish sand racer (Psammodromus algirus), Ocellated lizard (Timon lepida), Viperine snake (Natrix maura), Ladder snake (Elaphe scalaris), Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), Horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) and Lataste’s viper (Vipera latastei).

Walking and footpaths

In the area you will find a few well signposted and color coded routes that take you through the various habitats of the protected area. (Ask about them in the Centro de Visitantes del Parque Natural del Turia)

• Yellow footpath (ruta amarilla) Les Rodanes – Distance: 13 kilometers. 4 hours 30 minutes. Difficulty: Medium, Circular.
• Red footpath (ruta roja) La Pea – Distance: 12,8 kilómetros. 4 hours 30 minutes. Dificulty: Medium, Lineal.
• Blue footpath (ruta azul) El Palmeral – Distance: 11,9 kilómetros. 3 hours 30 minutes. Dificulty: Medium, Circular.
• Green footpath (ruta verde) Ruta Fluvial del Turia – Distance: 27 kilómetros. 7 hours Dificulty: low. Lineal (follows the river and can be accessed in various places).
• Violet route (ruta violeta) Agua – Distance: 9 kilómetros. 2 hourss 30 minutes. Dificulty: Medium. Lineal.
• Pink route (ruta rosa) La Vallesa – Distance: 3,1 kilómetros. 1 hour. Difficulty: Low. Lineal

Information/Visitors Centers

Centro de Visitantes del Parque Natural del Turia

The Turia Natural Park Office is located on the CV-50 road at kilometre marker: 87,2. (Pont de la Barca. Vilamarxant).

Plenty of information on offer and exhibitions covering the wildlife of the area. Also information on walking routes in the area

The official website for the Turia Natural Park is here: http://parquesnaturales.gva.es/es/web/pn-turia

Iberia Nature Forum

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clive

I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain. My articles contain affiliate links that will help you reserve a hotel, bus, train or activity in the area. You don’t pay more, but by using them you do support this website. Thankyou!