After Switzerland, Spain is the highest country in Europe. The snowed Mountains exchange with green valleys. The relief of this country is full with natural remote corners where one can get lost in. But there are also areas with swamps and calm lagoons.
Andaluscasas made for you a selection of natural curiosities which are definitely worth a visit. It is not our intention to set up a list of places you should visit but it gives you an idea of the natural beauties you can visit while visiting Spain.

The mountain tops of Europe with it’s snowed tops are spread over 3 areas: Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla-León. The high tops, lots of them above 2.000 m, vary with deep ravines. The climate in this mountain massive is rainy because of the proximity of the sea (about 20 Km). The mist isn’t awkward in this area and you do good to keep that in mind while visiting this area.

The valley of Aran of 600 km2 is located in the centre of the Pyrenees. It will seduce you with it’s meadows and forests. It is here where the river “Garona” comes into existence. The area is a true paradise for nature travellers. The protection which is created by the Mountains, make sure that the exclusive butterflies and flowers keep protected in this area and you do good to keep that in mind while visiting this area.

The natural park of the Peñón de Ifach is one of the last mountain chains of Béticas with a height of 332 meters. Completely distanced of any other relief, one starts to wonder if it hasn’t been placed there by a giant. You need approximately 2 hours to reach the top by foot, but it is definitely worth doing since at the top you have some magnificent views over almost the entire Costa Blanca.
It’s therefore that it is called the symbol of the Costa Blanca.

The caves of Valporquero and las Hoces de Vegacervera in Castilla y León stretch out over 3 km. Only a particular part is accessible for public. These galleries are formed about 5 to 25 million years ago. The work of the water and erosion make sure that this rich nature lives in constant evolution. You will see the symphony between stalactites and stalagmites. The oxidation of iron give colours to the spectacular polychrome differences.

The caves of Drach on the island Mallorca. The names of the halls will bring up memories:: “Bath of Diana”, “Theatre of the fairies” and “Fascinating city”. The culminating point of the visit is the Martel lake, an underground lake of 177 m long. You can pass by boat or listen to a concert. In both occasions the experience is impressive and unforgettable.

The lagoons of Ruidera are 16 small, natural swimming pools connected by water falls and brooks which add up 20 kilometres. Declared as being the mirrors of Castilla la Mancha, the lagoons are a sea of rest for many migratory birds.

The Albufera of Valencia, a park proceeded by the many slips of the old bay and sediments of the Júcar and Turia rivers which took care of the definitive split with the sea in the time of the Romans. Back then, the surface was much bigger (about 30.000 ha) but as years past by and due to the interest in new farm lands, especially rice, have made that the surface reduced to its actual 2.800 ha. There are about 50 different types of birds residing in this reserve.

The salt lakes of La Mata and Torrevieja, one of the moist places of special interest, because of its botanic value, its landscape of undoubtedly beauty, as well as its social economical perspective, don’t forget that it is here where the salt exploitation of Torrevieja is located, one of the most important ones in Europe.
More then 100 bird species live together in this park together with amphibians and many reptiles, formed by 2 lagoons which are separated by a narrow sand strip.

The water reserve of La Pedrera, is an artificial lagoon of a large surface which was build halfway the 20th century to divide the transfer of the rivers Tajo-Segura. You find this lagoon, almost by surprise, between the villages Hurchillo and Torremendo (Orihuela), and it is one of the most important reserves in this mentioned area. Since it serves as a connection between 2 rivers, it’s waters are of great pureness which are very important for the many fish and water birds. The silence rules this lonely place which is visited by many fishermen, nature lovers and beauty detectives.

The salt lakes and sand stripes of San Pedro del Pinatar is a protected area in the Murcia province. It is a moist area with sand stripes in the northern part of the Mar Menor. Inside this protected place, there’s a marina and some salt mines in exploitation. In the summer these beaches are well visited, especially thanks to its traditional mud baths.
In 1985 it has been declared as protected nature reserve and in 1992 as regional park.
It concerns an area with sand stripes which connect the Mar Menor with the Mediterranean sea.

The most famous desert of Spain is located at about 30 kilometres north of Almeria, in a ravine between the mountain chains Filabres and Alhamilla, which prevent that moist winds and rains reach the territory of Tabernas, responsible for the formation of this desert with a dry, as well as exceptional landscape which is impressive as well as fascinating. The desert of Tabernas has a surface of about 11.625 ha, of which the visitor can enjoy by a walk through the dry River bed or main River bed and the River bed of Tabernas. It’s fully track takes care of a soft and thankful walk of about 7 kilometres.

The Mar Menor is a salt water lagoon, located next to the Mediterranean sea, in the Murcia area. It’s special ecological and natural characteristics make the Mar Menor a unique landscape and the biggest salt water lagoon in Europe. The half moon is divided from the Mediterranean sea by a small sand strip of 22 km long and between 100 and 1.200 metres wide. The lagoon is declared as protected at the congress of Barcelona. It has a coastal line of 73 km with sand beaches at transparent waters with few dept of no more then 7 metres and a surface of no less then 170 km2.

The rich environment of the Sierra Espuña and it’s villages, have always been the biggest attraction of this area. The spectacular surroundings with natural places are probably the cause of the tourist raise in the area and a variety of visitors from over the whole world, if we add cuddliness together with the keeping in honour and offering many services, we can start to understand the surprising development of the area.

Sierra Nevada is a mountain massive which belongs to the Betic coherence, in concrete the Penibetic systems, located in Andalusia. In 1999 a big part of it has been declared national park. It is the highest mountain massive in Western Europe after the Alps and the roof of the Iberian peninsula, with the mountain top Mulhacén of 3.482 m. Sierra Nevada, together with the Béticas is formed by the mountain origin of the alps in the third era. Thanks to its Mediterranean influence, this area counts 66 local kinds of plants and about 80 different animal species.