Capital: Sevilla.

Area: 87,268 km²

Provinces: Sevilla, Huelva

Cadiz, Cordoba, Malaga

Jaen, Granada, Almeria

Andalucia is the second largest autonomous community in Spain. Its topography is marked by the depression of the Guadalquivir River Valley, which runs between two mountainous areas: the Sierra Morena mountains to the north and the Betica ranges to the south. The Guadalquivir river has created a fertile valley, its source is in the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park in the east and its estuary in the south-west marshlands of Doñana National Park.

Fifty percent of the Andalucian territory is mountainous, one-third is found at an altitude above 600 metres, including an extensive high plateau and 46 peaks are higher than 1,000 metres. Eighteen percent of its territory is protected.

The Sierra Nevada mountain range holds the highest point in Andalusia, the main peaks Mulhacén and Veleta, both measure over 3,400 metres high.

Andalusia is also the meeting place between the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean sea at the strait of Gibraltar. The proximity between two continents at the straits, encourages migrating birds to collect together while waiting for good weather conditions to assist their journey outward and a resting place on the return. Enormous flocks of birds gather, allowing bird watchers to see species that can be difficult to observe in their normal terrain.

This map shows positions of nature parks in Andalucia. Listed below are the information pages about the parks.

Capital: Zaragoza.

Area: 47,719 km²

Provinces: Huesca, Zaragoza, Teruel

Aragon is home to the highest peak in the Pyrenees “Aneto” which reaches a height of 3404m, situated in Pirineo Central, Huesca. It also holds the oldest National Park, Ordesa, which was founded in 1918 by Royal decree. The wildlife here includes Eagles, Lammergeyer, Brown bear, Otters, Wild boar, Alpine marmot and Chamois deer along with more than 170 bird species.

Contrasting to these high peaks, snow, waterfalls, meadows and glacial valleys is the 14.4 km² saline lagoon at Gallocanta which is an important reserve and wintering ground to Cranes plus more than 200 bird species through the year.

The plain on which Gallocanta is situated is 1000m above sea level It is dissected by the Ebro river and contains many other lakes, both saline and fresh water. This plateau is surrounded by mountains. Those to the east (Moncayo), west (Montes Univerales) and south (Sierra de Javalambre) do not reach the incredible height of those in the Pyrenees but are never the less very rugged. In further contrast to the lush depression of the Ebro the foot hills in the southern area create a buffer zone to the clouds driven in from the Mediterranean. The result is semi arid steppe with dried out water ways. All this only adds to the rich diversity to the flora and fauna of Aragon.

Capital: Oviedo.

Area: 10,604 km²

Asturias is a region with an extended rugged coast of cliffs with sandy beaches, coves and caves plus a beautiful inland mountainous area. The Cordillera Cantabrica mountain range forms the southern border of this region. The Picos de Europa in the east are not only spectacular mountains but also an important and rich haven for plants and wildlife. This National park area (the first to be declared a National park in Spain) is shared between Asturias, Castilla y Leon and Cantabria. The highest peak is Torrecerredo rising to 2648metres.

The mountains usually have snow from November to May (possibly with snow pockets throughout the year) despite the fairly mild winters along the coast. It shares the title of Green Spain along with Galicia and Cantabria with which it has borders, due to the humid, warm climate. Large areas of apple orchards supply the local cider industry.

There are many pre-historic sites that can be visited within Asturias, especially in the east of the region, around Cangas de Onís and Llanes. The Bustillo Cave in Ribadesella, La Peña Cave in San Roman de Candamo and the Llonin Cave in Penamellera feature some excellent cave paintings.

The predominantly-limestone Cantabrian mountains extend some 200 kilometres in total and offer opportunities for activities such as climbing, walking, skiing and caving. They span as far as Galicia province to the west of Asturias, and Cantabria province to the east.

Capital: Santander.
Area: 5,300 km²

Cantabria lies on the north coast of Spain. It boasts beautiful beaches, lush river valleys and green mountains. Santander, the capital city, has both a ferry port and an airport.

The highest peaks are to be found in the Picos de Europa mountain range which is shared between Cantabria, Castila-Leon and Asturias. The Peña Vieja summit at 2,613 m is the highest point within Cantabria. The Pico de Tres Mares is well known as three different rivers begin here, the Duero ending in the Atlantic Ocean, the Nansa finishing in the Cantabrian sea and the Ebro leading to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Altamira cave is 270 metres (890 feet) long, discovered by a hunter in 1868 it is famous for its magnificent prehistoric paintings and engravings. It can be found around 30 kilometres (19 miles) west of Santander.

Capital: Valladolid

Area: 94,223 km²

Provinces 9: León, Palencia, Burgos, Zamora, Valladolid, Soria, Salamanca, Ávila, Segovia

Castilla y Leon were two separate regions which joined in 1983, combined they make the largest region in Spain. Its historical value can be seen everywhere with Roman structures, Gothic cathedrals and more medieval castles than elsewhere in Europe.

The magnificent Roman aqueduct running through Segovia is one of the region’s greatest architectural wonders. It’s one of the best preserved aqueducts in the world, vast carved stones form the foundations, built 2,000 years ago. It was still supplying the City with water until recent years.

Going back further there are the archaeological deposits of Atapuerca, near the city of Burgos, where fossils of the one of the earliest known hominids in Europe have been found. Fossils and stone tools discovered date to between 780,000 and 1 million years ago.

As well as this wealth of history Castilla y Leon hold dramatic scenery. The area is surrounded by mountains. In the north is the Cordillera Cantabria and to the south the Sistema Central range and at the north east lies the Sistema Iberico range. This creates a loop of mountains opening towards Portugal. This is on top of the fact that it is situated on the vast high plateau which forms the centre of the Iberian peninsular.

The most important river of the area is the Duero which begins in Soria and crosses westward to Portugal and the Atlantic. The region’s exceptional diversity of mountains, plains and rivers produce a range of microclimates and ecosystems rich in flora and fauna including Wolf and Brown Bear.

Capital: Barcelona.

Area: 32,114 km²

Provinces 4: Lleida, Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona

The northern edge of Catalunya, (Catalonia, Cataluña) borders with Andorra and France at the eastern or Occidental Pyrenees. The plant life here ranges from alpine to Mediterranean. High meadows give way to Beech, Holly and Juniper, then into Cork oaks and Strawberry trees.

Capital: Merida

Area: 41,602 km²

Provinces 2: Cáceres, Badajoz

Extremadura is one of Spain’s most sparsely populated regions which makes it a wonderful area to study the nature. The landscape is shaped by the mountain ranges of the Cordillera Central, Montes de Toledo and the Sierra Morena (which is on its southern border with Andalucia). Fertile plains surround the large bodies of water supplied by the Tajo river in Caceres and the Guadiana in the low lands of Badajoz.

White storks have a massive population in this area, with possibly around 11,000 individuals. Their huge nests can be seen perched around church steeples, roofs and atop telegraph poles. Other birds for which Extremadura is well known are the Great and Little Bustards which live on the extensive plains.

Extremadura has a newly upgraded park, the National Park of Monfragüe. The valleys of its two rivers are important ecological reserves and are excellent areas to observe many raptors. It is one of the best areas to see Black vultures, Black storks and Imperial eagles.

Dehesas are farms that blend a mixture of agriculture, raising livestock, set aside and tree plantations. Large oak trees are widely spaced, these may have grazing animals, crops beneath or just be rested meadow land. This combination offers an ideal habitat for many wild birds, wild flowers and creatures such as the large Oscillated lizard. The acorns supply a food source for Cerdo Iberico (black Iberian pig).

This region comprises of two provinces, Caceres and Badajoz, its capital nevertheless being Merida. The capital is certainly worth a visit to view its fantastic Roman ruins. Romans put Extremadura on the stage of history, and Merida was one of the most important cities in the whole Roman Empire. Later on the region was, for a long period of time, the border between Moorish and Christian Spain. After the reconquista it was brought into a new era of splendor with the discovery of America, when it was the cradle of several famous conquerors

Capital: Murcia.

Area: 11,313 km

Capital: Valencia.

Area: 23,255 km²

Provinces 3: Castellón, Valencia, Alicante

The Valencian Community holds a tremendous number of parks given its size. The coastline is around 500 kilometres and some of its mountains rise steeply from the coast. The highest peak is El Calderon at 1837 m part of the Sistema Iberica range. Various sierras offer a choice of cliffs to tempt experienced rock climbers.

Many of the sierras are wooded either with Holm oak, Kermes oak Cork oak or Aleppo pines trees. Deep river valleys shelter endemic plant life and the more exposed salt marshes and coastal zones contain specialist flora. Up to 200 micro-reserves are being designated to halt the decline in endemic plants such as Cistus heterophyllus subsp. Carthaginensis and Silene diclinis.

The Natural park of L’Albufera is a nature reserve of pine forest and freshwater lakes attracting a range of migratory birds. These wetlands are up to 6 km wide at one point. The water level can be controlled by sluice gates.

Citrus groves cover a large part of Valenciana and are an important part of the economy. (As is the coastal zone, Costa Blanca, with its beach tourism.)