The Region of Valencia is home to a huge range of ecosystems that are unique for their plant and animal life. Across all three of the region's provinces, Castellón, Valencia and Alicante, there are protected areas where mountain ranges, forests, islands and wetlands form an attractive landscape offering visitors some amazing contrasts.
A total of 22 protected natural areas across the Region of Valencia are listed under the Parques Naturales (natural parks) brand, places where everyone can enjoy nature in its many expressions. You can visit inland mountain ranges in the Sierra Calderona and Las Hoces de Cabriel nature reserves, the wetlands and marshes of La Albufera in Valencia and El Fondo in Alicante, or walk along impressive coastal mountain ranges in the nature reserves of the Montgó and the Serra Gelada in Benidorm.
In addition to natural parks, the Region of Valencia also has a number of marine nature reserves, including the island of Tabarca, which lies three miles south of the headland of Santa Pola (Alicante), and the Columbretes islands, one of the most unique spots in the Mediterranean and the Castellón coastline.
All these attractions are joined by other kinds of protected areas like the more than 30 municipal natural landscapes that are especially valuable from an ecological and local point of view for towns across the Region, plus the set of spectacular protected landscapes chosen for their natural features and their socio-economic value for the surrounding countryside.
Lastly, and no less important, are the crucial flora micro-reserves across the Region of Valencia, home to some of the most interesting native plant species in the region.
Get ready to enjoy a real adventure with ecotourism in the Region of Valencia. Come and discover these exciting places and venture along any of the trails and footpaths in many of the protected areas we have described. Experience nature in its purest state!
