Spain from A to Z

National Parks

also numerous in the National Park of Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici . With its almost 200 lakes and ponds, it is the region with the most lakes in the Pyrenees. This same mountain range also shelters Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park , with a 3,355 metre high peak at Monte Perdido. This region, with its numerous hiking trails, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further south, in Andalusia , lies the unmistakable silhouette of the Sierra Nevada, just a few kilometres from the city of Granada. This mountain range is home to the highest peaks of the Iberian Peninsula, the Mulhacén (3,482 metres) and the Veleta (3,398 metres). The Sierra Nevada ski resort has the southernmost slopes in all of Europe. BIRD-WATCHING Spain is one of the European countries with the greatest number of IBAs (Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas) with more than 400 different species of birds. Six national parks are

Spain has a rich natural heritage in its national parks, and gives priority to protecting and conserving the natural spaces that comprise and encompass these areas. Mountains and wetlands, beaches and forests, lakes and volcanoes - the national parks of Spain are outstanding in their diversity and their impressive variety of species. HIGH MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARKS From single and multi-day hikes to fishing, mountain biking, adventure sports and skiing, Spain offers a wide variety of activities in an environment where water, an intense green landscape, winter and snow set the dominant tone. In the Picos de Europa , a retreat for endangered animal species such as the brown bear and the wood grouse, the visitor will find many interesting hiking trails, such as the tour of the Cares Gorge. The hiking trails along waterfalls, rivers and gorges are www.mapama.gob.es/es/red- parques-nacionales/

particularly recommendable for bird-watching. Islas Atlánticas National Park and the Cabrera Archipelago , the first maritime national park, house extensive nesting grounds for seabirds. The country’s biodiversity is particularly prominent in Doñana , which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a unique place in Europe as the habitat of numerous migratory birds and other animal species such as the endangered Iberian lynx. In Tablas de Daimiel and Cabañeros National Parks, both in Castile-La Mancha, we find wetlands and forests which are traversed by boardwalks and paths from which many bird species can be seen. The same applies to Monfragüe National Park in Extremadura, home to the world’s largest colony of black vultures. CONTRASTS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS Contrasts reach their peak in the national parks located in the Canary Islands. The laurel forests of Garajonay National Park , a UNESCO World Heritage Site,