The nature of Spain is admired by all travelers without exception, because on the Iberian Peninsula everyone can find for themselves what will inspire him. A wide variety of landscapes and natural parks creates truly unique opportunities for recreation in this southern European country. The nature of Spain can be briefly described as one of the most diverse and interesting in Europe. In the country there are different climatic zones and landscapes: from semi-deserts to craters of volcanoes and rainy forests.
Natural conditions of the peninsula
One of the most popular countries for foreign travelers is Spain, the nature and attractions of which are well known to residents of the European Union, Russia and North America. Despite the fact that the cultural heritage of the country, whose history dates back many centuries, enjoys great popularity among tourists, nature is also of great interest to sophisticated travelers.
It is absolutely true that Spain is considered a coastal country, because its center is only three hundred kilometers from the sea coast. And this is despite the fact that the country takes the fourth place in terms of area among European states.
The country's coastline has a length of 4964 kilometers, and although the Mediterranean coast is very popular among sea lovers, you should also not forget about the northern coast overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, as you should not forget that Spain is also a mountainous country.
Mountains and plateaus of Spain
The most beautiful places in Spain, the nature of which makes an indelible impression on outdoor enthusiasts, are usually located in nature reserves and national parks, of which there are many in the country.
The oldest national park was organized back in 1918 in the province of Huesca, which is located in the Pyrenees. The park was named Ordesa y Monte Perdido according to the name of the park's main attraction - the mountain peak of Monte Perdido, which has a height of more than three thousand three hundred meters.
At the foot of the mountain lies the Ordesa Valley, dissected by its unique beauty and the deepest canyons in Europe, which can be compared to the American Grand Canyon. The difference, however, is that there are significantly more vegetation in European canyons.
Despite the fact that the park is visited by more than 600, 000 people a year, you can see the real wildlife of Spain in it. After all, it is here that you can meet such a rare species of animals as a brown bear, not found in other European countries. Here lives an ordinary vulture, also listed in the Red Book.
Features of the nature of Spain
Perhaps, it was thanks to the inaccessibility of the Pyrenees that they preserved the truly incredible beauty of the place in which people rarely fall. And it is not surprising that here is one of the most beautiful European parks - Aigues Tortes.
The National Park of Catalonia is located near Barcelona. Despite the close proximity to the sea coast with its crowded tourist towns and endless festivals, in the park itself the nature of Spain allows you to enjoy the solitude and beautiful mountain landscapes with peaks covered with snow for most of the year.
In this park you can get in touch with wildlife. Walking along long walking routes you can easily find a wild boar, chamois, and even a wolf. But you should not be afraid of such a close acquaintance with the local fauna, because without a guide entrance to the park is prohibited and this is done not only to protect the traveler, but also for the sake of preserving the natural site.
Another feature of Aigues Tortes Park is the rocks that make up the local mountains. Limestone is one of the most common local rocks, and this creates very favorable conditions for the formation of numerous caves and beautiful grottoes.
Spain nature
Photos of beautiful Spanish landscapes are very popular among those planning a trip to the Iberian Peninsula. One of the most popular natural sites among outdoor enthusiasts and virgin nature lovers is Lake Albufera and the park surrounding it.
Located in close proximity to Valencia, the lake attracts many tourists. This destination is considered very convenient for trips for one day, for which you can see the nature of Spain in all its glory. An interesting fact about the nature of Spain is that the translation of the name of this lake into Russian sounds like "Little Sea". However, it is not so much the size of the lake, but its incredible beauty.
The most beautiful sunsets deserve special mention, during which the horizon above the lake is painted with all shades of pink. The landscapes surrounding the lakes prove that the nature of Spain is worth seeing, especially since it will not be worth much effort, given the high level of development of local travel infrastructure.
Cabanieros National Park
This park was established later than everyone else. In 1995, in the two provinces in the central part of the country, a conservation zone was organized, which is of interest to the well-preserved Mediterranean forest of the Pyrenees.
The park can please tourists with traditional pastoral landscapes and many types of plants, some of which are not found anywhere else.
Flora of the park also deserves special mention. Many of the species living here are either not found anywhere in Europe at all, or are listed in the Red Book. But the Iberian lynx is considered the real pride of the park, the number of which has significantly decreased due to lack of food.
Occasionally, in the expanses of the Pyrenees you can meet large birds of prey, including the Spanish burial ground and the Eurasian black vulture. There are also nests of the black stork in the park, which prefers environmentally friendly places for breeding offspring.
Spain, whose geographical position and nature favors active and productive recreation, pays great attention to the preservation of not only the cultural heritage, but also the country's natural wealth.
Spanish islands
The islands belonging to the kingdom deserve special mention. Spain has rich experience in the development and conquest of overseas territories and everyone knows the history of the Spanish Empire, which once owned vast territories in South and North America. However, the development of distant lands began with islands located in the immediate vicinity of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa.
The most well-studied are the Canary Islands, which gave the name of a wonderful songbird - the canary. The archipelago of seven islands of volcanic origin consists of seven islands, the most populated of which is Tenerife, on which one of the two capitals of the province is located. In the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the parliament of the autonomous province of the Canary Islands.
The island nature of Spain, on the photo of which you can watch endlessly, is fundamentally different from the continental part of the country. The climate in the Canary Islands is due to their proximity to the west coast of Morocco, from the territory of which desert winds called the Cirocco blow to the islands. Dry air from the Sahara creates an arid climate in the eastern Canary Islands, which is close to desert.
At the same time, air masses from the northwest of the Atlantic Ocean come to the islands, which carry moisture and coolness, softening the effects of African winds. However, the ocean affects the island climate not only by air, but also by sea currents, which significantly reduce precipitation on the islands, but at the same time soften the climate on the coasts.
Canary Islands relief
In addition to air and ocean currents, the climate of the islands is also affected by their own topography, characterized by mountainousness and significant elevations. The most beautiful places in Spain, the nature of which is popular with travelers, include the islands of the central part of the Canary archipelago. It is in this part, due to the harmonious climate, that the main natural attractions of the islands are concentrated.
Simultaneously with the amazingly beautiful reliefs and diversity, the flora of the islands also differs. For example, an endemic species of pine grows on the central small islands. Canary pine is common on the islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Hierro and Palma, where there are entire forests, almost entirely consisting of only this type of tree. This has strengthened on the islands thanks to a truly unique ability to withstand drought and fires, after which the tree is restored quite quickly, even if only the root has survived in the fire.
However, other plants take root well on the islands due to the unique properties of this amazing tree. The fact is that on the long needles of pine at night a large amount of moisture condenses, which falls on the ground with dew and allows grasses and shade-loving shrubs to harden under the branches of pine and in the immediate vicinity of it.
Palm Island Nature
The nature of this island is so unique that UNESCO declared it the property of all mankind and included it in the list of the most protected biosphere reserves.
Like all other islands west of Africa, the island of Palma is of volcanic origin, but its peculiarity is that it is the highest island in the world in relation to its own area. From the ocean, the island rises steeply, thanks to the high volcanoes with which it was created more than two million years ago.
It is noteworthy that the island appeared as a result of the eruption of an underwater volcano located on the ocean floor four thousand kilometers from the sea surface. Given that the island rises above the sea by more than two thousand four hundred meters, the height of this volcano from the foot to the top is almost six and a half thousand meters.
The activity of some volcanoes is considered the cause of seismic events on the island. The last major earthquake occurred on the island in 1949, when a crack formed on the surface of the earth’s crust, which, according to geologists, indicates that the island began to split into two parts, one of which moved deep into the Atlantic Ocean.
Tenerife Island
Spain, the sea, recreation, nature and attractions … All these components promise travelers a lot of impressions. But the country also boasts the island of Tenerife, unique in its beauty, on which the Teide volcano is located, which is the highest peak in the whole country.
A huge park has been created around the volcano, in which unique natural diversity is preserved. However, the Spanish authorities managed to create truly unique conditions not only to preserve nature in its original form, but also for the convenience of tourists who visit the volcano in large numbers.
For a convenient visit to the volcanic crater, they even built a special cable car that leads up along the slope and starts at the highway along which travelers arrive in the park. Climbing to the top of the volcano, the traveler will be able to see if he is lucky with the weather, he will be able to see the entire Canary archipelago, with the exception of the three islands, which include Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Graciosa.
Fuerteventrua - the oldest of the islands
An interesting fact: the rich nature and wildlife of Spain are represented on this island only by a goat, which is the symbol of the island.
Despite the fact that the island is the second largest in the archipelago, its coastline is considered the longest, which creates unique conditions for a quiet secluded beach holiday, not clouded by the presence of poisonous snakes, insects or wildlife.
The beach season on the island lasts all year, and the highest temperatures are observed in July. However, the trade winds and the remoteness from the African continent make the island’s climate mild and comfortable for those who do not like heat.
Despite the fact that the island has seaports, most tourists get to the resort by air. Flights from Madrid, London and Tenerife regularly fly to Fuerteventura Airport.
