Doñana

General information

Extension: 54251 hectares Date of declaration: 28/10/1969 Environmental units:The Atlantic coast of Andalusia Routes:Huelva by the TransAndalus, Wine and Marco de Jerez Brandy Route

Quality marks:European Charter for Sustainable TourismReserva de la Biosfera

Fauna and flora

Whereas the lagoons are dominated by plants adapted to this habitat, such as reeds and rush, the further away you get, you will find other species more related to banks and river channels. First of all are the cork trees, alongside strawberry plants and palm trees, among others, followed by the blood-red willow, an endemic of the Tertiary period, which make up amazing forests next to the royal fern, ash, white poplar, sarsaparillas and honeysuckle,… The union of very different ecosystems is the main reason that Doñana is a true paradise for birds, as it has over 120 species of so-called aviaries: a real explosion of sound, colour and life.

The fertile ground gives way to magnificent forests of stone pine, such as Coto del Rey, El Abalario or the Pinar de La Algaida, which share their habitat with the black mountains - myrtle, mastic, Moorish rock rose, rosemary, thyme, lavender, white and yellow rock rose, as the more humid land changes to higher and dryer land. This is where two of the most valued species live, the Iberian lynx and the imperial eagle, as well as other mammals, reptiles and birds.

Stabilizing the coastal dunes are plants that can handle a dryer and windier atmosphere, with the sand and salt, also known as unkempted forest , which include juniper, savins and marram grass.

What is there nearby?

What to do

The extreme environmental importance of this territory adds to the quality of the experience. The broad network of trails is an excellent way to discover the qualities of this protected are, either hiking or on bike. These allow you to access excellent riverbank forests along the Acebrón path, bird watch following the route of La Rocina, which has observatories for this purpose, or follow pleasant cycling routes, such as the one that crosses the Matalascañas and another that starts in the forest village of Cabazudos. Meanwhile, birdwatching possibilities, with or without guide, are outstanding.

Others options that have been specially designed under the control of the administration of the protected area are outings in 4x4s with bi-lingual guides, where you can discover the countryside and its traditional uses, such as beekeeping, forestry, fishing, hunting and chickadee, which also reveals the dwellings of coal merchants and other forest towns that are dotted around the area, such as Bodegones, El Abalorio o Los Cabezudos-.

You can also sail in the Fernando Royal Ship, which sails down the Guadalquivir from Sanlúcar. Other very unique events include the “mare show", or saca de yeguas, which has been held every year in Almonte for over five centuries; the palatial mansion of Acebrón, with shows the day to day runnings of this natural space, with special dedication to the El Rocío pilgrimage, the most important in Spain; and the coastal watchtowers, such as Carboneros, Zalabar and Pico del Loro, all built in the 16th century as a defence against pirates and corsairs. Sports:Horse riding, Kitesurfing, Orienteering, Kayaking, Sailing, Hot air ballooning, Free Flying, Windsurfing, Mountain biking, Surfing

Rice Route in the province of Seville

The Marismas del Guadalquivir, the area where most of this route takes place and which have a surface area of approximately 2,000 km² thanks to the marine and river deposits of the alluvium, form an immense coastal inlet.

During the rainy season, these marshes are flooded due to their flat terrain, their proximity to sea-level and the impermeable nature of the material of their subsoil.

Rice in Seville, the leading province in Spain for production of this cereal, is centred on the right bank of the Guadalquivir river, with an area of up to 36,654 hectares of crop and a harvest of more than 350,000 tonnes making over 40% of Spanish production.

The entire route revolves around the lower basin of the Guadalquivir, before entering Cadiz linking the two banks of the “Río Grande” (Al-Wadi Al-Kabir, in its Arab etymology) so that visitors can follow the coastal towns of this rich area of Andalusia.

Between Seville and the estuary, there is an extensive wetlands: Las Marismas del Guadalquivir, but there are natural places of great importance: the Brazo del Este natural park, Utrera Nature Reserve, Lebrija-Las Cabezas Nature Reserve, the Guadiamar Green Belt, the Dehesa de Abajo and Cañada de los Pájaros Nature Reserves; rice and water are our travelling companions, and birds — travellers who come and go as they wish.

This space, furthermore, is the essential habitat for spectacular birds, more than 275 species that, whether for nesting or wintering, also want to enjoy the possibilities that this area provides.

This is why this area is located at a strategic location, half-way between Seville city and Doñana, with easy access on both banks by road, without forgetting the appeal of linking these two banks using the ferry that crosses the Guadalquivir at Coria del Río.

Turismo Rural Sevilla