Doñana Natural Park

The Natural Park of Doñana is basically the delta of the River Guadalquivir. The park itself covers more than 100,000 hectares of land, spreading over the provinces of Huelva, Sevilla and Cádiz.

In the 13th century the Kings of Castille converted part of the park into a royal hunting estate; later the dukes of Medina Sidonia made it their private coto. It's actual name comes from one of the duchesses of Medina Sidonia, the eccentric Do–a Ana de Silva y Mendoza, who built a residence here which was more a hermitage than a palace.

The land passed through many aristocratic hands before becoming officially a Natural Park in 1969. For centuries the Park managed to remain blocked off from civilization. However, in recent years more and more towns and villages have sprung up west of the Guadalquivir, complicating the work of the park's wildlife guardians.

The park has an enormous ecological wealth, with an amazing variety of both flora and fauna. In spring hundreds of species of birds come here to breed, and in and around the vast cork tree forests one is likely to see grey herons, turtle doves, lynxes, partridges, and many more. Thousands of people visit this park year after year, and it is practically impossible to remain unfazed by its beauty, even if one is not a nature freak.

The entrance to the park is strictly controlled. You can take half-day trips with official guides or explore the visitor's centre on foot. The park comprises three distinct ecosystems: the marismas (salt marches and mud flats), the matorral (scrubland) and the dunes, and no matter how many times one visits the area each and every time is an experience on its own not to be missed.