The National Park from DOÑANA

Doñana is located in a unique region, serving as a bridge between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and between Europe and Africa. Such a bio-geographical location determines its natural and cultural traits, forming a varied ecological mosaic, created by the beach, live dunes, stabilized sands, the wetlands (marismas) and the transitional area between sands and clays, known locally as the "Vera". With unquestionable natural values, the first thing that surprises visitors is the enormous variety and strong contrasts of its landscape, characterized by diverse ecosystems:

the "desert" of mobile dunes contrast with the fringing forest and the immense "lake" of marshes or the extensive Mediterranean heath land vegetation. The Atlantic draws the sands towards the beach; from there they are carried by the "foreño" wind towards the inlands, forming shifting dunes. The "cotos", which represent the park's most stable landscape, are formed by a thick heath land, through which isolated trunks of cork oak, arbutus, saving and wild olive-trees emerge.

Refuge to numerous species of birds due to its geographical location, the park is a valuable hibernation site, migration route and breeding ground. It is, in fact, the main hibernation site in Europe for various species, such as the Amstar commune. Throughout the year, some 300 species of birds can be found in Doñana. The presence of such animals as the easily observed Spanish Imperial Eagle and Gallinule or the duck-like animal, elusive Spanish lynx, turn Doñana into an essential natural reserve for these species that are on the verge of extinction. During the 13th Century, Alfonso X, the Wise, turned Doñana into the royal hunting reserve. Its different owners sustained it as hunting ground until 1969, when the Doñana National Park was created. Lastly, the mythical image of the village of El Rocío and its Romería (pilgrimage) is an added attraction to the Doñana area.