Doñana National Park
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Doñana National Park is one of the most important wetland preserves in Europe. With more than 300 species of birds calling the park home during various migratory seasons, Doñana is a biodiverse habitat spread out across nearly 1,158 square miles (3,000 square kilometers) and three regions of southern Spain.
The Basics
At Doñana—originally the hunting grounds for Spanish royalty—you’ll discover that each environment (including marshland, lagoons, coastal dunes, and Mediterranean scrubland) is a vital habitat for animals such as the endangered Spanish imperial eagle and Iberian lynx. And as one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean, the park is a paradise for bird-watchers. Conservation is the reserve’s number one priority.
Things to Know Before You Go
Private vehicles aren’t allowed inside Doñana National Park, nor are pets.
The park has five visitor centers.
The park offers several walking and biking trails.
How to Get There
Doñana National Park is located in Andalucia, along the right bank of the Guadalquivir River near its Atlantic Ocean estuary. You can get there by car or on a guided day trip from Cádiz, Huelva, Jerez, Málaga, or Seville.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
The park generally has a mild Mediterranean climate with dry summers and wet winters; however, the best seasons to see bird migrations are spring and fall.
Explore Seville
A good jumping-off point or day trip, Seville is set in the heart of Andalucia. Visit the Alcázar to see how Spain’s royalty used to live, or climb the Giralda—a bell tower attached to the city’s cathedral—for a bird’s-eye view of the streets below.
- Jerez de la Frontera
- Genovés Park (Parque Genovés)
- Roman Theatre of Cádiz (Teatro Romano de Cádiz)
- La Caleta Beach
- La Viña
- Cadiz Cruise Port (Puerto de Cádiz)
- El Pópulo
- Seville Aquarium (Acuario de Sevilla)
- Plaza de América
- Maria Luisa Park
- Baraka Sala Flamenca
- Seville Church of Santa Ana (Iglesia de Santa Ana)
- Palace of San Telmo (Palacio de San Telmo)
- Torre del Oro
- Inquisition Museum (Museo Del Castillo De San Jorge)