The Pyrenees are a mountain range that has a surface area of 430kms that goes from Creus to the Cantabric Sea. In these 430 kms you'll find natural parks, protected spaces, national parks where the flora and fauna diversify and show their richness. If you come to northern Spain, and enjoy nature, this is the place to be!

If you would like to visit the natural parks and places of natural beauty while you are on holiday in the Pyrenees region, a good place to start would be the Pyrenees National Park; 46,000 hectares of protected space located in the central zone of the Pyrenees. The valleys and glaciers of this park, which was officially declared as such in 1967, are home to a variety of interesting flora and fauna, including vultures, royal eagles, marmots and brown bears.

Next stop could be the Ordesa National Park, and Monte Perdido in the province of Huesca. In 1918, an area covering 2,200 hectares was declared national park. In 1982 the area of protected space was increased to 16,000 hectares. The highest point in the park is Monte Perdido which stands at 2,600 metres altitude. The area comes under the Biosphere Reserve Ordesa-Viñamala, created by UNESCO in 1997 with the principal aim of ensuring a protected reserve for birdlife.

Here we find extensive, dense forests, massive cliffs, interesting wildlife, and a microclimate favouring particular vegetation including the Black Pine, Ash and Edelweiss. When it comes to wildlife, some of the highlights here are marmots (which were reintroduced in the twentieth century), wild boar, brown bears, ferrets, barn owls, mountain cats, foxes and squirrels among others. Of the birds, as well as the aforementioned Tengmaln barn owl, of special interest are the Capercaillie, Black woodpecker and Bearded vulture.

Nuestro recorrido lo continuamos en el Parque Nacional de Aiguas Tortas y Lago de San Mauricio, un Parque declarado como tal en 1955, y ubicado en el Pirineo catalán, junto a zonas como el Valle de Arán, Espot y Barruena entre otras zonas.
Our journey continues on to the Aigues Tortes National Park and Sant Maurici Lake. This declared park since 1955 is in the Catalonian Pyrenees, close to places like Valle de Aran, Espot and Barruena.

The highest peaks in this park, which extends over more than 20,000 hectares, exceed 3,000 metres, and here we also find rivers and lakes. Colaloforma is the highest peak at 3,033 metres, followed by Besiberri at 3,017, and Montardo at 2,833 metres above sea level.

Bird lovers can spot capercaillies, golden eagles and bearded vultures among other species in this area. Squirrels, marmots and dormice are also indigenous to the park. This Natural Park has a significant number of visits from tourists during the summer, who can enjoy various organized activities there, such as hiking.

Another place worth visiting is Posets-Maladeta Natural Park also in the province of Huesca, in the Benasque area. This is the highest part of the Pyrenees, the top peak being the Aneto at 3,404 metres above sea level. Pico Maldito is the second tallest at 3,350 metres, along with Punta d'Astorg at more or less the same height.

Most of these natural spaces have hiking routes which can be followed; rivers and lakes in which do enjoy some canoeing or kayaking; places to explore by bike; rock walls to climb, and horse riding routes. Sports and nature go hand in hand in the Pyrenees.