Green Spain Ecotourism Corridor
The Ría de Villaviciosa Partial Nature Reserve is one of the best preserved estuaries of the Asturian coast. It has a great ecological value mainly due to its marsh vegetation and its ornithological importance.
The environmental conditions of the estuary derive from this great marine influence: high salinity of the water, periodic flooding due to the tide and intense sedimentation. All this conditions its particular flora and fauna, which make this space an important reserve of biodiversity.
Due to these special environmental conditions, in 1995 the Regional Government declared this area a Partial Natural Reserve. The more than 1,000 hectares protected include the estuary and the adjoining land, the limits of which are defined by the roads that run along both banks of the estuary.
The softness of the forests that surround the valleys of the region, makes them unparalleled places for hiking and when you reach the heights of breathtaking views is an ideal place for paragliding or hang gliding.
Villaviciosa Estuary Partial Nature Reserve
The territory was declared a Partial Natural Reserve in 1995 and belongs entirely to the council of Villaviciosa. It is also included in the list of Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR).
In the Villaviciosa Estuary, with approximately 8,000 m. long and a width that ranges between 1,000 and 200 m. There are four main types of natural environments: the beaches and dunes, the estuary, the cliffs, and the coastal plain, which are inhabited by aquatic birds, marine invertebrates, as well as different types of vegetation characteristic of this habitat.
