many people think that the summer is the best season to visit spain. however, as autumn just started it is time to explore other aspects that reach beyond the beaches that spain is so famous for. one can currently see that the weather is slowly changing and that the sun is less apparent but that does not mean that the beauty of the country disappears. fact is that coming to spain in autumn gives you the perfect opportunity to explore the magical forests and see the shades of the trees changing. the perfect palette of ochre, orange, red and gold colours appears and all these special shades give the spanish mountains a very unique appearance. they provide for the perfect outdoor experience in the beautiful spanish mountainside.

picos de europa national park in autumn

coming to spain in fall provides you with the opportunity to see the second most mountainous country in europe and enjoy its stunning forests. the most famous woods of the country can be found in the north as these forests are characterized by rather specific shady, leafy and moist trees. there are so many possibilities for those who enjoy hikes in the forest or mountain biking up in the hills since the list of national parks and big forests where this can be done is endless. examples of spectacular forests include the beautiful picos de europa national park and the ordesa monte perdido national park.

ordesa monte perdido national park

picos de europe

this was the first park in spain that was awarded the title of a ´´national park´´ and the area received the unesco biosphere reserve designation in 2002. the climate in the area of the park is humid and rainy due to its proximity to the sea (solely 20 kilometres away). in winter time it will definitely snow here but there is a possibility to see snow during the rest of the year as well. this special mountain side stands out because of its high peaks, deep ravines and long canyons. moreover, the diversity of the park becomes even more apparent due to the fact that there are four rivers that flow through the park and many different viewpoints where visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature. to make the most out of a trip to this park one should definitely use the fuentedé cable car which can take you up to 1,800 metres above sea level and provides for stunning views.

fuentedé cable car

ordesa and monte perdido national park

this national park is presided by the monte perdido and part of the pyrenees. moreover, it was declared a world heritage site in 1997 by unesco and falls within the scope of the ordesa-viñamala biosphere reserve. consequently, it is a very special place to visit. the landscape with its high summits and all the different eco systems present, both with an atlantic and mediterranean influence, provide for a rich and diverse flora and fauna. the park is characterized by the great massif of monte perdido with a height of 3,355 metres and by the peaks of the tres sorores.

monte perdido in the winter season

other options for those who like to enjoy nature include the pedrosa beech forest in segovia (slightly north-west of madrid); the montejo forest, one of the southernmost forests in europe, situated in the sierra del rincón mountains close to madrid. The latter is also awarded with an unesco biosphere reserve status. moreover, one can visit the tejera negra nature reserve in guadalajara; the señorío de bértiz nature reserve in navarre (close to the pyrenees) and the beech forests in the volcanic area of la garrotxa in girona (in the vicinity of barcelona).

la garrotxa

we recommend coming to spain to visit these beautiful natural areas and discover a different side of spain. the changing shades of the leaves and the contrast of mountains, forests and water to be found in 1 national park provides for an unique experience. the huge oaks, the special chestnut trees and the mist that is so characteristic for the forest will make this a trip with a very special touch. moreover, since most of the national parks are situated close to the bigger cities, one can combine a city trip in barcelona or madrid with some days to explore the spanish nature and enjoy the beautiful forests and their wildlife.

for extra information, routes and prices you can contact us: info@across-spain.es!

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