L’Albufera Natural Park’s flocks of pink flamingos, nesting along the banks of this 52,000 acre freshwater lagoon, estuary, and salt marsh, seem like a world away, but it is just 40 minutes south of Valencia on city bus #24 (under 2 euros), which runs hourly to El Palmar, birthplace of paella.

Far too few areas along the Costa del Sol are left undeveloped and protected like L’Albufera. This area is on the list of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) and is a Special Bird Protection Area (ZEPA).

To experience this impressive, protected natural park by land, we used designated paths and bird blinds, beginning at the Albufera Visitor Center. For an experience by water, we caught a boat in El Palmar, just prior to sunset and after a lunch of clam, paella, vino rosado, and tarta de la abuela at family-owned Pasqualet Restaurant – El Palmar (restaurantepasqualet.com).

Traditional “albuferenca“ boats are used to navigate the shallow waterways past a wide array of herons, ducks, flamingos, and shore birds nestled in the tall, dense grasses and reeds, called “maquia.”

Experience this impressive natural area yourself with this audio guide, or get a view from the water here.

Cycling, camping and trekking are all possible along the route between Valencia and El Palmar, which separates Albufera from the Mediterranean Sea.