This is where paella was invented.
The Albufera Natural Park is just 10 kilometers from Valencia.
It is a Mediterranean ecosystem with wild dune beaches,
forests, rice fields and a huge lake.
It has 21 thousand hectares .
The park has 6 marked routes
through which we can walk or cycle
and discover its great diversity of plants and species.
Its lake is the largest in Spain
and one of the most important wetlands
from the Iberian Peninsula.
Unique species of waterfowl hibernate in the lake.
For centuries, the rich waters of the lake have provided food
to fishermen and rice farmers
and are the origin of a delicious gastronomy .
To try typical dishes of the area,
come to the town of El Palmar,
which served as inspiration for many novels
by the Valencian writer Blasco Ibáñez.
There you can try paella, arròs a banda or all i pebre,
which is made with lake eels.
After eating,
The best plan is a quiet boat ride along the Albufera
while enjoying the sunset.
Image. Photo of the water in the Albufera lake where we can see the rods used by fishermen to tie their fishing nets, sticking out of the water. Among them, a heron rests standing among the fishing gear.