traveldk.com

The vast delta of the Guadalquivir River constitutes one of the world’s most important nature reserves, without which birdlife throughout Europe would be seriously compromised. The zone has a fascinating mix of terrains, but can be visited on guided tours only.

These important floodplains are a UNESCO Biospheric Reserve and have been a national park since 1969. The ecosystems include sand dunes, pine and cork forests, marshes, scrubland and riverbank. More than six million birds stop here on their annual migrations and fauna includes the last of the Iberian lynx population.

This beautiful park is home to prolific forests of holm oak, cork and pine. For the most part gently rolling, it gives way to more dramatic topography in the west. There are plenty of marked hiking trails, and it’s a good place for spotting local fauna.

Most of this park was planted to cloak Málaga’s once barren heights so as to prevent the seasonal flooding the city experienced for several centuries. Just 30-minutes’ drive from town, it’s a fine place for hiking and biking, with colour-coded trails taking you through a land of gorges, forests and valleys.

Primarily, this is a care station for the rehabilitation of injured animals, in particular indigenous endangered species. As a result, it can give children a close-up encounter with the wonderful Iberian lynx, which is extremely rare in the wild. There are also white tigers, red pandas and ibis.

Jerez’s small zoo, set in botanical gardens, is also an active centre for the rehabilitation of regional endangered species or any injured animals. The star turns are a pair of white tigers. This is also the only chance you may get to see the elusive and extremely rare Iberian lynx, of which only an estimated 1,000 remain in the wild.

With the Torre del Oro at one end (see Torre del Oro & Torre de Plata), this tree-lined riverfront promenade makes for a pleasant stroll.

Baeza’s hub for strollers and café-goers is all along this oblong central promenade. Fountains grace its tree-lined length, and there are bars with open-air seating in the shade. Interesting buildings facing the square include La Alhóndiga, the old corn exchange, with its triple-tiered arches.