Southern Oasis

Is Spain mainly a sun-drenched landscape dominated by brownish tones? For large parts of the country this is true, at least in summer. Right at its southernmost tip, however, there’s a surprising exception: a nature reserve that looks like a green oasis all year round.

The Parque Natural Los Alcornocales, located just north of the Strait of Gibraltar, owes its lush appearance to its terrain. Essentially a medium mountain range, its rugged terrain and deep, narrow valleys trap humid Atlantic air. This creates a cool, misty microclimate that is found almost nowhere else in the region. These unique conditions have allowed some of the last remaining primeval laurel forests on the European mainland to survive to this day. The reserve is also home to one of the world's largest cork oak (alcornoques) forests.

As well as its unusual greenery, the reserve offers a variety of attractive, low-difficulty hiking trails. The highest peak in Los Alcornocales is Pico del Aljibe, standing at around 1,100 meters. If visibility permits, visitors can enjoy spectacular views from the summit over large areas of the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga, including the Gibraltar enclave.