Much of our Jamon comes from Huelva, the westernmost province of Andalusia (Spain).  This part of the country is home to some of the most important nature preserves on the Iberian peninsula, such as the National Park of Doñana. We wanted to highlight this park because it’s so special and well worth a visit.

National Park of Doñana

The National Park of Doñana was declared a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco over 40 years ago, and has continued to be a beautiful part of the country. About one-quarter of the park is listed as a protected area, and the land consists of marshes, streams and sand dunes. Part of the reason it’s a protected area is because the eco-system is under constant threat due to activities such as the draining of the marshes, water pollution caused by upriver mining, and the expansion of tourist facilities surrounding the area.

However, the main reason this park is protected is due to the wildlife found there – you can find thousands of European and African migratory birds, fallow deer, Spanish red deer, European badgers, endangered species such as the Spanish imperial eagle and the Iberian lynx, and of course, wild boars.

What is really special about this park is that within the same area, you can see vastly different ecosystems. In one area you’ll find white beaches, in another you’ll marshland and lagoons. There are very few areas in the world let alone Europe which are this unique.

The park can be found here:

There are 3 visitor centres to check out – EL ACEBUCHE, FÁBRICA DE HIELO & JOSÉ ANTONIO VALVERDE