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Ría de Villaviciosa

Villaviciosa, Gijón, Asturias

1 Villages · 10 Monuments · 5 Nature · 2 Activities · 4 Curiosities · 2 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

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Ría de Villaviciosa

Nature · Villaviciosa, Gijón, Asturias

The ría de Villaviciosa, the largest estuary in Asturias, flows into the Cantabrian Sea between the beaches of Rodiles and El Puntal. Its 1,085 hectares were declared a partial nature reserve in 1995, as well as a Site of Community Importance and a Special Protection Area for Birds, and since 7 January 2011 it has also been a Ramsar wetland. The scant contribution of fresh water from the streams that flow into it maintains a relatively high salinity, which conditions its flora and fauna; its marshes serve as a refuge for herons, cormorants and wintering ducks.

Photo: AsturZephyra (CC BY-SA 2.0)

What to see and do in Villaviciosa