A guide to the Albufera Natural Park, Valencia

A guide to the Albufera Natural Park, Valencia

Mathilde Grand
4 July 2019

Sometimes little paradises are right on your doorstep without you really knowing it. That is the case with the Albufera. The largest lake in Spain and a protected natural area, this haven of peace is full of thriving wildlife and plants. We spent a few hours there, a moment that felt out of time.

About thirty kilometres from Valencia, the Albufera is easy to reach by car and also by public transport. The EMT (Valencia's public transport company) runs bus line 25, which links Valencia city centre (terminus on Carrer de Cerdá de Tallada, behind the courthouse) to the village of El Palmar. A ride of about 35 minutes lets anyone enjoy this unique place. Several stops let visitors choose where to get off in the park: a jetty with a breathtaking view of the lake, the village of El Palmar… the choice is yours.

“The real paella was born here”

This is how we choose to get there. Setting off around one o'clock, we let the bus carry us as it gradually reveals the wild landscapes of the park, a sign that we are nearly there. Half an hour later, our first ride comes to an end. We get off in the heart of the charming, picturesque village of El Palmar to taste the local speciality: paella. Everyone knows that the traditional paella is the “valenciana”, but few people know where it really comes from. The explanation comes from Andy, a waiter at the Bon Aire restaurant, where we decide to stop. The choice was not easy, as El Palmar is full of restaurants. We chose based on the view from the dining room, the more than reasonable prices and the wide range of paellas. “The real paella was born here, in the Albufera park,” Andy tells us, glancing at the many rice fields along the village roads. “It was born from the produce locals found close to home: rice, chicken, rabbit and vegetables from the garden. That is the real recipe for paella valenciana. It gave them a hearty, hot and cheap dish. In the Albufera we add duck, because there are plenty around here,” the young man continues. Our curiosity about this food culture makes us want to know more. “Right now (late November) the rice fields are partly dry, and the water is slowly coming back. It will take about 3 months for them to be fully flooded. In January, everything is under water and the landscape looks like a huge lake. In February, the drying begins. In March and April, when the ground is completely dry, the rice can be planted: this is ‘la siembra’ (the sowing). In July and August everything is green, it is absolutely beautiful. The rice is harvested at the end of September or early October: ‘la cosecha’. Brown is the main colour, a sign that the land is ready, the rice is ready, and a new season can begin,” he explains.

We realise that here, rice is a whole story, a labour of love. “You should come to the Albufera at any time of year, because the landscape keeps changing,” says Andy, as passionate as he is fascinating. Delighted by this encounter, as unexpected as it was lovely, we leave our choice of paella in his hands. Coming to the Albufera without tasting one would make no sense at all. Wide-eyed, we watch as the Albufera paella is carefully placed in the middle of our table. Made with eel, sea bass and vegetables, it is the most typical dish of the area. “The eel and the sea bass come from the lake, they were caught this morning. The rice, of course, comes from the nearby fields,” Andy tells us before wishing us bon appétit. We taste this speciality with curiosity, and the result is stunning. We are not leaving a single bite: greedily, we scrape up every last grain of rice.

Full and charmed by the village, we set off to explore the surroundings after a rice liqueur, perfect for digestion.

Cameras in hand, we soon see why the Albufera is so famous. Barely out of the restaurant, a heron is waiting for us at the end of the street, as if to show us the way to its home: the lake. It is indeed a tradition to take a boat trip after a hearty meal. After the pleasures of the table, a feast for the eyes.

As with the restaurants, boat trips are on offer everywhere, so there is no need to search (note that some include explanations about the local wildlife). In the Albufera, you let yourself be guided and simply enjoy life. As the short sunny winter day draws to a close, we quickly head out onto the calm waters of the lake to enjoy the colours of the sunset. The site is famous for its rice and its paella, and also for its majestic sunsets. A 40-minute trip for €4 is really worth it, so there is no need to hesitate.

With around fifteen of us aboard a traditional motorised wooden boat, our immersion in the local wildlife and plants can begin. We don't have to wait long for a feast for the eyes: ducks, herons, nature in all its forms unfolds before us. Hard to believe we are only 30 kilometres from Valencia. It feels like another world, and the place is so soothing that we are overwhelmed. Left, right, ahead, behind: nature is so stunning that it is hard to know where to look. Cameras click in every direction, trying to capture the essence of this magical place.

The golden light of the sunset adds the finishing touch, as if the stars of the place had decided to put on a big show for us. Everything is there, nothing is missing. The calm, the wild beauty of nature and animals, the pure, unfiltered colours reflected on the water leave us speechless, almost hypnotised. But it is already time to come back down to earth, literally and figuratively. Starry-eyed, we leave our boat with only one wish: to come back. But our ride home is already waiting to take us back to everyday life.

Settled in our seats, we feel the bus pull away, but our minds are still out there, in the middle of the lake, with the birds and the fish, wrapped in that deep calm that stays with us. This afternoon in the Albufera was a gentle, joyful break. A magical moment, perfect for getting away from the city on an outing anyone can enjoy.

Isabelle Reffas

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