La Villaviciosa Estuary Partial Nature Reserve It protects an 8-kilometer estuary that connects the interior with the Cantabrian Sea through a mosaic of habitats influenced by the mixture of fresh and salt waters. Its shores alternate between halophilous and subhalophilous marshes, porreos, cliffs, and Rodiles Beach with its dunes, forming one of the most unique areas on the Asturian coast.
Its importance lies in its status as the second most important wetland in Asturias for wintering and migrating waterfowl, making it an exceptional spot for birdwatching. Species such as the St. Anthony's frog, the otter, and various invertebrates also find refuge in this environment.
In addition to its natural beauty, the estuary is part of the Jurassic Coast landscape, with fossilized dinosaur footprints visible in the surrounding area. It's an ideal spot for birdwatching, landscape photography, and environmental interpretation.
The period between mid-August and late spring is the most interesting to visit the Villaviciosa Estuary Partial Nature Reserve, especially if you want to enjoy its great ornithological value.
During autumn and spring, this coastal wetland becomes a key stop for thousands of migratory birds, who find rest and food here on their way between northern Europe and Africa.
Winter, meanwhile, welcomes numerous species that choose the estuary to winter, such as ducks, waders, herons, and cormorants. This is also the time to enjoy birdwatching in greater peace and with good light quality for photography.
As spring progresses, the landscape becomes especially attractive, with blooms in the surroundings and increased activity of resident and summer birds, including singing, courtship and nesting.
La Villaviciosa Estuary Partial Nature Reserve It is a prime spot for birdwatching, especially during migration and wintering periods, when the estuary becomes one of the main refuges for spoonbills, grebes, great grebes, and other Cantabrian waterfowl. Notable species include the osprey, present during migration, and, in winter, the kingfisher, which also frequents the estuary in the colder months. In midwinter, seabirds such as alcids, loons, and mergansers can also be observed, occasionally entering from the open sea. Seabird watching can be carried out from strategic points along the shore, where observatories such as Cierrón and Sebrayu have been set up. Furthermore, the surroundings offer multiple opportunities for landscape photography, with highly varied light effects depending on the tides, seasons, and time of day. Another unique attraction of the area is the opportunity to discover dinosaur footprint sites on the cliffs near Tazones and on Merón Beach, which are part of the geological heritage of the Asturian Jurassic Coast and have been declared a Natural Monument. Workshops and interpretive outings are also held to better understand the flora, fauna, and ecological processes of the estuary.
Among the main points of interest of the Villaviciosa Estuary Partial Nature Reserve There are several ideal spots for enjoying the scenery, birdwatching, and learning about the ecological value of this unique Cantabrian estuary. El Cierrón, with its lagoons and observatory, is one of the most recommended places for observing aquatic birds during migration and wintering. Misiegu Beach, at the estuary's mouth, offers an interesting intertidal landscape that changes with the tides, with sandbanks where birds gather to rest during high tide and muddy areas that are exposed at low tide and attract herons and waders hunting for annelids and other aquatic invertebrates that thrive in this environment.
Towards the coast, Rodiles Beach completes the mosaic of natural environments in the protected area, while the El Puntal viewpoint offers especially beautiful panoramic views in the late afternoon. Birdwatching observatories have been set up around the Sebrayu porreos, offering a wealth of birdlife. The area around El Bornizal, visible from the road, showcases the transition from marshland to marshland. Inland, the town of Selorio preserves examples of traditional architecture linked to rural lifestyles, completing a journey where nature, landscape, and culture intertwine.
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The Green Spain Ecotourism Reserve is an invitation to experience northern Spain in a different way. It's not a network of accommodations.
