A Day Out El Hondo Nature Park and Dolores
A visit to El Hondo Nature Park and the nearby village of Dolores will be enjoyed by everyone. The nature park is just minuets from the main AP7 and provides a tranquil oasis with stunning views of the surrounding scenery. The village of Dolores is large enough to offer a great selection of bars, cafes and restaurants but small enough to retain the charm of a typical inland Vega Baja village.
El Hondo (also confusingly known as El Fondo) has been a Nature Park since 1988 and is on the RAMSAR wetlands conservation lists and is classified as a Special Protection Area for Birds, or ZEPA. This park is part of what used to be the Elche Lagoon, almost completely drained from the 18th century onwards. Today there are two controlled reservoirs around which form a series of ponds and salt marshes and these in turn are surrounded by fields and palm plantations, making it a pretty place to visit at any time of the year. The visitors centre contains information boards about the park and its fauna and flora, as well as a huge picture-window which means that you can bird watch in air-conditioned splendour, fantastic during the really hot months. There is a marked 4 kilometre long walking trail which is a great way to discover the park, see the wildlife and enjoy the views.
The nearby village of Dolores is very proud of its tall iconic church, which stands to one side of the large, palm tree lined square. Dolores is one of the biggest inland villages in this area, so is slightly busier than some of its neighbours, especially on Friday mornings when it has a street market. There is a good selection of shops, bars, cafes and restaurants in Dolores, making it an ideal lunch or coffee stop during this great day out.
Places to stop during a day out El Hondo and Dolores
- El Hondo Nature Park: has an informative visitors centre with a large picnic area and a 4 kilometres circular walking route to enjoy
- Dolores: a typical village of the area with a beautiful blue domed church set in large palm tree lined square.
Places of Interest
1 El Hondo Nature Park
N38°11.256 W0°47.451Parking: is in the car park and is free, it is best to park in the first car park (furthest away from the centre) as this never gets locked.
From here: walk through the car park to the visitors centre and the start of the walking route.
Places of interest and things to do in El Hondo Nature Park
- Visitors Centre: has information boards (all in Spanish only) about the wildlife and plants that can be found in the park as well as a big picture-window that looks out onto one of the smaller lakes so you can bird watch in air conditioned splendour. The toilets are on the opposite side of the building to the front door and the picnic area is to the far side of the building looking out over the reserve.
- Walking Route: go past the Visitors Centre and start on the wooden walkway beside the picnic tables, once this has finished follow the path to the small white building which is beside an irrigation canal and lots of palm trees, turn left and continue to the lookout tower, then turn left in front of the large irrigation canal following the white and green posts back to the car park.
- Top tip: take the binoculars and pack a picnic!
2 Dolores Village
N38°08.431 W0°46.147Parking: is on the road and is free.
From here: walk toward the church and the heart of the village.
Places of interest and things to do in El Hondo Nature Park
- Village Centre: the traditional village of Dolores has a beautiful blue domed church set in a large palm tree lined square. There are lots of bars, cafes and restaurants to choose from for a more coffee of a filling menu del dia.
- Market: there is a small street market every Friday morning.
