El Clot de Galvany, a wonderful wetland in Elche

El Clot de Galvany in Elche is a beautiful Municipal Natural Landscape defined by its great scenery and environment. What’s more, it’s a Special Area for the Protection of Birds, making it a great destination for a birding getaway. 

Interestingly, El Clot de Galvany is home to a diverse range of habitats: ecosystems with different sets of characteristics. These are not only of environmental importance, but they are also home to impressive geological formations and archaeological sites, namely bunkers from the Spanish Civil War. 

Sitting between a strip of coastal dunes and a pine wood, El Clot de Galvany wetland brings together a large number of species – with different characteristics – in one area. The zone also comprises a salt marsh, ponds, its namesake beach, the seabed and some old agricultural terraces that have become a part of the landscape. 

During your time at El Clot de Galvany, you can take part in all sorts of activities as well as explore the recreational area where you can have a picnic, enjoy the viewing points, do some birding at the bird observatories and visit the fantastic Nature Room. Educational days and other interesting events are held in this space. And that’s not all: every Sunday and bank holiday, there are free guided tours. 

When you reach the area, you will find a carpark that will make your family day out all the more convenient. Then all you need to decide is which trail to walk. There are plenty of options: El Humedal trail and El Monte y la Loma trail, which passes through agricultural plots and ends at the bunkers, stopping off at plenty of incredible viewing points along the way. 

After your exploration of El Clot de Galvany, make your way to Elche, the capital of shoemaking, where you can discover World Heritage Sites and Intangible Culture, and savour delicious gastronomy including the molar pomegranate, dates and arroz con costra (rice with a crust). You’re going to love it.