El Portil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
El Portil is a well-known tourist centre, located six kilometers away from Punta Umbría, in the Huelva province. El Portil was declared a Centre of National Touristic Interest in the 1980s. Situated approximately 640 km away from Madrid by highway, on the Atlantic Coast, the area is an area of natural beauty, with many pine trees and serene ocean views. El Portil is located close to several important towns: it is 16km from Huelva, and an hour's driving distance away from Seville and the Portuguese city of Faro.
The name of the zone was taken from the name for the Reserva National protected Laguna del Portil, a coastal lagoon nearby the town, which is also a chameleon reserve. El Portil is also a wetland, serving as a transitory home for birds migrating from the North of Europe to Africa during winter. The town is popular with tourists due to both its seascape and its environmental landscapes and national parks. The most important of the Spanish national parks, Doñana, is located 40 km away. During the migratory season, it is also popular with birdwatchers from home and abroad.
Among the areas of importance are:
- Paraje Natural Marismas del Odiel: considered the best preserved wetlands of Andalucia, it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1983. Herons and harriers are known to nest there.
- Río Piedras Wetlands and El Rompido Arrow.
- Paraje Natural Enebrales de Punta Umbría, a unique sabine forest on the Andalusian coast.
From a political and administrative standpoint, El Portil belongs to two municipalities, Punta Umbría and Cartaya. The zone belonging to Punta Umbría is named El Portil, whereas the Cartayan zone is named Nuevo Portil. One must note that despite this administrative division, it is the same town divided by a street.
