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The Columbretes islands
The Columbretes islands form one of the most
singular spaces in the Mediterranean and stand
out for being so close to the coast.
The natural wealth hidden on the sea bed demands
special protection and this is why the islands
were declared Natural Park in 1988 as only
with difficulty would we find a similar ensemble
in the Mare Nostrum.
Their volcanic origin formerly linking them
together shapes a flattened half moon where
at one end we can enjoy a wonderful 1856 lighthouse.
The Columbretes geography is made up of Columbret
Grande or Illa Grossa “the big island”,
Ferrera, Foradada and Bergantín or
Carallot, a total of 30 small islands that
have been inhabited for less than a century
and today hide valuable sea beauty and richness
in terms of endemic plants and animals and,
their sea floors.
A visit to the Columbretes bears witness to
the extent to which cohabitation among species
in hard conditions is possible.
Human presence therefore must be respectful
with this impressive habitat offered to us
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Las Palmas desert
If there is one natural space with sentimental
value to Castellón inhabitants besides
being environmentally rich, it could only
be Las Palmas desert.
Near the Espadán and Calderona mountain
ranges, Las Palmas forms a mountainous triangle
scattered between numerous ups and downs,
where the Bartolo summit or the Santa Águeda
spires in particular stand out. The term
“desert” tends to be misinterpreted
as this is not an empty vegetation-free
space, but a place for spiritual retirement
where back in the 16th century the Carmelita
monks moved to, to escape from the madding
crowd and devote their lives to the spirit.
Local dwarf palm trees, myrtles, strawberry
trees and kermes oaks deserve special mention
although there are also plenty of aromatic
plants such as rosemary or thyme.
This is the closest Natural Park to Castellón
city and until very recently its tree plantations
provided a bonus to landowners. |
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