Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park

Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park is one of the most significant protected areas in Spain, stretching across the eastern and northeastern parts of the province of Jaén in Andalusia. Covering 214,300 hectares, it is the largest legally protected area in the entire country and the second largest in Europe. Its sheer scale means the park's boundaries reach into 23 municipalities, home to roughly 80,000 people in total.

Where exactly is the park located?

The park sits in the province of Jaén, in Andalusia, encompassing the mountain ranges of Sierra de Cazorla, Sierra de Segura and Sierra de Las Villas. Its geographic center lies around coordinates 38.08333 N, -2.75 W. Given its size — over two hundred thousand hectares — this is not a single, sealed-off reserve but a vast patchwork of land with varying levels of protection, within which local communities live and economic life continues.

What protection status does the park hold?

International recognition came in 1983, when UNESCO designated the area a Biosphere Reserve. A few years later, in 1987, it was added to the European Natura 2000 network under the EU Birds Directive, underlining its importance for bird populations and their habitats. Together, the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve title and Natura 2000 membership place Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas among the most recognized protected areas in Europe.

Can economic activity take place inside the park?

Yes, and this is one of the features that sets it apart from many other protected areas. The level of protection is not uniform across the territory — it varies from zone to zone. Across most of the park's area, various forms of economic activity are permitted, allowing residents of the 23 municipalities within its boundaries to live and work there rather than being excluded from the land. This model combines the preservation of natural values with the everyday life of local communities.

Why does the park's scale matter?

At 214,300 hectares, Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas ranks first among all legally protected areas in Spain and second across the whole of Europe. That scale reflects just how exceptional and extensive this part of Andalusia is from a nature-conservation standpoint. The presence of 23 municipalities within the park's boundaries also shows that this is a place where environmental protection and human settlement have long coexisted on a large scale.

Frequently asked questions

How big is Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park? It covers 214,300 hectares, making it the largest protected area in Spain and the second largest in Europe.

Where is it located? In the eastern and northeastern part of the province of Jaén, in Andalusia, around coordinates 38.08 N, -2.75 W.

Since when has it been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve? It received this designation in 1983.

Is the park part of the Natura 2000 network? Yes, since 1987, under the EU Birds Directive.

How many municipalities lie within the park? 23 municipalities, home to approximately 80,000 people in total.

Is economic activity allowed inside the park? Yes, the level of protection varies by zone, and most of the territory permits various forms of economic activity.