Adventure tourism in Spain: what to do and where
Descending a canyon, going down a river by raft or canoe, climbing a via ferrata or flying a paraglider: Spain has more than enough landscapes for adventure tourism. We look at the most popular activities, the areas that official tourism bodies associate with each one and what you should know to do them safely.
Canyoning
The Sierra y Cañones de Guara (Huesca), with rivers such as the Vero, the Mascún and the Alcanadre, is for Turismo de Aragón the birthplace of canyoning in Europe. Public use is regulated by the natural park, which sets the compulsory equipment and group sizes.
Official tourism bodies also mention the Pyrenees, the Picos de Europa, the Serranía de Cuenca, the Alto Tajo and the Garganta Verde, in the Sierra de Grazalema.
Rafting
In the Lleida Pyrenees, official tourism highlights the Noguera Pallaresa and the Noguera Ribagorzana. In Huesca it is done on rivers such as the Gállego, the Cinca, the Ésera and the Ara, and in Asturias and the Picos de Europa on the Sella, the Deva and the Cares.
The flow is what counts: conditions on each stretch depend on how much water the river is carrying at any given time.
Kayaking and canoeing
Canoeing down the Sella, setting off from Arriondas towards Ribadesella, is an Asturian classic, and the region also has the festival of the Descenso Internacional del Sella. Turismo Asturias also suggests routes on the Nalón, the Cares-Deva, the Eo and the Navia.
Via ferratas
Routes fitted with cables and rungs for climbing rock faces. In the Aragonese Pyrenees, areas such as Broto and the surroundings of Aínsa stand out, and in Cantabria the Desfiladero de La Hermida, in Liébana, where going with a guide is recommended even though access is free.
Caves and caving
The Cueva de Valporquero (Vegacervera, León) has, in addition to the tourist visit, a route for cavers that follows the course of the water.
Paragliding
The Sierra de Líjar, in Algodonales (Cádiz), is according to Andalucía Turismo one of the best flying areas internationally.
Horse riding routes
Official tourism bodies suggest areas such as Andalusia, from Doñana to Sierra Nevada, the Ebro Delta, the Sierra de Gredos, the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa. In Menorca you can ride the Camí de Cavalls, and the Camino de Santiago can also be done on horseback.
How to choose a company and do it safely
In Spain each region regulates adventure tourism. Choose a company listed in its region’s tourism register: they must have civil liability and accident insurance and qualified instructors.
If you have no technical training, always go with a guide or instructor. The company must tell you about the difficulty, the equipment and the health conditions that make the activity inadvisable.
The minimum age depends on each activity, and in some regions under-16s need written authorisation from their parents. And always check the weather forecast: the weather may force the activity to be changed or cancelled.