We are experiencing a completely atypical summer due to the health crisis. However, you don’t have to go too far to discover countless charming places. Spain is a wonderful country to gaze at the stars, so if you live in the city maybe you could escape to the mountains to enjoy the stars under the dark cloak of night. Without a doubt, there is nothing better than admiring the Milky Way and the star constellations in the open air.
In the last 35 years, light pollution has grown exponentially in cities. This, in addition to being a considerable expense for our pockets, does not allow us to see the sky as we should.
This disproportionate lighting makes us scatter light into space, so it is possible to see the city of Seville illuminated more than 100 kilometers away. If we go to large capitals such as Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia we would have to go much further away to be able to observe the stars, even having to travel to other cities to do so.
Something very bleak considering that most of that light ends up released into space and that we are deprived of a dark blanket full of stars. However, there are various corners in Spain that have been recognized for the good quality of their skies. UNESCO has named these spaces as starligthy reserves for their commitment to the night sky and the stars.
For a few years, a completely different type of tourism has been developing in Spain to the one we knew: stellar tourism. This consists of rural escapes to the mountains or visits to astronomical observatories to discover the darkest skies in the country. It is an outdoor plan that is also ideal for the whole family.
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are one of the best places to gaze at the stars, especially the island of La Palma. Here is the largest observatory in Europe, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), and one of the largest on the planet. Furthermore, astronomical observation is protected by the Law of Heaven. Without a doubt, an impressive place to enjoy the stars. Another exceptional place to observe the sky in the Canary Islands is the Island of Fuerteventura.
Andalusia
Despite the fact that in Andalusia there is a high concentration of light pollution, we can find several points of night skies. One of them is in the Sierra de los Filabres. It is the second largest observatory in Europe and is located more than 2000 meters high.
Another protected area is in Sierra Nevada, Granada. Here we can find the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, one of the most important in Spain.
Catalonia
If we want to contemplate the stars in Catalonia we must move to the Sierra del Montsec. Another highly recommended option is the Montsec Astronomical Park, in Lleida. Both spaces are strongly protected against light pollution.
In the municipality of Áger there is also the Universe Observation Center, a place where visitors can contemplate the sky in an exceptional environment.
The Spanish geography is very wide, so it is practically impossible to limit all the spaces. The Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory is located in Teruel , while the Castelltallat Astronomical Observatory is located in Cáceres. The Yebes Astronomical Center is also located in Guadalajara.
These spaces represent a new way of doing tourism, a more sustainable, conscious and responsible tourism.
