Comprising 700 hectares of woodland, rivers, wetlands, meadows, and parks, the Green Belt, which forms an easy-to-reach circle around the city, is an extensive and valuable leisure and environmental resource.
This year Vitoria’s Green Belt celebrates 25 years as one of the city’s major landmarks and one of its most popular leisure facilities.
Comprising 700 hectares of woodland, rivers, wetlands, meadows, and parks, the Green Belt, which forms an easy-to-reach circle around the city, is an extensive and valuable leisure and environmental resource.
What started out in the 1990s as a project aimed at reclaiming and revitalizing the outskirts of the city is, 18 years later, an impressive collection of six urban parks: Armentia, Olarizu, Salburua, Zabalgana, Zadorra and Errekaleor.
Located within a short distance of the city centre, the parks are connected by a network of 79km of eco-trails which can walked or cycled.
Armentia Park
Located to the south-east of Vitoria, between the city and the mountains of Vitoria, this lush green park, which boasts a wonderful natural forest of Portuguese oak, is one of the city’s most valuable natural resources.
In the town of Armentia, the 12th-century Romanesque Basilica of St. Prudence was originally built on the ruins of an 8th-century chapel in honour of St. Andrew. Considered an important example of Romanesque art, the basilica is one of the listed monuments of the Basque Country. On April 28, a celebration is held in the surrounding fields to mark the feast day of the patron saint of Armentia.
Salburua Park
Salburua is one of the best examples of continental wetland in the Basque Country and it is also one of the city’s most iconic parks. Ataria, the Salburua wetlands interpretation centre is also located in the park. The aim of Ataria is to inform, educate, and raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity.
The park is made up of several lakes, including Arcaute and Betoño – the two biggest –, open green meadows, and a small oak forest. The trails and birdwatching facilities make it easy for visitors to observe birds in their natural habitat. A wide range of water species including waterfowl and waders can be found in the park throughout the year. The birds, who help maintain the natural vegetation of the lakes, share the environment with a herd of deer living in semi-wild conditions.
Olarizu Park
Located two kilometres south of Vitoria, at the foot of Olarizu Hill, Olarizu Park affords a magnificent panoramic view of the city and houses a botanical tree garden of European species. Featuring a total of 523 different tree species, the 30-hectare Arboretum offers a comprehensive collection of European forest flora, arranged scientifically into the 5 main types of vegetation or biomes found on the continent of Europe. The arctic tundra is not included. There is also an organic garden where vegetable and flower-related gardening activities take place. For those who wish to explore the Green Belt by bicycle, a bike hire facility is available at Casa de la Dehesa.
If you can’t visit any of the parks in person, why not take a virtual tour of the Salburua Wetlands or Armentia Park by visiting the tourism website: www.vitoria-gasteiz.org/turismo and clicking on 3600 Victoria-Gasteiz, a click away?
