See some of Spain’s most spectacular waterfalls

Waterfalls: When water becomes the main attraction #springinspain

The unique landscape of Spain, its mountains and rivers provide the opportunity to see a natural spectacle of tremendous beauty in unexpected places: waterfalls. Interested in discovering them? We will show you some of the most surprising waterfalls you can find in Spain, which are at their most resplendent after the spring thaw.

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Castilla y León

The Pozo de los Humos, in the province of Salamanca, is part of the Arribes del Duero nature reserve. The towns of Masueco and Pereña de la Ribera share this surprising waterfall, which forms the Uces river. The water falls from 50 metres high creating a vapour cloud that looks like smoke. There are two short and simple hiking routes to get there from both villages. The Salto del Nervión, on the border of Álava and Burgos, is part of the Sierra de Orduña natural park. To see this 270-metre-high waterfall up close—it’s one of the tallest and most beautiful in Western Europe—there is a specially designed viewpoint that looks over the large cliff. It is accessible by car up to the former refuge and from there it is only two kilometres walking.

The Salto de Nervión, on the border between Álava and Burgos

You can also find several spectacular waterfalls in the province of Burgos. One of the most famous is the Orbaneja del Castillo. While passing through this village, the Ebro canyon gives way to a landscape that stands out because of the water falling between the houses built on the slopes of the valley. Another is the Pedrosa de Tobalina waterfall, in the region of Las Merindades. Although the fall is not spectacular, it is truly beautiful because it is more than 100 metres wide.

Andalusia

La Cimbarra, a 40-metre-high waterfall, is part of the Guarrizas river basin and can be found in the Despeñaperros Natural Park in the province of Jaén. It is approximately two kilometres from the village of Aldeaquemada and can be accessed by car. You will find the viewpoint of the waterfall a few metres away, and this is where you will get the best panoramic view of this impressive waterfall.

Waterfall in Orbaneja del Castillo, Burgos

Also in Jaén, in the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas natural park, you can find the Linarejos, waterfall, one of the most photographed waterfalls in the whole of Andalusia. The Cerrad del Utrero hiking route lets you see it on a pleasant 45-minute walk. To reach the path, take the A-319 in Cazorla until the crossing known as the Empalme and then turn right onto the JF-7092. Just an hour away by car, you will also find the stunning waterfalls of the Borosa river.

Aragón

The Ordesa National Park in Huesca is home to the Cola de Caballo waterfall. The climb to the top is along the most famous hiking route in the Huesca Pyrenees. It can be accessed by the main road connecting the village of Torla with the Ordesa meadowland (car access is restricted at certain times of the year, when a bus service must be used instead). From here, it takes three hours to reach this spectacular waterfall. In fact, there are waterfalls all the way along the climb.

Linarejos waterfall in the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Nature Reserve

Another surprising point of nature is the Monasterio de Piedra, next to Nuévalos, inZaragoza. It is a natural spot near a real 13th century Cistercian monastery and part of it has been converted into a hotel. You can spend several hours here exploring the forests and different waterfalls, but the most famous is called Cola de Caballo. It is 90 metres high and has a large natural cave behind it. Tickets are required to visit the park.

Catalonia

In the valley of Arán (Lleida), you will be surprised by the roaring water of the Es Uelhs deth Joeu waterfall, Los Ojos del Diablo and Los Ojos de Júpiter. It can be accessed from Es Bordes along a tarmac track that is closed during winter. There is an area to park and along the journey you will find a picnic area and a restaurant. Once you are there, you will be able to take great photos of this waterfall with multiple jets from a specially designed balcony. It is spectacular during the thawing months of April and May.

Cola de Caballo waterfall. Monasterio de Piedra, Zaragoza

In the province of Barcelona, you will find the Salto de Sallent. To observe this 80-metre-high waterfall, you need to go to the village of Rupit in the rainy season to see it in full flow. You can get to the Salto de Sallent along a fairly easy hiking route from the village.

Autonomous Region of Valencia

In Navajas (Castellón), you will find the beautiful 30-metre-high waterfall of Brazal. It is also known as the Salto de la Novia because, according to legend, on their wedding day, couples had to jump in the river for happiness but one bride slipped and dragged her husband down with her when he tried to save her. Regardless of the legends, it is a very popular place, especially in summer.

Source of the Mundo river, Sierra de Alcaraz Albacete

Castilla-La Mancha

The Chorros del río Mundo are part of Sierra de Alcaraz, in the province of Albacete. It can be accessed from the village of Riópar and there is a parking area where you then walk along a simple marked path to some footbridges where you can see the famous Chorros. The best time to visit is from October to May, when a strange phenomenon known as the ‘Reventón’, an ‘explosion’ of water that comes all at once, occurs. In fact, it only happens once a year and you need to be there at that exact moment to see it.The province of Cuencacontains the source of the Río Cuervo, just 12 kilometres from the picturesque village of Tragacete. It is easily accessible from the leisure area installed just 300 metres away. This is a spectacular waterfall, not only because of the volume of water but the shapes that are produced when it splits like a curtain while flowing over the mossy rocks. There are three paths in this natural park to get to know the area.

Extremadura

Just one kilometre from Villanueva de la Vera, it is also worth visiting the Cascada del Diablo. The water flows down from the mountains creating waterfalls of more than 20 metres in total and forms pools known as ‘marmitas de gigante’ (giant’s kettles) that are used for bathing in the summer. At the highest part, there is a viewpoint to enjoy the entire view.

Galicia

In O Ézaro (A Coruña), you can find a river with a very special feature: a waterfall that flows straight into the sea. This waterfall, which forms the Xallas river by falling from more than 100 metres to the ocean next to Cabo Fisterra, is accessible from this small Galician fishing village. There is a footbridge that provides access to the waterfall from the Electricity Interpretation Centre.

Cantabria

Another great waterfall to photograph is at the source of the Asón. It is like a scene from a film and can be accessed via a simple hiking route after parking at the start of the path, close to the village of Asón. There are viewpoints in the area to get panoramic views and the Visitor Centre for the Los Collados del Asón Nature Reserve is located in the village of La Gándara.

Canary Islands

We finish on the island of La Palma, with its interesting Cascada de Colores in the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. Although it is a very small waterfall, it is unique because it seems to have been ‘painted’ with natural shades of green, yellow and orange due to the minerals dissolved in the water, the algae and moss. There is a path to reach this amazing corner of the park. These are only some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Spain, but there are many more including the Cascada del Purgatorio (in Rascafría, Madrid), the Cascada del Aljibe (in Guadalajara), the Cascada del Pitarque (in the area of Teruel), the Lagunas de Ruidera (between Ciudad Real and Albacete) and the Cascada de Seimeira (Asturias).