Peña Falcón
A cliff over the river.
Falk2 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Falk2 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Falk2 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Falk2 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Monfragüe National Park lies in the province of Cáceres in Extremadura, western Spain, between Plasencia, Trujillo and the city of Cáceres, about 27 km south of Plasencia in a straight line. It covers 18,118 hectares along the valley of the Tagus River, where the Tiétar joins it. The area was declared a natural park in 1979, recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve in 2003, and became a Spanish national park in 2007. It is famous for its birdlife and is an important breeding ground for raptors, including cinereous vultures, griffon vultures and Spanish imperial eagles, and also shelters black storks, deer, wild boar and the Iberian lynx. The Tagus cuts through a long mountain ridge, creating a towering rock face called the Peña Falcón, the falcon rock, on the western side, while the Castle of Monfragüe stands with its stone tower on a rocky summit above the river to the east. Oak woodland and scrub cover the slopes. Visitors stop at the Salto del Gitano viewpoint opposite the falcon rock to watch vultures soar over the river, climb to the castle for a wide view, and follow the park's trails. Spring and autumn are best for birdwatching, so bring binoculars.
A cliff over the river.
Soaring over the water.
A tower on a summit.
Province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain
Spring and autumn.
Binoculars.