Laguna del Prado and Wetland Walk
Just a few kilometres from Puertollano's industrial outskirts, the Laguna del Prado is a shallow saline lake that attracts an astonishing variety of waterbirds — including flamingos, greater flamingos, black-necked grebes and dozens of wader species — that most visitors to the city never discover. It is one of the Campo de Calatrava's best-kept birdwatching secrets.
The Birds and the Lake
The laguna sits within a volcanic landscape shaped by the ancient basaltic eruptions of the Campo de Calatrava, and its mineral-rich waters support the algae and crustaceans that attract flamingos in numbers that feel genuinely surprising this far inland in Spain. Spring and autumn migration bring the greatest variety of species, but the lake holds birds year-round.
A simple earthen track circles the laguna and takes about 45 minutes to walk at a leisurely pace, with several informal viewing spots where you can set up binoculars or a camera with a long lens. Early morning is best — the light is soft, the birds are active and the surrounding plain is perfectly quiet.
The Volcanic Landscape Context
The Laguna del Prado is part of a broader network of volcanic lakes and wetlands scattered across the Campo de Calatrava, a region with more than 200 identified volcanic vents and a landscape unlike anywhere else in central Spain. The dark basalt outcrops around the lake shore give the whole scene an otherworldly, slightly lunar quality.
Combine the laguna visit with a short drive to the nearby Volcán del Cerro Gordo, one of the best-preserved cinder cones in the region, for a half-day excursion that covers both extraordinary geology and exceptional birdwatching.
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