Sanabria Lake is a large lake of glacial origin and the largest in the Iberian Peninsula. It is located in the northwest of Zamora, in a high mountain environment modeled by the action of Quaternary ice, with cirques, U-shaped valleys and several lagoons of similar origin around the main vessel. Its surface area is around 318.7 hectares and it reaches a little more than 50 meters deep, according to the tourist and institutional sources consulted. From its shores you can appreciate a landscape of clean water, forests of oak, holly, yew and alder trees, as well as small beaches and bathing spots very frequent in summer. The interest of the place is not only scenic: it also helps to understand how the glaciers worked in this part of Castilla y León and why the park concentrates a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna. The lake is part of the Natural Park of Lake Sanabria and Sierras de Segundera and Porto, a protected area of reference in the province of Zamora. Its presence appears constantly in the nature guides of Castilla y León for being the great emblem of the park and one of the best known lake landscapes in the northwest of the peninsula. The best time to visit is usually from late spring to early autumn, when access is more comfortable and recreational use of the beaches and trails is more pleasant. In winter the environment is still very photogenic, but there may be ice, snow and access limitations at high altitudes.
