The Salburua Lagoons, officially known as Salburua Park, are a complex of natural inland wetlands located east of Vitoria-Gasteiz, in Álava, Basque Country. This unique ecosystem is formed by springs from the Vitoria Quaternary Aquifer, a vast underground water reserve that extends beneath the Llanada Alavesa. The lagoon system consists of four main lagoons: Betoño (the closest to the city), Arkaute (the largest, at 39.5 hectares), Larregana, and Duranzarra. After being drained in the mid-20th century, they were restored in the 1990s as part of the Vitoria Green Belt project, transforming a degraded outskirt into a natural area of high ecological value. From the visitor area—especially at the Ataria Interpretation Center with its observation deck cantilevered over the water—you can see a vast expanse of water surrounded by riparian vegetation, meadows, and wildlife viewing areas, including deer and numerous aquatic species. The Arkaute Lagoon, to the east, and the Betoño Lagoon, to the west, form the ecological heart of the park, offering landscapes that change depending on the time of year and the time of day. The park is internationally recognized for its ecological value: in July 2002, it was included on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance and designated a Site of Community Importance within the Natura 2000 Network. It is the largest Quaternary aquifer in the Basque Autonomous Community and the best example of discharge lagoons in the Ebro River basin. The best time to visit is at dusk, when the park becomes a place of silence where the sounds of nature take center stage, especially on Thursday afternoons. The four wildlife observation trails can be explored at any time of year, although spring and fall offer the greatest diversity of wildlife.
