The ALBUFERA DE ANNA is a natural lake located just outside the town of Anna which has become a popular tourist destination, particularly during the summer months when there are a number of restaurants and beach bars with terraces where you can eat or have a drink. And a short walk from the lake is the Laberinto del Lago, the biggest natural maze in the Comunidad Valenciana and one of the biggest in Europe.
Getting There
The ALBUFERA DE ANNA is about a 1 hour 20 minute drive from Xàbia.
There is some parking by the entrance to the lake as well as various points around the location.
Opening Hours
It is open all year round although the restaurants and beach bars are only open during the summer months.
Admission Price (2023)
When we visited at the end of November, it was free entry but there is a small fee payable during the summer months: 3.00 euros for adults and half-price for those under the age of 16. The ticket includes access to the nearby natural pool and waterfalls of Gorga de la Escalera.
The Lake
About two kilometres outside the village of Anna sits a natural lagoon – the Albufera de Anna. Fed by mountain springs, the lagoon fills a natural depression, its waters providing a pleasant environment for both humans and animals for thousands of years and there is evidence of human habitation dating back to Mesolithic period.
A structure built during the time of the Muslims provided irrigation water to the surrounding agricultural land and the lagoon proved to be so important that it was the subject of local clashes between feudal lords bidding for its control after the Reconquest. It remained in the hands of the Count of Cervellón until the mid-19th century when it was handed over to the local council, although it wasn’t until 1996 that the Supreme Court ruled that the waters of the Albufera de Anna were the exclusive property of Anna Council.
Around 230m in length and 80m wide, the lagoon has become a popular tourist destination since it was dredged and cleared in the early 20th century, especially in the hot summer months when families and friends can enjoy the shade of the surrounding pine trees next to the water. In the middle, an island hosts ducks, geese and herons, a joy to photograph. In the high season, the lake area really comes alive with restaurants and beach bars, picnic areas, recreation zones and even a swimming area fed by the same water sources as the lake itself. (Swimming is not permitted in the lake itself.)
Many guides recommend visiting the lake after it has been raining because the underwater springs become much more powerful, creating what would like the spouts of a water fountain on the lake’s surface.
We visited in late November. There are a number of car parks and we opted for the one at the entrance to the lake area; we recommend this area to get the full experience of the visit to the lake. Walking through the entrance (we didn’t have to pay an access fee since we were out of the season), we went straight on past the natural swimming pool on the right to the wider area at the far end of the lake where there are benches and, most importantly, a modern toilet block.
Walking around the lake in an anti-clockwise direction, we took advantage of the many benches or leaned against the wooden railing to quietly contemplate the lake and its wild inhabitants. Huge fish were clearly visible, untroubled by the ducks, geese and herons that called this place home. The sun glinted off the water’s surface. It was November and we could imagine that it would be a somewhat different experience in the height of summer when the bars and restaurants as well as the other amenities are open.
Continuing around the lake, we found the sluices that controlled the exit of the water into the channels that feed the agricultural areas. If we turned to the right, we would be able to follow the track down to the huge maze (see below), but we turned left and returned to the entrance, not too quickly as there were many more benches to sit down for a few moments and take in this natural wonder.
Allow about an hour for a visit off-season, longer if you want to stop and have a picnic at one of the many picnic areas located around the lake.
Laberinto del Lago
Nearby there is the Laberinto del Lago, one of the largest natural mazes in Europe in which more than 4,000 Cypress trees have been planted to form an incredible maze with a route of some 2 kilometres in length.
It is open every weekend and fiesta days between the beginning of February and the middle of December from 10.00am to 8.30pm, except during the hotter summer months of July and August when it doesn’t open until 6.00pm. It doesn’t open during rainy periods.
There is not only the huge maze but also a cafeteria with an open terrace, a climbing wall, games for all the family, and much more.
Admission is 4 euros for adults and young people over 12 years of age and 3 euros for children aged between 4 and 12.
Ruta de las Tres Cascadas
Anna also plays host to the Route of the Three Waterfalls, a path that runs along the banks of the river and passes by three cascades of water: Gorgo Gaspar is formed from water draining from the Albufera de Anna and once turned a great waterwheel which provided energy to the nearby textile factory (now abandoned); the Cascada de los Vikingos; and the Cascada del Salto/Gorgo Escalera, the most impressive waterfall dropping into the deep canyon (there is a staircase of 136 steps to each the bottom) where you can bathe in the pool on the hottest days.
To access the route, follow the brown tourist signs when you enter the village of Anna from the roundabout.
Palacio de los Condes de Cervellón
Also worth a visit if you get the time is the village of Anna’s little gem – the Palacio de los Condes de Cervellón, which is known as the ‘Little Alhambra’. Built in the 12th century by the Muslims, much of its interior contains precious details from that period, including arches and a courtyard with a fountain. It was refurbished during the 17th century and several membes of the infamous Borja family lived there.
Since access is limited and guided, you have to book in advance with the Tourist Office in Anna (https://www.ayuntamientoanna.es/palacio) at least 15 days prior to your visit. On-the-spot visits are not possible. Entrance is 4 euros for adults and young people over the age of 13 and 1 euro for children aged 4-12.
Related Links
Official Website – Ayuntamiento de Anna