From the vast marshes of Doñana to the viral landscapes of the Ebro Delta, a new travel trend is taking flight to channel your inner Bill Oddie. Here is why stepping outside with a pair of binoculars is set to be one of Europe’s next big escapes.
Spain’s top spots for birdwatching
Monfragüe National Park in Extremadura is widely regarded as one of the country’s finest places to watch birds of prey, with griffon vultures easy to spot all year round. In an AllClear Travel study of birdwatching destinations, it came 14th in Europe.
Catalonia’s Ebro Delta ranked two places higher, in 12th, and is home to more than 300 species, including flamingos, herons and terns. Visit between March and June or September and November to catch the spring and autumn migrations.
Andalucia’s Doñana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Guadalquivir river meets the Atlantic, is a haven for waterbirds and raptors. Guided four-wheel-drive tours take visitors deep into its marshes.
Easy wins for beginners
Newcomers do not need to travel far to get hooked. Flamingo colonies at the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra in Malaga are large, bright and slow to move, which makes them simple to enjoy and photograph.
Near Valencia, the Albufera Natural Park is another excellent choice. Inland, Castilla-La Mancha’s Tablas de Daimiel National Park offers a wetland packed with birdlife.
Why 2027 could be the year for birdwatching
GetYourGuide reported a 65% year-on-year jump in global bookings for birdwatching experiences between January 1 and August 27 2026, after naming the activity in its Hidden Trends List, where #BirdTok videos had gone viral.
Voyageurs du Monde goes further, predicting that 2027 is “set to be the year of birdwatching”. Bookings for its birding holidays between July and October 2026 were 57% higher than in the first half of the year.
Tom Barber, the firm’s chief brand officer, believes he knows the secret to the appeal. In a world that moves at speed and through a screen, he says, there is something wonderfully refreshing about stepping outside with a pair of binoculars and seeing what you can spot.
Outside of Spain where is best to go birding in Europe
For beginners, Barber recommends a day on the Danube Delta in eastern Romania, whose vast wetlands rank among the most important in the world. North-east Greece has been one of the firm’s top sellers this year, thanks to a key migration flyway. Autumn visits bring quieter lakes and rewarding viewing.
Portugal draws praise for its seabirds, with the Azores and Madeira described as prime territory by birder Cindy Brzostowski. She also names Iceland’s Westman Islands as home to the world’s largest puffin colonies.
AllClear’s European ranking puts Sweden’s Falsterbo Peninsula first, followed by Titchwell Marsh in Norfolk and Fair Isle in Scotland. Greece’s Kalloni Saltpans on Lesvos and Lake Kerkini National Park also made the top six, while Portugal’s Ria Formosa, France’s Camargue and Hungary’s Hortobagy National Park sit just ahead of Spain’s two entries.
