La Albufera de Valencia is a typical Mediterranean coastal lagoon located south of the city of Valencia. It is separated from the sea by a barrier of dunes and constitutes an extensive wetland formed by the sediments of the two rivers that surround it, the Turia and the Júcar.

The historical action of man has transformed most of the lagoon into rice fields, building canals and dams, and softening its waters by taking advantage of the rivers to make rice cultivation possible.

The rich fauna and flora of La Albufera de Valencia , as well as its scenic and cultural interest, led to its declaration as a Natural Park in 1986 by the regional government and its inclusion in the Ramsar list of wetlands in international importance.

These measures protect an area of ​​21,120 hectares, from which three major environments can be distinguished:
(1) the coastal strip, with dunes and its forest vegetation still well preserved in the section of La Devesa,
(2) the extensive marsh transformed into rice paddy, flooded during the winter months and cultivated in summer,
(3) La Albufera Lake, a sheet of fresh water that is connected to the sea through three channels known as golas.