Islas Columbretes, Columbretes Islands

The nature reserve of the Columbretes Islands is a Spanish archipelago that constitutes one of the most important protected natural areas of the Valencian Community and of the small archipelagos typical of the Mediterranean Sea, due to the biological and ecological diversity of its environment.

The Columbretes Islands are a set of four groups of volcanic islands located 28 miles from the marina of Las Fuentes de Alcocebre, off the coast of the province of Castellón. The island groups are : Columbrete Grande or Illa Grossa; La Ferrera; La Horadada or La Foradada; and El Bergantín or Carallot. There are also numerous reefs and shallows in the archipelago, and an orography characterized by numerous craters and volcanic chimneys.

The Columbretes Islands Nature Reserve has a surface area of 19 hectares. On the other hand, the surrounding marine reserve covers an area of 5543 ha.