The Ebro Delta
The Ebro Delta is a national park area and begins almost as soon as you leave L'Ampolla to the south.
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The Deltas of the great Mediterranean rivers form a terrain of outstanding importance. Not only do they tend to be relatively unspoilt areas, contrasting with the heavily developed coastline, they are also home to a rich variety of plant life and fauna. They are also highly productive from an agricultural point of view. The 320 km2 of the Ebro Delta make up the largest wetland in Catalonia and the largest aquatic habitat in the Eastern Mediterranean after the Camargue, and second in Spain, after Doñana.
The inland Delta area is dominated by rice fields, which are the reason for the dramatic change in the landscape over the course of the year. The brown hues typical of the fertile winter ground slowly transform into liquid mirrors when the fields are flooded in Spring. At that time, the sky and the sea merge into one and the Delta becomes a real dream world. Later the rice plants break through the surface of the water and a huge emerald carpet spreads over the paths until at the end of summer the grains of rice take on a golden hue as they await the harvest.
The coastal area of the Delta has one of the most attractive aquatic sceneries in the Mediterranean, typified by lagoons surrounded by reed beds, and a large area of salty marsh containing halophiles, in other words, plant life that can survive in places with high salt levels. It also boasts long, sandy, deserted beaches with huge sand dunes, almost the last ones existing along the Catalan coast. These areas are the scenario for one of the most important aquatic bird reserves and sanctuaries in Europe, especially for the migratory birds that use the Delta as a 'stop over point' on their long and exhausting journey between Africa and Europe.
Activities
The public transport is good with regular bus and train services to Amposta and Tarragona . The cost of a return train ticket from L´Ampolla to Tarragona is about €7,30
There is a pitch and putt 1,5 km from l´Ampolla. The nearest golf club is in Salou.
There are excellent facilities for fishing, sailing, windsurfing, bird watching, tennis and many other pastimes. Cycling is very popular due to the fairly flat terrain.
The Ebro Delta is designated as a national park and all along its length is a nature reserve.
The town of Amposta is 21Km from the park and from prehistoric times to the present-day, Amposta has a veritable wealth of architectural and cultural heritage, including Amposta Castle, the hanging bridge, the Carrova Tower, the Montsià Museum, many Modernist (Art Nouveau) style houses, etc.