When it comes to Astrotourism, the province of Ávila is a national and European tourist destination, ideal for those wishing to engage in star tourism, due to the high quality of its certified dark sky and the low level of light pollution.
The outstanding features of the darkness of the Ávila sky are:
Dark sky certified: At the time of writing (2023), Ávila is the only Starlight Reserve in all of Castile and León recognised by the Starlight Foundation for its quality of dark sky and its efforts to conserve astronomic quality. This guarantees that the zone has low level light pollution and offers excellent conditions for the observation of stars and other celestial bodies.
Low Level Light Pollution: The province of Ávila has followed measures and actions to reduce light pollution and protect the natural night-time setting of the starry sky, both in the Starlight Reserve and in the rest of the province. This means that the impact of artificial light sources is being reduced, so that illumination is correctly re-directed, and is of the right temperature and colour; this improves the quality of the dark sky, offering protection for biodiversity, ecosystems and people’s health.
The 2020 granting of Starlight Reserve certification to the “Gredos Regional Park” meant that the 28 municipalities falling within the Park joined the Declaration for the Defence of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight and became part of the participatory action plan, and of a set of recommendations designed to preserve or recover the quality of the night-time sky as far as possible, in favour of its cultural, educational, scientific and environmental benefits.
The Guide of recommendations for the protection of the night sky and medium in the province of Ávila (Guía de recomendaciones para la protección del cielo y medio nocturno en la provincia de Ávila) was published at the end of 2020.
Astronomical Observation: The darkness of the Ávila sky offers exceptional opportunities for astronomical observation with telescopes, binoculars and the naked eye. It is an ideal place for stargazing, both for the general public and for amateur and professional astronomers who wish to enjoy the night sky. In addition, given the low level of light pollution, a wide variety of astronomical phenomena can be seen, such as the Milky Way, meteor showers, bright planets and comets.
Astronomical Events and Festivals: Events and festivals related to astronomy are organised in Ávila, and these attract both fans and the curious-minded who want to experience the magic of the starry sky.
