Best natural monuments around Pozuelo De Calatrava are characterized by a unique volcanic landscape and significant wetlands. The region, part of the Campo de Calatrava, features numerous volcanic formations, including maars and thermal springs. Key natural features include saline lagoons like the Laguna del Prado, which is a designated Wildlife Refuge and Natural Reserve. This area offers insights into geological processes and provides habitats for diverse bird species.
Last updated: May 20, 2026
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It is located next to the town centre of Pozuelo de Calatrava. It is popularly known as the unexpected lagoon. If you pass by, it is a unique opportunity to enjoy the flora and fauna of the saltiest lagoon in the area.
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La Hoya del Mortero is one of the maars that best preserves its structure in Campo de Calatrava. Its crater forms a depression about 30 meters deep and about 500 meters in diameter. To appreciate these dimensions, it is best to visit it and observe it from its edge. Currently there is an interpretive panel from which we have a good view of the whole and helps to understand what we are seeing. Starting point of the Ciudad Real Greenway.
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Small lagoon that is very close to the center and what's more, the path that goes around it is quiet and pleasant close to the center.
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The so-called “hotbeds” are one of the most common phenomena in the Calatrava region, as a consequence of its intense volcanic activity. A unique spectacle that, together with sour springs, maares, wells, and jets or sinas, are part of the history of the region and that the Association for the Development of Campo de Calatrava tries to preserve and make known outside its borders.
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Within the Campo de Calatrava region, this municipality attracts the visitor's attention because it is close to two salty lagoons of volcanic origin, Argamasilla and Inesperada; formerly used as medicinal waters. Like other thermal springs where the Infante Don Carlos ordered the construction of the Baños de Fuensanta. In addition to its natural assets, the religious ones are important, in the form of a church and a sanctuary that we must not miss. Its 17th century church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was declared a B.I.C. in 1989. Its nave is covered by a barrel vault and has a polygonal apse and two doorways under porticoes, one of them with Tiara Papal. It is one of the few churches that preserves its three original altarpieces from the 18th century, the most important being that of the High Altar made of walnut wood without polychrome and with allegories of the Trinity. In the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Santos we can also admire a beautiful altarpiece in Churrigueresque forms. The sanctuary is on the outskirts of the town and was built on an old Arab fortress. It has a single nave in which we will see wall paintings and a beautiful Mudejar coffered ceiling.
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Pozuelo de Calatrava is a rustic town of medieval origin located in the historic region of Campo de Calatrava, on the edge of one of the most interesting volcanic lagoons in the territory: La Inesperada or Laguna del Prado, where you can spot various waterfowl.
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Within the Campo de Calatrava region, this municipality attracts the visitor's attention because it is close to two salty lagoons of volcanic origin, Argamasilla and Inesperada; formerly used as medicinal waters. Like other thermal springs where the Infante Don Carlos ordered the construction of the Baños de Fuensanta. In addition to its natural assets, the religious ones are important, in the form of a church and a sanctuary that we must not miss. Its 17th century church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was declared a B.I.C. in 1989. Its nave is covered by a barrel vault and has a polygonal apse and two doorways under porticoes, one of them with Tiara Papal. It is one of the few churches that preserves its three original altarpieces from the 18th century, the most important being that of the High Altar made of walnut wood without polychrome and with allegories of the Trinity. In the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Santos we can also admire a beautiful altarpiece in Churrigueresque forms. The sanctuary is on the outskirts of the town and was built on an old Arab fortress. It has a single nave in which we will see wall paintings and a beautiful Mudejar coffered ceiling.
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The Prado Lagoon is a saline volcanic lagoon with seasonal waters, located in the municipality of Pozuelo de Calatrava. Hydrographically it belongs to the Guadiana river basin. Its origin is pseudokarstic, since it was caused by a phreatomagmatic explosion at a fracture junction located in a sedimentary basin. This has favored surface ponding like this semi-arid lagoon, with sulphated-magnesium-sodic chloride waters. Due to its salinity, the vegetation is relegated to the margins, mainly salt marshes and halonitrophilous plants. The contribution of rainwater from the town has altered that salinity, allowing the appearance of reeds, castanets and even white poplars. During periods when it is flooded, you can see black-headed gulls, black-headed gulls, avocets, stilts and plovers, as well as pink flamingos.
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The region is characterized by its distinctive volcanic landscape, featuring numerous maars (explosion craters) and saline lagoons. You can also find phenomena like "hotbeds" where volcanic CO2 bubbles mimic boiling water, and mineral-rich springs. The most prominent example is the Laguna del Prado, a saline volcanic lagoon.
To truly appreciate the volcanic heritage, visit the San Isidro Hermitage and Maares Viewpoint, located on top of the Cabezo del Rey Volcano, offering panoramic views of the surrounding maars. You can also explore sites like Hervideros Baños del Barranco and El Chorrillo Spring, which showcase the region's intense volcanic activity through bubbling waters.
Yes, the Laguna del Prado (La Inesperada) is a designated Wildlife Refuge and Natural Reserve, making it an excellent spot for birdwatching. It's a vital habitat for diverse species, including black-winged stilts, avocets, Kentish plovers, and even flamingos, especially during winter.
Many natural monuments in the area are suitable for families. The Laguna del Prado has an interpretive center and a nearby thematic children's park. The San Isidro Hermitage and Maares Viewpoint includes a recreational area. Additionally, Hervideros Baños del Barranco is also considered family-friendly.
The best time to visit depends on your interests. For birdwatching, winter is ideal at the Laguna del Prado when various dabbling ducks and flamingos are present. Spring and autumn offer milder temperatures for exploring the volcanic landscapes and hiking.
The area offers various outdoor activities. You can find running trails, such as the circular route around Laguna del Prado. There are also road cycling routes and hiking trails, including a moderate hike around Laguna del Prado. For more options, explore the running trails, road cycling routes, and hiking routes around Pozuelo de Calatrava.
Yes, the municipality of Pozuelo de Calatrava itself has historical significance. It features a 17th-century church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, which was declared a B.I.C. (Bien de Interés Cultural), and the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Santos, built on an old Arab fortress. These sites offer a blend of natural and cultural exploration.
The Laguna del Prado is notable for being the saltiest lagoon in the Campo de Calatrava region. Its highly alkaline, chlorided-sulfated-sodic-magnesic waters are rich in salts, supporting specialized halophytic flora. This salinity is a result of its pseudokarstic and volcanic origins.
Absolutely. The San Isidro Hermitage and Maares Viewpoint is specifically designed for panoramic views of the volcanic landscape and maars. The Laguna del Prado also offers scenic viewpoints to observe the lagoon and its birdlife.
The 'hotbeds' (hervideros) found at sites like Hervideros Baños del Barranco and El Chorrillo Spring are a direct consequence of the region's intense volcanic activity. They are natural occurrences where CO2 bubbles of volcanic origin rise through water, creating the illusion of boiling water. This phenomenon highlights the active geological history of Campo de Calatrava.
Yes, an interpretive center is located on the edge of the Laguna del Prado. It provides valuable information about the lagoon's ecological characteristics, birdlife, and geological significance, enhancing the visitor's understanding of this unique natural monument.


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