Astrotourism is no longer a niche hobby for romantics with binoculars, but a new vector for the travel industry. Astrotourists don’t come for “pins on the map”; they come for night skies strewn with shimmering stars, where every shooting star is an event of its own. Leading tour operators are already building night routes, inviting astronomers instead of guides, and some hotels place telescopes right in the rooms or offer them for rent.
Booking.com – the largest travel aggregator that lets you plan a trip from A to Z – names “star hunting” as one of the most popular travel directions in the coming years and sees night tourism as a perfect way to unplug from city life and discover something new.
However hard a city dweller tries to peer into the night sky, disappointment awaits. The main enemy of the starry sky is round-the-clock light pollution: street lamps, neon signs, shop windows and floodlights drive away the darkness while weakening the crucial contrast between stars and background. In cities we can see only the brightest objects, while thousands of fainter stars go unnoticed. Environmentalists and astronomers have long warned about the negative impact of city lights on ecosystems and human health. That’s why a true star safari begins where the lights are off.
Spain and the Starlight Foundation
Spain can fairly be called the world center of astrotourism. Here, preserving night-time darkness gets special attention: from the Canary Islands’ 1988 “Sky Law,” which limits light and radio interference around observatories, to Starlight certification of territories where the quality of the night sky is officially confirmed. These are the areas recommended for astrotourism. On the Canary Islands operate the Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma) and Teide (Tenerife) observatories, with telescopes installed at about 2.4 km altitude; visitor centers are open and special science programs for guests are developed. Roque de los Muchachos is home to Gran Telescopio CANARIAS, the largest and most advanced optical-infrared telescope operating today.
The Starlight Foundation is the organization responsible for certifying territories. It was established in the Canary Islands on the initiative of the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics. From the start it has worked closely with major international institutions: UNESCO, the International Astronomical Union and the UN World Tourism Organization. Its work is based on a simple idea: the starry sky is part of our shared human, scientific and cultural heritage, and the right to see the stars deserves protection no less than mountains, forests and monuments.
To protect the night is to protect life. Starlight emphasizes that by treating darkness with care, we simultaneously care for “heritage that belongs to everyone” and for the habitats of countless species for whom natural night is essential for survival. That’s why the Foundation works not only with astronomers but also with environmentalists and the tourism industry – so that astronomy stops being mere décor or an exotic hobby.
The Foundation’s key tool is the Starlight certification system. Certificates are granted to territories with truly “black” skies and clear rules to protect them. The night sky is part of a place’s natural, scenic, cultural or scientific heritage, where local “star tourism” routes and infrastructure get a boost – from outfitted viewpoints to popular-science educational programs.
The best places in Spain for stargazing
Certification is anything but nominal: every territory undergoes an interim audit every two years and recertification every four. This gives travelers clear markers: “Starlight Reserves” and “Starlight Tourist Destinations” are places where darkness is truly protected and the infrastructure is designed for night tourism. Spain’s map is regularly enriched with new “starry” territories. Wherever in the country you go, you’ll find places perfect for observing the night sky.
Spain’s network of “starry skies” keeps expanding year after year: new regions, natural parks and geoparks are gaining Starlight status. Spain is also home to one of Europe’s largest dark areas – the Sierra Morena Reserve in Andalusia. For the traveler this means something simple: there are more and more places where the night sky is guaranteed to become part of an exciting route, with equipped viewing platforms, trained local guides and clear logistics.
Don’t forget the “seasonality” of the cosmos. The Perseids reliably draw crowds in August, and autumn is decorated by the Orionids – especially impressive on moonless nights. If you’re planning a trip, check not only the map but also the calendar.
The world’s largest Starlight Reserve: Sierra Morena, Andalusia
In Spain there is a unique place where the night sky becomes a sparkling dome; where the absence of light pollution, clean air and deep quiet invite you to let go of everything earthly and sink into myriads of stars. This magical place lies in the Sierra Morena mountains, recognized as the largest dark-sky reserve in the world. The mountain chain crossing the provinces of Jaén, Córdoba, Seville and Huelva was certified more than ten years ago. The reserve covers over 400,000 hectares, and clear nights account for about 60% of all nights – putting it on a par with world-class astronomical observatories.
The purity of the sky has made Sierra Morena an ideal place for astrotourism. Here you can observe constellations, the Milky Way and even meteor showers like the Perseids without interference. Official viewpoints include Mingorramos in Jaén and the Royal Observatory La Jara in Seville. For visitors there are astrophotography workshops and observation sessions led by experienced specialists.
Top stargazing locations in Spain
The following five areas are particularly important to the Starlight Foundation’s project:
La Palma Island
La Palma is where it all began. In 1988 the “Sky Law” was enacted here, limiting light pollution, radio interference and even air routes. In 2007 the island hosted the signing of the Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight. La Palma became the world’s first Starlight Reserve, and in 2012 it also received Starlight Tourist Destination status – a rare case when one location is both scientifically significant and sets world-class tourism standards.
Teide National Park (Tenerife)
Teide’s high-altitude plateaus are devoted to practical astronomy: certified Starlight guides are on duty, powerful public telescopes are available, and evening programs feature sunset and the starry sky as seen from 3,555 meters above sea level. Park infrastructure and local tour operators put astrotourism first.
Sierra de Gredos (Castile and León)
Gredos is the first area in Castile and León to receive Starlight Reserve status (2020), renewed in 2025. With more than 200 clear nights a year, minimal light pollution and a wide network of viewpoints, this mountain park has become a benchmark for mainland astrotourism.
Gúdar-Javalambre (Teruel, Aragon)
At the summit of Pico del Buitre operates the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory – a major national research center with wide-field telescopes and unique filters for observing the sky. Nearby stands the “Galáctica” science center, which offers engaging tours. The Gúdar-Javalambre area also has double certification as both a Starlight Reserve and Starlight Tourist Destination, where fundamental research is complemented by science-popular tourism.
Menorca (Balearic Islands)
Menorca is one of the few Mediterranean islands where the quality of the night sky is confirmed by a Starlight certificate and reinforced by its Biosphere Reserve status. Starlight certification has reoriented the island toward “night-time” tourism: viewing points are set as far as possible from populated, lit areas. Local guides explain how to “read” the sky, and hotels offer stargazing programs with minimal light. The best night-sky shots are found at the Favàritx and Cavalleria lighthouses, on the trails of S’Albufera des Grau Natural Park and on the quiet beaches of the north coast. 
Areas certified by the Starlight Foundation in 2025
In 2025, more than ten new locations were certified as astrotourism destinations in Spain. The list includes:
- Municipio de Valverde de Leganés (Extremadura): flat terrain and low light pollution at the edge of the Dark Sky Alqueva area (home to a Portuguese observatory) provide long dark nights in June–August.
- Red de Senderos Rutas Jacobeas de Navarra (Navarra): these hiking routes are perfectly suited to night-time star hunters.
- Municipio de Pruna (Andalucía): the relief of the Sierra Sur de Sevilla “screens” urban glow. The Los Tajillos viewpoint is an excellent place to observe the Milky Way’s band on warm summer nights.
- Municipio de El Saucejo (Andalucía): two stargazing viewpoints are located here – La Lastra and Mezquitilla. The open horizon lets you see the brightest part of the Milky Way – the core of our galaxy.
- Tierras Altas de Soria (Castile and León): high plateaus with transparent, dry air and many observation points with panoramas to the northeast and southeast.
- Municipio de Chantada (Galicia): the Ribeira Sacra canyons are great for admiring the Milky Way. In August the Perseid shower colors the sky over the vineyard terraces.
- Municipio de Pampaneira (Andalucía): the mountainous Alpujarra area with numerous viewpoints lies near Sierra Nevada between the provinces of Granada and Almería. High-contrast skies allow stargazing on clear nights.
- Geoparque Villuercas-Ibores-Jara (Extremadura): famed for its viewpoints: in summer the Milky Way stretches like an “arch” over the ranges, and in July–August the Astrodisea events attract Perseid chasers.
- Sierra de Vicor (Aragón): three stargazing areas are being built here. The Orionids in late October are especially beautiful thanks to low light pollution in the surrounding valleys.
- Parque Natural de Izki (Basque Country): Álava’s forested plateaus provide the quiet and darkness you need; the Milky Way’s core is best captured June–August above the southern horizon. Park routes also let you choose spots with a clear eastern sector of the sky.
- Parque Natural de Valderejo (Basque Country): the Purón valley and sheer cliffs create an excellent shield from light pollution, so the summer Milky Way is well visible above Álava’s western ridges. In October this is a fine place for the Orionids.
- Starlight Reserve – Parque Nacional Marítimo-Terrestre del Archipiélago de Cabrera (Balearic Islands): the black dome over Cabrera Island, 20 km off Mallorca, the absence of settlements and the surrounding sea provide some of the darkest skies in the western Mediterranean.
A map of the best places for stargazing in Spain and other countries is published on the official Starlight Foundation website.
Here is the list of locations in PDF format as of September 2025.
