A visit to Añana’s Valle Salado

The Valle Salado, in Añana, is one of the oldest industries in the world. It has been producing salt continuously for 7.000 years, in a process that has hardly changed since the Romans.

Despite the numerous revolutions and the deterioration that has suffered in recent decades, the valley has managed to get ahead by rebuilding its millenary landscape while maintaining the traditional production of quality salts.

Nowadays, two-thirds of the total productive area has already been recovered. The project has been awarded the Europa Nostra Prize, the highest recognition of heritage conservation in Europe, and has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, with the category Monumental Complex.

We propose a visit to the 120.000 m2 valley to learn about the natural origin of this phenomenon, unique in the world, and the techniques developed to achieve sustainable industrial exploitation.

At Akelarre we gift our guests a sample of salt flakes from Añana, but this is just one of the salt types available in the Valle Salado, producing also mineral and liquid salt from the springs as well as the “chuzos“, which are salt stalactites. All of them identified with the Eusko Label distinction, which guarantees the high quality of the products.

In addition to visiting their store and discover all the different salt products, during your visit you can also learn how to produce salt, do a tasting or even access its small outdoor SPA where you can introduce your legs and arms to enjoy the relaxing benefits of water, up to seven times saltier than the seawater.

Photos: © Añana Turismo and Guía Repsol