The biggest nature theme park in Europe is set to transform an ancient village in Malaga province.
Construction has finally begun on the long-awaited Evolution Park, after seven years of bureaucratic hurdles.
Construction of the tourist attraction has broken ground in Carratraca, an ancient village – where Romans once soaked in its thermal baths – of just 786 residents in Malaga’s Guadalteba region.
At the official presentation, Arturo Bernal, Andalucia’s Minister for Tourism, hailed the project as ‘a social and economic driver that will turn Carratraca into a new benchmark for nature tourism in Spain.’
Backed by an estimated €10 million in private investment, the project is being led by Finca Ecologica y de Recreo Arroyo las Cañas 2013, and will cover 200 hectares across the Aguas and Blanquilla mountain slopes.
More than 350 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created, injecting fresh energy into the local economy.
Evolution Park is set to feature spectacular attractions, including what developers claim will be the longest aquarium in the world, stretching an impressive 80 metres, and the largest aviary in Spain.
Visitors will also find a natural history museum, a planetarium, and a 360-degree cinema, alongside a unique ‘Flying Theatre’ simulator designed to make guests feel as though they are soaring through the air.
A panoramic train will allow visitors to observe animals roaming freely in environments replicating their natural habitats, in a concept far removed from traditional zoo models.
For those seeking a full immersion, the park will include themed lodges, such as African-style cabins, offering overnight stays beneath Carratraca’s starlit skies.
For Carratraca, the project represents a new chapter in its long tourism heritage. The town, with Arab origins, rose to fame in the 19th century thanks to its sulphurous hot springs, celebrated since Roman times for their healing properties.
Its neoclassical spa complex and bullring have long attracted visitors and artists seeking tranquillity and wellbeing.
But the rugged terrain has always limited agricultural opportunities, leaving the town reliant on spa tourism.
Evolution Park, locals hope, will diversify Carratraca’s economy and put this quiet mountain village on the map as a major hub for eco-tourism and sustainable leisure in southern Spain.
