Ringing the city is the Anillo Verde (Green Belt), the pride of Vitoria. A series of interconnecting parks, ponds and marshes linked to one other by cycle paths, this is one of the reasons Vitoria was named the European Green Capital in 2012. The most important of these green areas is the Parque de Salburúa (Salburúa Park). Several outfitters rent bicycles (€7/12 for 2/4 hours); Vitoria Bikes also runs guided bike tours (€18-25.)
On the eastern edge of the city, Salburúa once consisted of a large number of lakes and pools, but these were drained in order to create farmland back in the 19th and 20th century. Today some 200 hectares of woodland, lakes and grassy expanse have been restored; it now serves as both a normal city park and an important ecological zone that attracts numerous waterfowl, as well as providing a refuge for the rare European mink and very tame herds of deer. Bird hides (blinds) are scattered around the lake shores and there’s also an impressive visitor centre.
