L´Albufera natural park is located 12km south of the city. It is a beautiful spot where there are periodically a large number of migratory birds to be seen. It is a salt-water lake with a 6km diameter at its widest. It is separated from the Mediterranean by the Dehesa, a strip of land covered in pine-trees and with warm water beaches. The experts recommend a boat trip during sunset when the fading light gives the landscape some spectacular colours and hues. Around the lake there are some small fishing villages such as El Palmar, a picturesque place well-known for the quality of its restaurants. It's also a good place from which to visit the lake by boat. Buses leave from the central bus station in Valencia (Menéndez Pidal Avenue).