Discover the Best Kept Secret of the Mar Menor

Barón Island, also known as Isla Mayor, is a natural treasure located in the heart of the Mar Menor, Region of Murcia. This private island, approximately 93.8 hectares, is notable for its volcanic origin, forming an extinct cone that gives it a distinctive conical shape and round perimeter. As points of historical and architectural interest, it was the center of the old “Real Coto Islas del Mar Menor” established in 1726 by Philip V for falconry and guarded by the navy; and in 1870, the neo-Mudejar style palace of the Baron of Benifayó was built.

The island is home to a unique ecosystem that preserves the original “maquia mediterranea” vegetation and a rich diversity of birds, making it a space of great environmental interest, accredited as a “Wildlife Estate” and with various European environmental awards and prizes.

Since 1875, the first herd of mouflons introduced by the Baron, from the island of Sardinia, as wild sheep that improve vegetation, have lived there, adding a surprising element to its biodiversity. Today, Barón Island is a protected landscape within the European Natura 2000 Network, it is a SPA (Special Protection Area for Birds) and it is a protected natural area of ​​the Region of Murcia.