Spain. Valencia Province. Valencia. Nou Racó restaurant. Footstool and table. Colorful sunset over the Albufera, or L'Albufera de València ([albuˈfeɾa], meaning "lagoon" in Valencian), is a freshwater lagoon and estuary on the Gulf of Valencia coast. It is the main portion of the Valencian Albufera Natural Park, with a surface area of 21,120 hectares (52,200 acres). The natural biodiversity of the nature reserve allows a great variety of flora and fauna to thrive. Though once a saltwater lagoon, dilution due to irrigation and canals draining into the estuary and the sand bars increasing in size had converted it to freshwater by the seventeenth century. Valencia (officially València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-largest city in Spain. 15.12.18 © 2018 Didier Ruef