Aras de los Olmos

Aras de los Olmos is located in the province of Valencia, 59 miles (95 km) northwest of the capital, Valencia, and at an altitude of 936 meters above sea level. Aras de los Olmos is named a Starlight Reserve, where natural night sky light conditions are intact and local communities have committed to protect the quality of the night sky and maintain a dark zone. The local villages has been working hard for years to make the area a Starlight Tourist Destination, which includes trained staff for astronomical interpretation and quality accommodations. The Astronomical Observatory of the University of Valencia is on a plateau at 1,300 meters above sea level, with orographic conditions that provide the atmospheric stability necessary for astronomical observation.