Castilla y León is a space with good conditions for observing the so-called dark sky. We present the tourist services that exist in Castilla y León, and that are adhered to the different certificates of the Starlight Foundation. https://fundacionstarlight.org/This link opens in a popup window

Starlight Reserve

A Starlight Reserve is a protected natural space where a commitment is established to defend the quality of the night sky and access to starlight. Its function is to preserve the quality of the night sky and the different associated values, whether cultural, scientific, astronomical, landscape or natural.

The Starlight Reserve has several zones:

  • Core or exclusion zone: This is where the conditions of natural lighting and sharpness of the night sky remain intact.
  • Protection zone: It is located around the core zone and serves to cushion the adverse effects related to light and atmospheric pollution that may affect it.
  • General scope area: It is an area outside the Reserve but nearby and where therefore intelligent and responsible lighting criteria should be applied to protect the quality of the night sky.

The requirements in a Starlight Reserve will specifically attend to the characteristics, singularities and functions of each space, whether they are those related to the preservation of astronomical observation conditions, those related to the conservation of nature, the integrity of the nightscapes or related cultural heritage sites.

The concept of Starlight Reserve is accompanied in each case by a participatory Action Plan and a set of recommendations aimed at preserving or recovering the quality of the night sky to the possible limits in view of its cultural, educational, scientific and environmental benefits. .


Touristic destinations

The Starlight Tourist Destinations are places that can be visited, which have excellent qualities for contemplating the starry skies and which, being protected from light pollution, are especially suitable for developing tourist activities based on this natural resource.

The Starlight Tourist Destinations must not only certify the quality of their skies and the means to guarantee their protection, but also the adequate infrastructures and activities related to the tourist offer (accommodation, the means of observation available at the service of visitors, training of the personnel in charge of astronomical interpretation, etc.) and its integration in the nocturnal nature. In the event that the place does not yet have these infrastructures and activities, the Foundation values ¿¿the project to develop them in the future.

The Starlight Tourism Certification System was created with the aim of promoting, throughout the planet, the improvement of the quality of tourism experiences and the protection of the night skies in Starlight Destinations.

Certification as a Starlight Tourist Destination requires following a specific procedure established by the Foundation.


Starlight Towns

The Starlight Town certification is aimed at those small towns with their own identity and with a mainly rural character, which seek to diversify their economy through the development of astrotourism, with the aim of favoring the economic and sustainable growth of the territory and avoiding its depopulation.

This certification modality is similar to what a Starlight Tourist Destination could be, but on a small scale and with more limited activities and objectives.


Accommodations

The Rural Houses and Starlight Hotels constitute a qualification granted by the Foundation to those establishments that, in addition to offering accredited accommodation quality, become propagators of the values ¿¿contained in the Declaration of La Palma, in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to the Light of the Stars.

In addition, they make available to their clients information about Starlight and some means for astronomical observation and are involved as active agents in the propagation of astronomical culture, offering simple provisions for night observation.


Stellar Parks

In 2010, the Starlight initiative launched the Park of the Stars campaign, together with Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) and other organizations. The idea is to promote and identify worldwide the existence of spaces in each town and city where the minimum conditions for enjoying the starry sky are respected. The Stellar Parks are already permanent infrastructures, of a very varied nature, that are installed in places with a clean and dark sky and that allow the development of outreach and educational activities linked to astronomical contemplation and observation. Logically, there are infrastructures that combine both concepts and, most importantly, is their ability to spread astronomy and create a passion for knowing more about the Universe and the advances made in its knowledge.


Starlight trails

The Starlight Trails modality is one of the most unknown, but also one of the most interesting for astrotourists. Under this accreditation are collected those paths, greenways or paths itself whose route allows the contemplation of a starry sky of Starlight quality, always linked to the cultural and natural heritage associated with starlight.

The Starlight Trails are conditioned for the practice of astrotourism and the enjoyment of the night landscape, through installations that respect the natural habitat, such as star panels or viewpoints, which do not produce light pollution.


Cultural monument

The Starlight Foundation has open the possibility of granting other types of accreditation to those spaces, activities, companies... that meet a series of favorable requirements for stargazing and promote the development of activities related to this natural resource. For this, a study of the resources and values ¿¿of the place is carried out, the qualification of the human team responsible for managing it, the offer of quality tourist products linked to the natural and cultural resources of the territory, etc.


Other resources to perform Astrotourism in Castilla y León