I visited this tentative WHS in July 2020 as a short detour from Miranda de Ebro in the Basque country. Even though salt production is already covered on the WH list by sites such as the ones in Salins-les-Bains and Arc-et-Senans in France, or Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines in Poland, the Valle Salado de Anana is still a very worthwhile stopover if you're in the area, even if it never makes it on the WH list. It also reminded me of a recent visit to Maras, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, in Peru.

It is one of the oldest salt production facilities in the world and the 'white gold' is believed to have been uninterruptedly produced here for around 7,000 years. It consists of hundreds if not thousands of salt pans, wooden platforms, springs, channels, wells and storage facilities. The Salt Valley of Salinas de Añana stands in what were once waters of a vast sea 200 million years ago. The old brine wells are inhabited by a unique crustacean named Artemia Parthenogenetica. The brine flows through the wooden channels and platforms and salt is obtained through solar evaporation. The salt is believed to be of supreme quality and is particularly praised by Michelin star chefs worldwide as having an intensity that lasts much more in the mouth. The saltwater springs contain 210 grams of salt per litre, seven times more than seawater! Moreover, there are three types of salt obtained here: mineral salt, flor de sal, and salt stalactites (gourmet). The latter form due to the leakage of brine in the salt pans, wooden structures and channels. There are several information or wellness tours on offer and everything is very well organised.