Cuatro Calas Protected Landscape

Cuatro Calas is a protected landscape on the coast of the Murcia Region, within the municipality of Águilas, right along the border with Almería province. The name — literally "four coves" — refers to four small beaches: Calarreona, La Higuerica, La Carolina, and Los Cocedores, the last of which sits exactly on the boundary between the two provinces. Covering roughly 222 hectares, the whole area belongs to the Natura 2000 network and is recognised as a Site of Community Importance.

What makes this coastline stand out?

Cuatro Calas sits at a meeting point between the sea, dry seasonal streambeds, and semi-desert hills, producing a landscape rarely found elsewhere in Spain. Low rainfall, intense sunshine, and constant proximity to the sea have allowed unusual landforms and plant species to survive here, many of them uncommon across the rest of Europe.

How did this landscape form?

The jagged cliffs and coves owe their shape to thousands of years of wind and marine erosion carving the local rock. Punta Parda stands out for its geological significance, marking the remains of past volcanic activity and serving as a reference point for researchers studying the region's geology.

What plants and animals live here?

The near-total absence of frost along this stretch of coast has let warm-climate plants persist, including the cornical shrub and the thorny azufaifo, both scarce elsewhere on the continent. Among the local wildlife, the spur-thighed tortoise is notable though famously shy and hard to spot, while a red-tailed lizard species is more visible, often seen basking on the limestone outcrops.

How can visitors explore Cuatro Calas on foot?

A marked trail, SL-MU 18, runs through the area as a roughly 5-kilometre loop connecting all four coves. The route also passes close to the Cañada Brusca salt flat, valued for its birdlife and for the halophytic vegetation adapted to its salty soil.

Frequently asked questions

How many beaches make up Cuatro Calas? Four: Calarreona, La Higuerica, La Carolina, and Los Cocedores.

Where exactly is this protected area located? On the coast of the municipality of Águilas in the Murcia Region, bordering Almería province.

Is the area under environmental protection? Yes, it is a protected landscape within the Natura 2000 network, recognised as a Site of Community Importance.

What natural features are worth seeing? The volcanic formation of Punta Parda, drought- and frost-resistant vegetation, and the Cañada Brusca salt flat with its birdlife.

Can the area be explored on foot? Yes, the SL-MU 18 trail forms a roughly 5-kilometre loop linking all four coves.