Cap de Creus Natural Park

Cap de Creus Natural Park — the wild edge of the Costa Brava

Cap de Creus Natural Park is Spain's first park to combine land and sea protection, covering the headland of Cap de Creus in the Alt Empordà region, Girona province. The protected area spans more than 13,800 hectares and stretches across several municipalities, including el Port de la Selva, Cadaqués, Llançà, Roses and Palau-Saverdera. The park was created in 1998 to safeguard the landscape of the easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula together with the surrounding Mediterranean waters.

What does the Cap de Creus landscape look like?

The defining feature of this park is its rugged, jagged coastline — steep cliffs, hidden coves and dramatically sculpted rock formations shaped over millennia by wind (the notorious tramontana) and sea. The contrast between the harsh, stony interior and the deep blue of the Mediterranean makes it one of the most photogenic stretches of the Costa Brava. Further inland, the terrain softens into Mediterranean scrubland, old cultivation terraces and small valleys.

What can visitors see around el Port de la Selva?

El Port de la Selva, a small fishing village sitting right at the edge of the park, makes a convenient base for exploring the area. On the hillside nearby stands the Sant Pere de Rodes monastery — its former abbot's residence, the Palau de l'Abat, now houses one of the park's information centres, where visitors can pick up maps and sign up for free guided walks (booking in advance through the el Port de la Selva tourist office is required). The Cap de Creus headland itself, marked by its distinctive lighthouse, lies a further stretch away and serves as the symbolic endpoint of several regional hiking routes.

Which trails cross the park?

Two long-distance European hiking trails run through the park. The GR-11 arrives from the Serra de l'Albera mountain range, reaches Llançà, then continues past the Sant Pere de Rodes monastery all the way to the Cap de Creus lighthouse, ending at the very tip of the headland. The GR-92, meanwhile, passes through nearly every municipality within the park and links up with the neighbouring Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park, forming a continuous coastal walking corridor.

Who is this park for?

Cap de Creus appeals to hikers and landscape photographers as much as to those looking for a quieter connection with the sea — divers, kayakers, or simply travellers seeking secluded coves away from the Costa Brava's busier beaches. It is also a site of real historical and cultural weight thanks to its proximity to the medieval Sant Pere de Rodes monastery, one of Catalonia's most important Romanesque monuments.

Frequently asked questions

Is entry to the park free? Access to the park itself is open and free of charge, though some guided walks require advance booking.

Where is the information centre? One of the main information centres is located at the Palau de l'Abat, next to the Sant Pere de Rodes monastery in el Port de la Selva.

Which municipalities lie within the park? Besides el Port de la Selva, they include Cadaqués, Llançà, Roses, Vilajuïga, Pau, Palau-Saverdera and La Selva de Mar.

Can you reach the Cap de Creus lighthouse on foot? Yes, the GR-11 trail is one of the routes that ends right at the lighthouse on the headland.