Cap de Creus Natural Park, Maritime-terrestrial protected area in Alt Empordà, Spain
Cap de Creus Natural Park is a protected area on the northeastern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean Sea. The terrain combines rocky headlands, deep coves, and open hillsides that slope down toward the water on all sides.
The peninsula has been settled since prehistoric times, and Greeks and Romans both left traces along this stretch of coast. The area received its current protected status in 1998, making it one of the first places in Catalonia to protect both land and sea together.
Fishermen from nearby villages still use the coves and rocky shores in much the same way as their grandparents did. Along the coastal paths, visitors often spot small wooden boats pulled ashore and nets drying in the wind.
Most visitors start from the villages of El Port de la Selva or Cadaqués, where trails lead toward the cape and along the shore. Sturdy footwear and water are important to bring, as many paths are rocky and exposed with little shade.
Cap de Creus is the easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, meaning it is the first place on the Spanish mainland to receive sunlight each morning. Below the surface, the marine section of the park holds some of the largest red coral colonies found in the western Mediterranean.
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