Cap Creus

In the region of Haut Ampourdan, Cap Creus is made up of 8 communes including Llançà, Vilajuiga, Pau, Palau-Saverdera, Rosas, Cadaqués, Port de la Selva et Selva de la Mar.

The first maritime and land reserve in Catalonia, Cap de Creus was created in 1998 and covering 13,886 hectares of which 3,090 are maritime and 10,386 are on land. Cap de Creus is a botanical paradise with more than 800 plants registered in the area.

Among the most unusual botanical species are Sea Pinks (Armory ruscinonensis), Sea Lavender (Limonium Tremolsi) and in particular Seseli Farrenyi, an herbaceous perennial native to the Cap de Creus. Along the coast other botanical species are found in abundance such as scented rosemary, or the flowers of San Juan. Trees which are more commonly found in this area of craggy wilderness are the Alep pine (pinus Halepensis), the Cork-Oak (Quercus suber), the Pubescent or Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens), etc.

The most predominant vegetation in the Cap de Ceus are bushes such as Pistacia lentiscus, Calcicotome Spinosa, the Cade Juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) etc. This last having perhaps given its name to Cadaqués from its common name Cadaquer or Cadaquers which signifies Juniper wood. A large number of land-based and marine-based animals can also be found in the park, such as Bonelli’s eagle (Hieraetus fasciatus), the Sea Eagle, the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), numerous species of gull, the Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) the snail Mastigophalus rangianus, the European Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) or in Catalan “xoriguer petit”. Beetles and reptiles of all sorts are common.

In the shallows, we find red corral (corallium rubrum), Paramuricea sp and fish such as the Red Scorpion fish (Scorpaena scrofa), the Dusky Grouper (Epinepheuls guaza) and the Saddled Seabream (Oblada melanura) amongst others.