You can snorkel in almost all of the sea in the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus, except in the s'Encalladora Integral Nature Reserve. The park suggests three routes: Es Caials, 2 km on foot from Cadaqués; Tamariua, in El Port de la Selva; and Murtra, in Roses.
Yes, on Cap de Creus you can snorkel on your own in almost all of the Natural Park's sea: the only exception is the s'Encalladora Integral Nature Reserve, next to the tip of the cape. The park also suggests three routes, and the one for Cadaqués is in the cove of Es Caials. Here are all three, what you see underwater and what the rules ask of you.
Where to stay here: Rincón tranquilo junto al Mediterráneo en Cadaqués · From 81 € per night →
Where you can and cannot go
The Natural Park's frequently asked questions on marine regulation, which set out the Pla rector d'ús i gestió in force since 14 August 2025, put it like this: snorkelling is allowed throughout the park's marine area, except in the s'Encalladora Integral Nature Reserve and in areas with their own restrictions that involve a risk, such as entry and exit channels or buoyed-off zones.
Swimming is also allowed throughout the park except at s'Encalladora, and the park recommends a buoy in open water. Where s'Encalladora lies is explained in the kayak guide.
Going on your own needs no paperwork. An organised group may: if the snorkelling is run by an organisation that is not an authorised dive centre, it may need authorisation or prior notice to the park, depending on the number of people.
Es Caials, the Cadaqués route
The park's route guide puts Es Caials 2 km on foot from Cadaqués, with parking in the residential area. It is a south-east-facing cove about 80 metres long, of angular pebbles and lead-grey rock, sheltered from the tramontana; its name refers to the stones it is made of.
It has two routes. The short one, 363 metres, leaves the beach with the rock wall on your right and goes round the Forallons des Caials: a dense forest of Cystoseira seaweed, plenty of fish and beadlet anemones fixed to the shallowest rocks. The long one, 500 metres, leaves from the stone jetty towards the rocks sticking out in the middle of the cove, without crossing the line of buoys, carries on to Punta de s'Oliguera and returns with the wall on your right. There you see shoals of salema feeding on posidonia, and the odd moray, starfish and sea urchins.
The geology shows through a mask too: in the cove, slate, which runs to the south, meets schist, to the north. These rocks are about 500 million years old, from the start of the Palaeozoic.
The other two: Tamariua and Murtra
Cala Tamariua, in El Port de la Selva, is the park's first cove from that village: 1 km on foot, with parking 150 metres away, and routes of 500 and 250 metres. You swim along the rocky edge on the right as far as the limit of the bathing area, cross over posidonia and white sand and come back along the rocks on the left. Octopus, sea urchins, golden sponges, beadlet anemones, hermit crabs and saddled seabream.
Cala Murtra, in Roses, is the park's first cove from that side: 1 km on foot from the Punta Falconera car park, with routes of 600 and 300 metres. The guide warns that the road to cala Montjoi may be closed at certain times of year. On its tongue of white sand live the weever fish, the red mullet, a flatfish that changes colour and the sea cucumber.
In the three route coves, recreational fishing is only allowed as catch and release.
What about Portlligat?
The first edition of the guide, published by the Catalan Government in 2023, had Portlligat as the Cadaqués route: 800 metres with the rocky shore on your left and a posidonia reef that reaches the surface. The version now on the park's website has replaced it with Es Caials, and the summer 2026 leaflet names only Murtra, Caials and Tamariua.
That route sheet already warned that at Portlligat you should stay close to the shore and carry a marker buoy, because boats pass through. The 2026 leaflet also lists Portlligat among the seasonal mooring-buoy fields. You can still swim there; to look at the seabed in peace, the official Cadaqués route today is Es Caials.
What you see underwater
The park distinguishes three habitats: posidonia meadow, rock and sand. Posidonia is an underwater plant found only in the Mediterranean, with ribbon-like leaves that hide hundreds of species, and its presence is a sign of good water quality.
Among the species in the guide: in the posidonia, octopus, gilthead bream, painted comber, salema, red starfish and flabellina; on the rock, damselfish, whose young are electric blue, black sea urchin, golden sponge and beadlet anemone; on the sand, white seabream, red mullet, sea cucumber and weever fish.
Watch out for that last one: the guide points out that the weever has a venomous spine and that, buried in the sand, it shows only its eyes. And during dives in the park it is forbidden to touch, remove or disturb plants, animals or archaeological remains.
Kit and safety
The park's list: mask, snorkel and fins; surface buoy; thermal and sun protection; and a camera, if you like. On safety, four rules: always go with someone, assess the state of the sea, avoid leaving the bathing area if possible and call 112 in an emergency.
In the park, boats may not exceed 5 knots within 300 metres of the shore, and the coastal law lowers the limit to 3 knots within 50 metres. That does not make a swimmer visible: what a boat can see is the buoy.
The state of the sea on the cape depends a great deal on the wind. What to do on tramontana days is in the tramontana guide.
Checked
Details checked in October 2026 with: the Parc Natural de Cap de Creus (frequently asked questions on marine regulation; page and guide «Itineraris d'immersió lleugera»; Es Caials route poster; summer 2026 «Activitats marines» leaflet) and the Govern de la Generalitat (first edition of the route guide, 2023).
Quick questions
Where can you snorkel in Cadaqués?
The park's route in Cadaqués is Es Caials, 2 km on foot, with two routes of 363 and 500 metres. Boats pass through Portlligat: if you swim there, stay close to the shore and carry a buoy.
Do you need a permit to snorkel on Cap de Creus?
Not on your own. If it is run by an organisation that is not an authorised dive centre, it may need authorisation or prior notice depending on the number of people.
What fish can you see snorkelling on Cap de Creus?
According to the park's guide, salema, damselfish, gilthead bream, painted comber, white seabream and saddled seabream, plus octopus, red starfish and sea urchins. Watch out for the weever fish, which has a venomous spine.