Cap de Creus

The Cap de Creus [ kab də kɾɛws ] ( in Spanish Cabo de Creus ) forming the easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula. It lies on a peninsula that extends far beyond 10 km in the Mediterranean Sea. This fall the foothills of the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean, with the highest point of the peninsula, the Sant Salvador Saverdera 670 m, rises above sea level. The Cap de Creus forms the northern boundary of the Gulf of Roses on the Costa Brava North, it borders Roses and El Port de la Selva and includes the towns of Cadaqués and Port Lligat.

Natural Park of Cap de Creus

The Cap de Creus peninsula was declared by the Law 4/1998 for the Protection of the Cap de Creus Natural Park in 1998. The total area of the nature park is 13,886 ha, with 3,073 ha of water and 10,813 hectares of land area protected. To the protected sea area includes the areas Cap Gros, Punta de Cap de Creus Cap and Norfeu.

The scenery at Cap de Creus was marked by the erosion of the north winds, so some bizarre rock formations were created. The rock consists of pegmatite and schist.

In the Natural Park of Cap de Creus is the medieval monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, in which an information center is housed on the nature reserve.

Flora and Fauna

At Cap de Creus endemic species of plants like the beach Lilac ( Limonium geronense ). Also grow at the Cape Tree Spurge and Spine tragacanth and Neptune grass as aquatic plant. The animals living here include the Mediterranean tree frog ( Hyla meridionalis ), the shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis ) and grouper ( Epinephelus guaza ).

The Lighthouse

The tip of the cape is the Punta de Cap de Creus with a lighthouse. It was inaugurated in 1853 and is located 78 m above the sea and lit 34 nautical miles.

Next to the lighthouse is a former police barracks, which served to seaward border surveillance. Today is located in this building a restaurant.

Activities

The Natural Park of Cap Creus of is a popular area for walking. Here the GR 11, which crosses the Pyrenees to the Atlantic coast begins. The GR 92.1 leads from Palau -saverdera through all villages up to the Cape.

The lake area at Cap de Creus is a popular diving area under recreational divers. Due to the rocky landscape, most dive sites are reached by boat from Cadaqués, Roses, El Port de la Selva or Port Lligat, there are few places an entry from land is possible.

Gallery

Lighthouse and Catalan flag

Rocky coast at Cap

New Lighthouse

West side of the rock El Gat at Cap Norfeu