Port de la Selva - Cala Fornells

This is an 8-km hike along the coast of the Cap de Creus natural park, the first maritime-terrestrial natural park in Catalonia and an area of outstanding beauty. The trail passes through stunning mountainous landscape and crystal-clear coves, perfect for a stop to snorkel.

Starting from the main beach of Port de la Selva, this time head south instead of north. After passing by the harbour, you’ll find the first two little beaches just outside the village. Keep walking, and you’ll reach a viewpoint. From there, the views of the village’s white houses and the lighthouse are lovely.

The hike continues along the coast, with views of the Mediterranean sea on the left side and views of stunning houses on the right. Once the houses finish, it’s time to step into the wilderness! Here starts the Cap de Creus natural park.

The first cove you’ll spot from the walking path is Cala Tamariua. Take a moment to enjoy the combination of colours: the water’s turquoise, the mountain’s dark greens, and the sand’s bright brown. What a wonderful postcard!

After this cove, the track unwinds through the mountain, going up and down along the coast. The views are spectacular all along. The water was so clear when we were there that we could even spot an octopus from the trail!

One km after the first cove, you’ll stumble upon the second one: Cala Cativa. This is a small rocky cave with emerald waters and surrounded by mountains. No showers, no xiringuito, no music… the feeling of wilderness here is noticeable!

The last stop from the hike is not far, one more km hiking. The cove Cala Fornells is bigger than Cala Cativa, and it’s a beautiful spot for resting, eating a picnic, and snorkelling. You can look for fish, octopus, and starfish, usually found on the rocks. Sadly, the day we were there, we couldn’t enjoy a swim here as the rain started pouring all over us 10 mins after reaching the beach!

Luckily, the rain didn’t last long. On the way back, which follows the same path, we stopped at Cala Tamariua for a refreshing swim before heading back to civilisation.