Illes Medes

Forty years of marine reserve protection have transformed this volcanic archipelago off L'Estartit into the Mediterranean's most vivid demonstration of what happens when the sea is left alone. The groupers are the proof — large, tame, curious individuals present at virtually every site from the shallows to the deep walls.

A boat ride of 5 to 25 minutes reaches 21 named dive sites spanning every style: circumnavigation dives along gorgonian-covered walls at Carall Bernat and Les Ferranelles, the 30-metre tunnel through Meda Gran at La Vaca, Dofí's cathedral-like air chambers with red coral and lobsters, and deep walls at Pedra de Déu and Pota de Llop dropping beyond 45 metres through fields of blue and yellow gorgonians. Even the gentler Montgrí coast sites — Punta Salina, Negre del Falaguer — deliver reliable encounters at depths any Open Water diver can manage.

The geology drives it all: seven limestone islets extending the Montgrí massif into the sea, their underwater faces carved into tunnels, caves, and vertical walls. Nutrient-rich waters from the Ter river mouth feed the biological engine — gorgonian gardens, red coral colonies, and sponge communities coating every surface. The El Reggio wreck, a 115-metre ferry scuttled in 1991, adds an artificial reef dimension at 35 metres.

The daily diver limit shapes every visit — book in advance, especially for summer weekends and popular sites like Carall Bernat or La Vaca. Your dive center handles the park permit (5.15 EUR) and mandatory ecobriefing before each dive. Bring your certification card and proof of dive insurance.

Currents can be significant at exposed sites; your center reads conditions daily and adjusts the plan accordingly. Eight centers operate in L'Estartit, from veterans like Unisub (founded 1965) to family operations, so finding one that matches your level and language is straightforward. The main season runs April to November, with some centers offering winter dives by arrangement.

Extension of the Montgrí limestone massif submerging into the Mediterranean. Seven main islets and smaller rocks with underwater tunnels, caves, vertical walls, and rocky slopes. Nutrient-rich waters from the Ter river mouth support extraordinary biodiversity.