Spain – Catalonia (Costa Brava, Medes Islands, Costa Daurada)

The Catalan coast has Mediterranean temperate diving with rock walls, caves and gorgonians. Cap de Creus Natural Park in the north has pinnacles such as El Gat at Cap Norfeu and the Cala Montjoi sites, and is dived only through authorised centres or with prior notice. The Medes Islands off L'Estartit are a protected reserve with tunnels (La Vaca, Dofí), walls and groupers, dived through authorised centres with a daily quota, while the Montgrí coast adds cove and cave dives and the Reggio Messina train-ferry wreck. Further south, the Illes Formigues, Furió Fitó and the Boreas wreck are the Begur–Palamós highlights, Tossa and Lloret offer easy shore and boat dives, and Tarragona has the La Dragonera wreck in an underwater park. Sites were verified from park pages, dive-centre sites and dive guides; positions are estimates.

Facts

Best season: A guide says March to December is the diving season, best July to September but crowded in late July and August; book early where daily diver quotas apply
Medes Islands reserve: Diving is regulated: only authorised centres, daily quota, mandatory conservation briefing; the park publishes the authorised list
Cap de Creus park: Authorised centres only (private divers must notify the park); introductory courses and baptisms not allowed in the no-fishing sectors; night diving needs authorisation
Visibility: Visibility can exceed 25 m on summer days at the Medes; the Reggio Messina wreck is usually 5–15 m

Season

Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Acceptable: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
Water temperature: 13–24 °C

One guide gives March to December as the diving season, best July to September (August is crowded); summer visibility at the Medes can exceed 25 m. Divernet says the water does not drop below 13 °C in the first three months and reaches 24 °C in August; diving is possible all year.

Dive sites (29)

Cap de Creus & Roses

Bau del Cap Trencat – 12–34 m, intermediate
El Gat (Cap Norfeu) – 40 m, intermediate
Illa Messina – 12–35 m, intermediate
Melchuca wreck (Cala Montjoi) – 5–17 m, beginner
Punta de la Creu (Cap Norfeu) – intermediate

Central Costa Brava (Begur–Palamós–Tossa–Lloret)

Boreas wreck (Palamós) – 25–32 m, intermediate
Els Ullastres – intermediate
Furió Fitó – 14–26 m, advanced
Illes Formigues – 10–50 m, advanced
La Mar Menuda (Tossa de Mar) – 12–32 m, beginner
Roca Muladera (Lloret de Mar) – 0–25 m, beginner

L'Escala, Medes & L'Estartit

Cala Calella (Montgrí) – 6–30 m, beginner
Cala Ferriol (Illa Ferriol tunnel) – 12–25 m, beginner
Cala Pedrosa & Illa Pedrosa tunnel – 18–24 m, intermediate
Cala Viuda caves – 20 m, intermediate
Carall Bernat – 6–50 m, intermediate
Dofí Nord (Meda Petita) – 5–30 m, intermediate
Dofí Sud (Meda Petita) – 15–25 m, intermediate
El Marmoler wreck – 32–42 m, advanced
El Salpatxot – Guix – 5–18 m, beginner
Els Tascons (Tascó Gros / Tascó Petit) – intermediate
La Vaca – 15–25 m, intermediate
Les Ferranelles – 8–18 m, beginner
Pedra de Déu – 45 m, advanced
Pota del Llop – 50 m, advanced
Punta del Bau (L'Escala) – 12–22 m, intermediate
Punta Salines – 3–28 m, beginner
Reggio Messina wreck – 23–35 m, advanced

Barcelona–Tarragona

La Dragonera wreck (Parc Subaquàtic de Tarragona) – 14–24 m, intermediate

Operators (13)

Calypso Diving Estartit – dive centre, L'Estartit
Unisub Estartit – dive centre, L'Estartit
Costa Brava Divers – dive centre, L'Estartit
Diving Center La Sirena – dive centre, L'Estartit
Orca Diving Centre – dive centre, L'Escala
Roses Sub Dive Center – dive centre, Roses (fishing port)
Cadaqués Divers – dive centre, Cadaqués
Sotamar Diving Center – dive centre, Cadaqués
Begur Dive – dive centre, Aiguablava (Begur)
H2O Diving Center Palamós – dive centre, Port Esportiu Marina, Palamós
TossaDivers – dive centre, Cala Mar Menuda, Tossa de Mar
Kraken Dive – dive centre, Platja Mar Menuda, Tossa de Mar
Subkro – dive centre, Tarragona (near Platja del Miracle)

Routes (4)

Site positions are estimates from place names and maps and are for orientation only, never for navigation. Medes Islands and Cap de Creus have permit and quota rules; dive with an authorised local centre and check current rules.