Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on May 2, 2021
Located at the foot of Cap de Creus lighthouse, Cala Jugadora is a superb rocky cove with crystal clear waters, protected by a marine reserve. While exploring its seagrass meadows and rocky drop-offs, you will encounter combers, starfish, seabreams and sometimes small moray eels. Great snorkeling awaits if you are visiting Cap de Creus Natural Park!
Cala Jugadora is located in the Cap de Creus Natural Park, in northern Costa Brava. From Cadaqués, the nearest town, follow the signs of the Cap de Creus lighthouse (8km, 20 minutes by car).
About 600m before arriving at the lighthouse, you will see from the road Cala Jugadora (on your right) and Cala Culip (on your left). A parking lot has been set up right before the last ascent to the lighthouse, but there are very few spaces.
Once parked, walk down into the cove following one of the small paths in the slope (10 minutes). For hikers, it is possible to reach Cala Jugadora on foot from Cadaqués (or Portlligat) by following the Camino de Ronda coastal walk. The walking time is approximately 1.5 hours.
Cala Culip, also famous for snorkeling, is located just across the road, about a 15-minute walk from Cala Jugadora.
You can enter the water from one of the two small beaches of the cove (see map), or from the surrounding rocks.
You can snorkel all over the cove, where the seabed is made of rocks, sand tongues and Posidonia meadows. If the shallows near the beaches offer great sightings (salema, ornate wrasse, painted comber, blennies), we particularly recommend to follow the western edge of the cove until the “pass” located between the coast and the small rocky islet (see map).
At the foot of the drop-off, in the scree, you will readily spot combers (which can be easily approached), sargo, and sometimes small moray eels. By scanning the walls, you certainly find the red starfish that live here.
Near the “pass”, there are large sargo, saddled seabream and two-banded seabream which come and go as the waves move (do not enter this area if the sea is rough), creating a magical atmosphere.
Two restaurants are located at the Cap de Creus lighthouse. Otherwise, you’ll find in Cadaqués, a 20-minute drive from Cala Jugadora, a number of restaurants, supermarkets and accommodation fitting all budgets.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
