Cap de Santes Creus-Litoral Meridional Tarragoní Protected Natural Area

This area is one of the best examples of the rocky coastline of southern Catalonia. It consists of a narrow stretch of land between Cap de Santes Creus and the north of Cap Roig, with remarkable wildlife and landscapes, representative of the Tarragona coast which runs from Salou to L’Ampolla.

The cape Cap de Santes Creus is an area located just to the south of Ametlla de Mar, in the southern part of the Catalonia coastline. This is a typical coastal environment and perhaps one of the best examples of the rocky coastline of southern Catalonia. It is one of the most important attractions of the Costa Daurada and a significant landmark for the municipality of Ametlla de Mar.

It consists of a narrow stretch of land between Cap de Santes Creus and the north of Cap Roig, which borders on the inland side with dry farming crops that are typical in this area of coastal maquis, as well as infrastructural elements such as the railway line, roads, buildings, etc. The coastal threshold of this area is still relatively unspoilt with remarkable wildlife and landscapes, representative of the Tarragona coast which runs from Salou to L'Ampolla.

Interesting features: This area maintains one of the most well-conserved examples of the original landscape of the Costa Daurada, despite the changes that have taken place, boasting great morphological variety and unique features such as the lake harbour. The meadows of Neptune grass (Zostera, Cymodocea, Posidonia) and algae (Caulerpa) are highly interesting and form a wealthy ecosystem on the soft sea bed. In the submerged part, we can highlight the communities of marine rocks, the small samples of psammophile vegetation in the coves and the halophile vegetation at the mouth of the torrents. Species of great interest such as the Valencia toothcarp and the endemic beetle Dendarus schusteri live here. This uneven coastline with small coves and low cliffs, as well as the active erosion of softer areas, boasts unique features such as the coastal outcrops with their quaternary fossils.