What to see from the sea between Palamós and Begur: lighthouses, castles and towers
Between Palamós and Begur the coast holds more than 2,500 years of history, and much of it is best seen from the water: Iberian settlements on the headlands, a medieval castle turned farmhouse, watchtowers built against pirates and lighthouses that still guide sailors. This is the route from south to north, just as you will find it on leaving Port Marina Palamós.
The route, from south to north
Palamós and the Punta del Molí lighthouse
As you leave the harbour you pass the Palamós lighthouse, known as the Punta del Molí lighthouse because it once stood in an isolated spot with a windmill; today it has been swallowed up by the town. In 1277 King Peter II the Great bought the castle of Sant Esteve de Mar and its lands, and founded the harbour and the town here.
The castle of Sant Esteve de Mar
Rounding the point, La Fosca comes into view and, on the cliff that separates it from Cala s’Alguer, what remains of the castle. It is first mentioned in 1063, although a Roman villa and an Iberian settlement stood there before it. It was almost destroyed in the Remença wars (the 15th-century peasant revolts), and between the 16th and 17th centuries a farmhouse was built using part of its walls, which also served as a lookout for approaching pirates.
The fishermen’s huts of Cala s’Alguer
The fishermen’s huts of s’Alguer, listed as a Bé Cultural d’Interès Nacional (Catalonia’s highest heritage protection), make this one of the most unusual coves on the coast, according to the official harbour guide. We describe it in the coves route from Palamós.
The Iberian settlement of Castell
On the promontory that closes off Castell beach to the north lie the remains of a settlement of the Indigetes, the local Iberian people. It began around the 6th century BC with a few huts, reached its peak in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC as a fortified enclosure with terraced houses, and was abandoned from the 1st century AD onwards. It is listed as a Bé Cultural d’Interès Nacional.
Cap Roig and its gardens
Beyond Castell begins the protected area of Castell–Cap Roig, with reddish cliffs and pine trees. On top of Cap Roig stand the castle and gardens that the Russian colonel Nicolai Woevodsky and the English aristocrat Dorothy Webster began creating in 1927: around 20 hectares with some 800 plant species, now looked after by the Fundació ‘la Caixa’ and home every summer to the Cap Roig Festival.
The Illes Formigues and their lighthouse
Just under a mile out to sea, off the points of Castell and Cap de Planes, four islets and twelve reefs with barely any vegetation break the surface. On the Formiga Gran there is a white flashing light which, according to the harbour guide, has a range of six miles. This was the scene of the naval battle of the Formigues in 1285: the fleet of the Crown of Aragon, commanded by Roger de Llúria, halted the French and Genoese fleet of Philip III of France at night. According to the same guide, they lit bonfires on the islets to make it look as though there were more ships. More in the trip to the Formigues.
Calella de Palafrugell and Les Voltes
Calella is instantly recognisable: boats pulled up on the sand, white houses and the bell tower among red roofs. Facing Port Bo beach stand Les Voltes, four white buildings with arcades open to the sea, where fishermen auctioned their catch and mended their nets. The neighbourhood dates from the 18th century and is listed as a Bé Cultural d’Interès Nacional.
Llafranc and the Sant Sebastià complex
Llafranc, with its marina, shelters beneath the Sant Sebastià headland. Up on top, several eras come together:
- An Iberian settlement of the Indigetes, inhabited between the 5th and 2nd centuries BC.
- A 15th-century watchtower, about 165 metres above the sea, built against corsairs and pirates.
- A hermitage and a hostelry from the early 18th century, the result of a vow made by Palafrugell after the plague of 1650.
- The lighthouse, first lit in 1857. Palafrugell Town Council describes it as the most powerful on the Catalan coast.
The route up to here is in Calella and Llafranc by boat.
Tamariu and the Cova d’en Gispert
Beyond the lighthouse there are no villages until Tamariu, a small bay sheltered from the tramontana (the strong northerly) by its high northern shore. Further north lie Aigua Xelida, a cleft between rock walls, and the Cova d’en Gispert, about 150 metres long, which according to the harbour guide is the longest sea cave on the Costa Brava; it is visited by kayak, not by boat. We cover this stretch in detail in Palafrugell and Tamariu by boat.
Aiguablava and the Parador
The Begur coast begins at Aiguablava. On the cliff of Punta d’es Mut, among the pines and overlooking the beach, stands the Parador d’Aiguablava. Next to the cove, the Fornells area has a small harbour for boats up to 5.5 metres.
Cap de Begur and the hidden castle
Cap de Begur, about a hundred metres high with an aerial on top, stands out from afar; the guide names it, along with the Sant Sebastià lighthouse, as the main landmark for navigating this stretch. The village of Begur, on the other hand, cannot be seen from the sea: it sits about 200 metres above sea level, behind the castle hill, which hides it from the coast as a defence against piracy. The castle, documented from the 11th century, was destroyed by French troops in 1468 and 1694, and what little remained was blown up in 1810, during the Peninsular War. The five 16th- and 17th-century defence towers the village still has can only be seen by going up on land. The coves of the area are in Begur by boat.
Distances, times and boats
- Illes Formigues: about 2.5 miles.
- Llafranc: 4.5 miles, according to the harbour guide.
- Tamariu: about 6 miles.
- Aiguablava: about 7.3 miles.
By motorboat, at 15–20 knots, Aiguablava is about 20–30 minutes away without stops; with stops, it makes a full-day outing. By llaüt, at 5–6 knots, the trip out alone takes nearly an hour and a half.
To get as far as Begur, the Nuva M6 Open (8 people, 150 hp) can be skippered with the Licencia de Navegación (the basic Spanish boating licence) and starts at 362 € a day; for groups of up to 11, the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9.0 CC, with or without a skipper, from 764 €. As far as Calella, a llaüt such as the Majoni 30 ‘Capvesprol’, fuel included, starts at 220 €. Prices per boat, VAT included, higher in July and August; on motorboats fuel is usually extra.
From 1 October 2026 you need at least the Licencia de Navegación to skipper a rental boat yourself, and some boats require more. If your licence is from another European Economic Area country or the United Kingdom, it is normally valid; check with us before booking. Without a licence, go out with a skipper.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go ashore to see the monuments?
The usual plan is to see them from the water and swim while anchored on sand, never on Posidonia (seagrass). The monuments are best visited by land. If you want to go ashore, ask us first.
Can you do it in a llaüt?
As far as Calella and Llafranc, yes: a little under an hour each way. As far as Begur, most of the day is spent sailing.
Which winds are best avoided?
The tramontana and the levante (easterly) make this stretch uncomfortable. In summer the garbí (a south-westerly breeze) usually picks up from midday, and the return to Palamós is bumpier than the way out.
Tell us via the contact page which day you want to go out and how many of you there are, and we will suggest a boat and a route.