The Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park, which straddles the regions of Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà, is a specially protected area because of its environmental, scenic, historical and cultural value, and it covers an extensive area of great ecological value.Although the park as such was not officially created until 2010, the area, particularly the Medes Islands, had already received recognition much earlier from the scientific community and from the administration itself.
The area’s diversity of scenery becomes patent as we go southwards down the coast from L’Escala, first passing the high cliffs, headlands, coves, islets and sea caves of Muntanya Gran and Puig Torró, until, once past the Medes Islands, the coast opens into the large basin formed by the beaches of L’Estartit, Fonollera, El Grau and Pals.
In the background, presiding over the land’s horizon, the Montgrí massif, crowned with its medieval castle, towers 300 metres above the plain and marshes created by the river mouth, and the sandy dunes formed by the tramuntana and levanter winds between the beach and the wetlands.