L’Estartit: Boat Trip to the Medes Islands and the NP Caves

The best part of this L’Estartit boat trip is the old Nuria itself. Built on L’Estartit beach in 1942, this small Catalan fishing boat carries only 20 people, giving you a close-up ride to the Medes Islands, sea caves, and quiet coves. I like the glass-bottom viewing panels and the way the boat gets inside one of the caves when sea conditions permit.

I also like the short, well-priced format. At $28 for 1.5 hours, you get a compact taste of the Montgrí Natural Park without giving up half a day. The main consideration is that the trip is more scenic cruise than full guided nature tour. You may get useful commentary in Catalan, English, Spanish, or French, but some departures offer little spoken explanation.

Key points at a glance

• Historic boat: The Nuria was built in 1942 as a Catalan fishing boat and now carries a small group of up to 20 people.
• Glass-bottom panels: Look down from your seat to watch marine life around the Medes Islands and the Natural Park.
• Cave passage: The pilot may take the boat inside one of the sea caves, a particularly memorable part of the cruise.
• Seasonal swim: A 10-minute swim may be offered from June into September when weather and sea conditions allow.
• Short and affordable: The 1.5-hour route costs $28 per person, making it easy to fit into a day in L’Estartit.
• Multilingual service: Live guiding is available in Catalan, English, Spanish, and French, though the amount of commentary can vary.

Setting out from L’Estartit on the Nuria

You meet the boat at the Port de l’Estartit, at the beginning of the harbor. Follow Passeig Marítim toward the end of the promenade. After a small playground and the last information kiosk, turn right into the harbor and walk past the fishing boats. Look for a white board marked BARCA NURIA in red.

The meeting point is simple once you know what to seek, but the harbor is not the place to wander around hoping the boat finds you. I would arrive with enough time to locate the dock calmly, then be ready 15 minutes before departure as requested.

The Nuria gives this trip a character that a larger modern boat cannot match. It was built on the beach at L’Estartit in 1942, and its fishing-boat design connects the ride to the working maritime life of the Costa Brava. This is not a large sightseeing vessel with rows of seats and a loud onboard setup. The limit of 20 passengers keeps the outing personal and gives you a better chance of seeing the scenery without a crowd in front of you.

The small size has one tradeoff. A traditional boat can feel more exposed to the sea than a big vessel, especially when there is swell. One departure continued in choppy water and was still enjoyable, but you should not expect every ride to feel perfectly smooth.

Cruising the Montgrí Natural Park

Once the Nuria leaves the port, the trip turns into a scenic run along the Montgrí Natural Park. The route includes views of the rocky coast, coves, and openings in the cliffs, with several places suited to a quick photograph.

This is the kind of outing where the changing angle matters. From the port, you first get the broad coastal view. As the boat moves closer to the cliffs, the shore becomes more about rock walls, small inlets, and dark cave entrances. The water is the main attraction, but keep looking toward the coast as well. The route is designed to show how the land meets the sea from a position you cannot reach on foot.

The boat may pause near notable points for photos and visits. The schedule is not built around long walks or extended stops. Instead, you see a string of coastal sights during a continuous cruise, which keeps the pace lively but gives you limited time at any one place.

That distinction matters when you choose this trip. If you want a relaxed water outing with many views in a short period, the timing works well. If you prefer to sit in one cove for an hour, snorkel at leisure, or explore the shore on foot, this is not that kind of excursion.

Entering the sea caves

The caves are among the strongest reasons to book this particular route. The pilot can guide the Nuria into one of the openings, allowing you to see the rock from inside rather than simply passing it offshore.

The experience depends on the sea. A calm day gives the boat more freedom to approach the cave entrances, while wind and swell can limit the route. One particularly impressive outing included the boat going inside a cave, with the pilot handling the passage confidently. That skill is part of the fun, but it also explains why the exact route cannot be guaranteed in every condition.

Inside a cave, the view changes quickly. The open Mediterranean light gives way to shadow, and the water echoes against the rock. You will want your camera ready, though a wide view of the boat and cave entrance may be easier to capture than a sharp photograph in the darker interior.

The cave visit is brief rather than a long stop. Think of it as a close encounter during the cruise, not a full cave exploration. The Nuria remains on the water, and the boat then continues along the coast toward more coves and viewpoints.

Looking through the glass bottom

Glass panels are placed in the floor in front of the passenger seats. This means you can watch the water without leaning over the side, a useful feature for children and for anyone who wants a calmer way to see below the boat.

The view depends on sunlight, water clarity, the boat’s position, and how long the Nuria remains in one spot. You might see fish and other marine life around the Medes Islands, but this is not a dedicated snorkeling session with a long viewing period. The boat keeps moving between the caves, coves, and islands.

One useful improvement would be longer pauses over the clearest marine areas. The underwater views are a welcome part of the ride, yet the cruise gives equal weight to the coast and the caves. If marine life is your main goal, keep your expectations measured. You will get glimpses through the glass panels rather than a sustained study of the sea floor.

Still, the glass bottom adds real value to a short boat trip. Without it, the outing would be mainly a coastal sightseeing cruise. With it, you get a second view below the surface and a simple introduction to the protected waters around the Medes Islands.

Seeing the Medes Islands from the water

The Medes Islands are the main natural attraction on the route. The boat lets you view the islands from offshore and look for marine life through the glass panels as the Nuria cruises nearby.

The islands are best understood from the water. A boat gives you changing views of their rocky edges and puts the clear Mediterranean below your seat. The route combines surface scenery with underwater viewing, so the Medes section feels like more than a standard pass-by.

You should also expect a sightseeing stop rather than a long island visit. The published duration is only 1.5 hours, and the boat returns to the Espigó de Llevant at the end. There is no indication that you leave the Nuria for an extended walk on the islands.

For a first look at the area, that is enough. You can see a major coastal highlight, get photographs, and learn how the protected marine area looks from a small local boat. If you want to spend a whole morning around the islands, a longer marine activity would be a better match.

The summer swim stop

When conditions allow, the trip includes a 10-minute swim in clear water near the Montgrí Natural Park. The advertised season begins in June and runs into September, with the exact start and end dates worth confirming before you book. Another schedule note places swimming from June 15 onward, so do not treat the swim as guaranteed for every early June departure.

The swim is a pleasant extra rather than the core of the trip. Ten minutes is enough for a quick dip and a look at the water from below, but not enough for a long snorkeling session. Weather and sea conditions can also cancel this part of the outing.

The swim stop can make the cruise feel more active, especially on a warm summer day. It also gives you a chance to experience the clear water instead of viewing it only through the boat panels. Bring the right attitude: you may get a short swim, but you are booking a sightseeing cruise first.

In spring and autumn, the focus shifts toward the coves and coastal scenery. The quieter feel of those seasons can suit you if you prefer a less summer-centered outing, though the swim is generally not the feature to count on outside the stated warm-weather period.

How much guiding will you get?

Live guiding is offered in Catalan, English, Spanish, and French. That language range is useful for an international audience, and French commentary has been especially appreciated on some departures. The guide may be pleasant and friendly, but the amount of information can vary.

You should not book this as a lecture about geology, marine biology, or local history. Some trips provide useful explanations throughout the cruise. Other outings feel closer to a boat ride with occasional information. One clear point of feedback from the experience is that passengers may not receive much formal guiding during the journey.

That is not necessarily a problem. The caves, islands, and sea views carry the outing, and some people prefer quiet scenery to constant narration. But if you want detailed facts at every stop, you may find the commentary too light.

I would choose your seat with both scenery and the glass panels in mind. The viewing windows are in the floor in front of the seats, so being able to look down comfortably matters. You also want a clear view outward for the caves and shoreline. With only 20 passengers, the boat has a more intimate feel, but every seat cannot offer the same angle at every moment.

Is $28 good value for 1.5 hours?

At $28 per person, the trip offers fair value if you want several coastal highlights in one short outing. You get the Nuria boat ride, the Montgrí coast, sea caves, the Medes Islands, glass-bottom viewing, and possibly a swim. That is a lot of variety for 90 minutes.

The value is strongest for people with limited time in L’Estartit. You can fit the cruise between other plans without committing to a full-day excursion. Families may also appreciate the straightforward format, since the boat offers scenery, marine life, and a possible swim without requiring a long hike.

The price is less compelling if you expect a long guided tour or a serious snorkeling experience. The swim lasts about 10 minutes, and the underwater viewing can be brief as the boat moves along. You are paying for access to the coast from a historic small boat, not for equipment-heavy water sports or an extended wildlife session.

Weather is also part of the value equation. Calm conditions may allow a more attractive cave route and the swim stop. Rougher water can still produce a memorable ride, but it may shorten or change parts of the experience. The operator offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve without paying immediately, which helps if your schedule or weather plans are uncertain.

Who will enjoy the Nuria most?

I would recommend this trip to you if you want:

• A short introduction to the Medes Islands and Montgrí coast
• A small boat rather than a large group cruise
• A historic, locally styled vessel
• Sea caves and coastal views without a long hike
• A possible summer swim
• A simple activity that works well for families and mixed-age groups
• Commentary in Catalan, English, Spanish, or French

You may want another option if your priority is extended snorkeling, detailed naturalist guiding, or a long stop on land. The Nuria is best for seeing several sights in one neat circuit, with the boat itself adding much of the charm.

The outing also suits you if you like a little uncertainty in a sea trip. The pilot may make the cave passage a highlight, but the exact route depends on conditions. On a day with swell, the ride can feel lively, and some stops may be shorter. That is part of taking a small traditional boat along an exposed coast.

Practical advice before you book

Allow time to find the dock at the port. The boat is beyond the last kiosk, after the small playground, and you are looking for the white BARCA NURIA sign in red. Arrive 15 minutes before departure so you are not rushing along the harbor.

Check the current swimming dates if that feature matters to you. The information places the swim from June into September, with one note specifying June 15, and it always depends on weather and sea conditions.

Think about the day’s water conditions. The boat trip can still be enjoyable with some swell, but a calm sea gives you a better chance of a smooth ride, clear glass-bottom views, and a close approach to the caves.

If you need detailed explanations, ask at booking about the guiding for your departure and preferred language. The listed languages are Catalan, English, Spanish, and French, but the experience can include less commentary than you expect.

Should you book the L’Estartit boat trip?

Book it if you want an affordable, compact cruise with genuine local character. The 1942 Nuria, the small 20-person group, the cave passage, and the glass-bottom panels make this more distinctive than a basic harbor ride. The Medes Islands and Montgrí coast give you plenty to see in 1.5 hours.

I would especially choose it for a first visit to L’Estartit, a family outing, or a free morning when you want views without a demanding activity. Just keep the limits in mind: guiding may be light, the swim is short and seasonal, and the route changes with the sea.

FAQ

Where does the boat trip leave from?

It leaves from Espigó de Llevant at the Port de l’Estartit. Follow Passeig Marítim to the end, pass the small playground and last information kiosk, then turn right into the harbor. The Nuria is beyond the fishing boats, marked by a white board with BARCA NURIA written in red.

How long is the boat trip?

The experience lasts 1.5 hours and returns to Espigó de Llevant.

How many people can ride on the Nuria?

The Nuria is a small boat limited to 20 passengers.

What languages are available?

Live guiding is available in Catalan, English, Spanish, and French.

Can I see underwater marine life?

Yes. Glass panels are placed in the floor in front of the seats so you can view the underwater world during the cruise, especially around the Medes Islands and the Natural Park.

Is swimming included?

A 10-minute swim may be offered from June into September, depending on the current schedule, weather, and sea conditions. One schedule note specifies June 15 as a possible starting date, so confirm before booking.

Does the boat enter the caves?

The pilot may take the Nuria inside one of the sea caves when conditions allow. The exact route depends on the weather and sea state.

How much does the boat trip cost?

The listed price is $28 per person. A boat tour is included, and you can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.