The destination
Welcome to the Ebro Delta, Biosphere Reserve
If you were looking down from space, you would find it difficult to miss this region in summer. A green triangle, flanked by two bays, pierces the intense blue of the Mediterranean to break up this golden, sun-drenched coastline. The waters of the Ebro River give rise to a minor miracle of nature.
But viewed from the sea, its beauty is concealed by the delta, the mouth of the Ebro River. Flat as a pancake, the region really needs to be seen up close; only then can you appreciate its fine sand dunes and the lighthouses that characterise its alluvial deposits. The sudden change in colour of the sea from blue to green marks the transition from fresh to salt water.
Fortunately, the Serra del Montsià mountain range is nearby. This imposing, 750-metre high chain, which features horizontal ridges, provides the area’s best vantage point. It also overlooks la Ràpita, which is home to the region’s largest marina and a water sports centre. The town is located about halfway between Barcelona and Valencia.
90 nm separate it from the marinas in Barcelona, capital of the prosperous region of Catalonia. 80 nm in the opposite direction lies Valencia, which hosted the 2007 America’s Cup and remains an important city for sailing sports at international level. In both directions, numerous marinas and harbours are dotted along the coastline, where fishing and leisure boats have their own separate areas.
Get to know the territory through of nautical sports
This booklet is the first to focus on water sports in the Ebro Delta region and the surrounding area, from Calafat in the north to Las Fuentes, near Alcossebre, in the south.
It also contains information about a remarkable group of islets called the Columbretes Islands. 30 nm off the coast, volcanic remains form an exceptional area for deep-sea diving and snorkelling, with around a dozen mooring buoys for boats.
Each year, the region around the Ebro Delta, where the Costa Daurada meets the Costa del Azahar, serves as an up-market springboard for exploring the neighbouring Balearic Islands. Numerous sailors and recreational boaters set sail from here to visit Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca, Spain’s most important area for water sports. And what could be easier than a stop at the Columbretes Islands en route?