Nature guide
Aiguamolls: flamingos an hour from the beaches.
Between the last Pyrenees foothills and the Gulf of Roses lies one of the great wetlands of the Mediterranean: 300 bird species, hides for everyone and the great autumn migration.
The park and its flamingos
The Aiguamolls de l'Emporda are Catalonia's second largest wetland, between the Fluvia and Muga rivers. Flamingos have bred here for two decades: visible almost all year from the Europa lagoon hides, without expensive photography binoculars.
The three essential hides
The main mirador (next to the El Cortalet information centre), the Europe lagoon tower and the Vilaüt lagoon hides for waders. Golden rule: arrive in the first hour of the morning, when the light hits sideways and birds feed.
What to see each season
Spring (April-June): bittern chicks, herons and harriers. Summer: purple heron and bee-eaters. Autumn (September-October): the great migration, thousands of birds heading to Africa. Winter: geese, ducks and the first vultures.
Getting there and when
The main access (El Cortalet) is 10 minutes from Castello d Empuries and 15 from Roses and Figueres. Cheap entry; the centre opens 9:00-18:00 in season. The perfect combo: a bird morning and a beach afternoon in Empuriabrava or Sant Pere Pescador.