Planning a day trip from Tossa de Mar to the white-washed village of Cadaqués and the wild landscape of Cap de Creus? It's one of the most rewarding journeys on the Costa Brava, but it's also one of the most logistically demanding. Let's be clear: this is a full-day expedition. The drive from Tossa to Cadaqués is 122 km each way, taking at least 1 hour and 40 minutes without traffic. A round trip will consume over three and a half hours of your day. To make it work, you must be disciplined — depart Tossa de Mar no later than 08:00. Your reward for the early start? Seeing Salvador Dalí's surreal home-turned-museum in Portlligat, getting lost in the impossibly beautiful labyrinth of Cadaqués' old town , and standing at the "end of the world" on the lunar-like peninsula of Cap de Creus . It is, without question, one of the best day trips from Tossa de Mar, but it requires planning. The final 15 km into Cadaqués are on the GI-614, a classic single mountain-pass road. It's a winding descent with a steep gradient, a narrow track, and numerous blind corners. Standard passenger cars like a Fiat Panda or Opel Corsa handle it fine, but large SUVs such as an Audi Q7, vans like the Fiat Scudo, and motorhomes will struggle immensely. Take it slow, stay in your lane, and use a lower gear for engine braking on the way down to save your brakes. Once you arrive, parking is straightforward because there is essentially only one large, centrally-located option. Saba Riera Sant Vicenç (Paraje de la Riera de Sant Vincenç s/n, 17489, Cadaqués) €2.45 per hour (expect to pay €10–15 for a solid visit) 2.4-metre maximum height In July and August, this car park fills up. If you arrive after 10:30, you may be turned away. It's a 5-minute walk from the main coastal promenade. The Cap de Creus lighthouse sits about 8 km from the centre of Cadaqués (roughly 5.6 km if you start from Portlligat), at the easternmost tip of mainland Spain. The connecting road is a narrow, single-track park lane with blind bends, so the short hop takes about 20 minutes each way by car when access is open — budget 25–30 minutes in peak-summer traffic. ~8 km from Cadaqués town centre (~5.6 km from Portlligat) Drive time: ~20 minutes each way on the single-track lighthouse road a small car park sits at the lighthouse; turnover is quick but it fills fast in peak hours for most of the day in high season you cannot drive this final stretch at all — read the access restrictions below before you set out. This is the most important information on this page. To protect the fragile ecosystem, there is a near-total ban on private vehicle access to the Cap de Creus lighthouse and surrounding coves during peak season. Ignoring these rules will result in an automated €200 fine. From June 22 to September 11, 2026 A total ban on private vehicles (cars, motorcycles, any vehicle with 4+ wheels) from entering the final section of the park road The restriction is active daily from 10:00 to 17:00 The Solution: Drive to the designated Corral d'en Morell transit hub (located just outside Cadaqués on the road to the cape) and park there Shuttle Bus: A shuttle runs from Corral d'en Morell to the lighthouse with a 40-minute frequency Adult Fare (14–65): €7 round trip Child/Senior Fare: €5 round trip Overnight Ban: A separate rule bans parking in any of the Natural Park's coves between 00:00 and 06:00, year-round The distance can catch you out. A standard car rental from a local provider like Olimpia Rent a Car often has a 300 km/day mileage cap. Here's the math: Tossa de Mar → Cadaqués: 122 km Cadaqués → Corral d'en Morell (Cap de Creus shuttle point) and back: ~10 km Cadaqués → Tossa de Mar: 122 km Total: ~254 km This leaves very little margin for detours or wrong turns. Exceeding the cap can be costly (€0.35/km overage). Compare unlimited-mileage car hire options to avoid overage charges on long day trips. There are no petrol stations on the main roads between Lloret de Mar and Cadaqués. Your last chance is Tossa, or you'll have to divert to towns like La Bisbal or Palafrugell. The last reliable and often cheaper station is in Figueres on the N-II. Plan A: Fill up at E.S. Tossa (diesel approx. €1.489/L) before you leave Plan B: Run on your current tank and refuel in Figueres on the way home If the drive, parking, and restrictions seem too stressful, the Sarfa (Moventis) bus company runs services from Girona and Figueres directly to Cadaqués.