Skydive Empuriabrava

Skydive Empuriabrava — 'The Land of the Sky' — is one of the most storied dropzones in the world and a bucket-list jump for US skydivers visiting Europe. Sitting on the Costa Brava in Catalonia, about 150 km north of Barcelona, it overlooks the Gulf of Roses and Cap de Creus, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop on every jump.

The aerodrome was founded in 1973 and took the Skydive Empuriabrava name in 1985. Its founders were early champions of AFF (Accelerated Freefall) in Europe, which helped make it the largest skydiving school in the world. It gained international fame around the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and has since logged more than 2.8 million jumps — among the highest totals of any dropzone anywhere — hosting countless world records, championships and boogies.

The fleet is one of Europe's largest and most capable: a Pilatus Porter, two Twin Otters and a Beech 99, exiting from roughly 14,000+ ft. The centre runs year-round (closing about two weeks each January) thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate, serving everyone from first-time tandem jumpers to world-champion fun jumpers, with an on-site wind tunnel, gear rental, and a spectator terrace overlooking the action.