Roses is a seaside town in the Alt Empordà, south of Cap de Creus, and with the largest fishing fleet on Costa Brava.
The promenade at Roses, Costa Brava’s biggest fishing port. Photo by Michael Pfeiffer.
Roses is one of the most popular destinations on the Costa Brava. The town is well known for its history, beautiful beaches and its lively nightlife. There are also many great places to eat and drink in Roses, as well as plenty of shops and boutiques.
Strategically situated on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the town was probably founded by the Greeks in the 5th century BC. An important port during the Middle Ages, Roses was ruled by a number of different powers over the centuries. These days there is not much left of the old town, although the city wall dates back to the sixteenth century.
Roses is the only major seaside resort on the Costa Brava to face west, which affords visitors to Roses a view of the sunset over the northern Bay of Roses, which extends down to l’Escala in the south. Much of the local economy is derived from tourism, which has benefited recently from the use of the port for cruise ships to and from Barcelona. With easy access to sights such as Girona and the Dalí triangle (Portlligat, Figueres and Púbol) Roses is well situated for day trips.
There are many things to see and do in the area, including visiting the castle, exploring the old town, and taking a boat trip along the coast. Accommodation is plentiful, with something to suit all budgets. Here you’ll find useful tips to help you make the most of your visit.
History
The exact origins of Roses are lost in the mists of time, but it seems likely that Roses was founded in the fifth century BC by Greeks from Marseilles, possibly with colonists from Empúries and some remains of the Greek settlement can be seen, while Roman remains date from the 2nd century BC through to the early Christian period.
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire the town appears to have been abandoned but records first mention the Monastery of Santa Maria de Roses in the 10th century AD. The mediaeval town grew around the monastery.
By the 16th century Roses was under repeated attack from North African pirates and so extensive fortifications built. The new city walls failed to prevent Barbarossa from plundering the town though. The wall was further improved, a castle constructed 2.5 kilometres from the town and a permanent military garrison sent to defend Roses. Although the soldiers were located in barracks, the friction between them and the civilian population resulted in the migration of much of the population outside the city walls to where modern Roses is located.
From the 17th century on the city came under attack on a number of occasions, falling to the French several times and came under siege from the French for more than two months in 1794-1795 until all but 300 soldiers were evacuated by sea. The last time Roses came under siege was 1808, when it was eventually surrendered to French and Italian forces. When the French eventually withdrew they destroyed the fortifications, old town and castle.
Beaches
There are a number of beaches close to Roses, including a 1.8 kilometre stretch of sand along the promenade. There are also a number of smaller beaches nearby, although you may find they get packed out during the summer. One big advantage of the beaches near Roses is they tend to be south facing and are therefore sheltered from the northerly tramuntana when it blows.
The main advantage of the public beaches is the facilities they provide during the summer season, such as a warning flag (green, yellow or red) to indicate conditions, lifeguard, first aid facilities, public conveniences and certified clean water.
The downside is that they can get rather packed, although if you head for one of the smaller beaches you’ll generally find them less packed and you don’t need to go too far.
If you have a car it is definitely worth exploring the coastline of Cap de Creus. The rock formations are spectacular and there are many small coves along the rocky coastline, many of them ideal for snorkelling. If you prefer to get away from the packed beaches you may find these are more to you liking.
Cala Montjoi and Cala Jóncols are both well within the natural park of Cap de Creus and worth checking out. They are surrounded by trees and reached along winding mountain roads so you’ll need transport to get to these privileged beaches. You’ll find that many of the people who come to spend a day at these beaches arrive by boat.
Read more about the beaches here
Where to stay
Accommodation is plentiful, with something to suit all budgets. As well as hotels in Roses the town also has a huge selection of private holiday accommodation available to rent and the choice of four campsites serving the area.
The hotels in the town centre are perfect for the town’s main beach. The hotels are 1-3 stars and include Hotel Carmen which converted three fishing cottages into a boutique hotel renovated by local artisans. The Santa Margarida neighbourhood comprises 3 and 4 star hotels close to the beach. These include Hotel 1935, a boutique hotel with just ten rooms. At the other end of the scale is the 200 room Hotel Mediterráneo Park. If you want to get away from it all and immerse yourself in nature there are also a couple of hotels out of town in the protected Cap de Creus natural park.
Of course hotels aren’t the only option when visiting the Costa Brava. If self catering is you thing there are a huge number of holiday homes in Roses available to rent for the duration of your holiday. You can rent everything from a studio apartment to a private villa with gardens and a pool. This is a great way to enjoy a self catering holiday. Three of the four campsites in Roses are located in Santa Margarida near the main beach and an easy walk to the town centre. There is another campsite situated near Almadrava beach to the very south of Cap de Creus.
Eating out & eating in
Roses is a great place to eat and drink. There is a wide selection of restaurants, bars, and cafes to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Roses. And for those looking to enjoy some nightlife, there are plenty of bars and clubs to choose from.
And of course, there are plenty of bars and cafes to enjoy a refreshing drink in the sun. Families will appreciate the variety of restaurants available, as well as the ability to find something to suit every budget. As well as restaurants servicing local dishes – you can get some great seafood in Roses – there are are also steakhouses, pizzerias, burger bars, and Indian and South American restaurants. You get a wide choice.
Until 2011 Roses was world renowned for Ferran Adrià’s el Bulli restaurant. However, after running at a loss for several years, Adrià closed el Bulli, voted the world’s best restaurant by Restaurant Magazine’s five times.
Despite the demise of el Bulli foodies will love the range of cuisine on offer, from traditional Spanish fare to international dishes. There are plenty of restaurants serving up fresh, local seafood. So whatever your taste, you’re sure to find something to your liking in Roses.
One restaurant in Roses that is reputed to be a favourite of Adrià is Rafa’s in Carrer Sant Sebastià, 56. The chef apparently only opens when he has fresh seafood to serve and if it isn’t available he doesn’t open. This spartanly decorated restaurant has just a handful of tables and is discretely marked so it is easy to miss, but has lots of foodies recommend it.
If you’re renting a holiday home then you’ll be happy to know there are numerous supermarkets and food shops in Roses. A number of these are concentrated in the town centre and therefore easy to pop in if your apartment or villa is located there. But you’ll also find the usual big supermarkets at the edge of town. There you’ll find Mercadona, Lidl and Carrefour where you can load the car up for a big, comprehensive shop. Fish lovers may want to explore the fishmongers clustered around the port but the prices can be steep, or you can try one of the of butcher shops delicatessens in the same area.
Activities
There are many things to see and do in the area, including the extensively reconstructed fortifications of Roses castle and the old town. Both are well worth exploring on foot.
The town is well located for anyone looking to explore the numerous beaches found in the area or simply to participate in numerous water sports. Head down to the beach area to find what’s available, whether it’s sailing lessons, kayaking or anything else. There are a couple of dive centres near the port, Centre d’Immersió Roses and Roses Sub. They run daily excursions to the numerous dive sites on the Cap de Creus.
A less energetic option is to take a boat trip along the coast. It’s a lovely way to spend a couple of hours seeing the natural beauty of the Cap de Creus. Once the boat gets away from Roses you see fewer and fewer buildings until you there is nothing man made, it’s all towering rock and the Mediterranean. There are numerous options which you can book online or direct in the port.
Roses is perfectly located if you want to explore the area. Figueres and Girona are within easy reach by car or bus and the charming town of Cadaqués is nearby. A day spent exploring Cadaqués and Port-Lligat is essential for anyone staying in Roses. Here you’ll find Salvador Dalí’s house, which was originally a number of fisherman’s houses knocked together. The house is decorated in the artist’s distinctively eccentric style with large eggs on the roof and other surrealist flourishes.
For anyone wanting to visit the Catalan capital and explore everything it has to offer, Barcelona is a couple of hours drive down the AP7 autopista. Barcelona can also be reached by train from Figueres or Girona on either the regular trans or the high speed service.
How to get to Roses
Roses is the first major Costa Brava resort reached after the border with France and an ideal town if you drive down through France. If you’re flying then the town is less than an hour from Girona-Costa Brava airport by road and around double that from Barcelona via the AP7. The train service runs to Figueres, with buses throughout the day to the Roses bus station.
