On our way back towards the channel tunnel in late-October the weather was still lovely in Spain, so we decided to extend our stay by a few days before hot-footing through France where it was much colder. We’d had lots of recommendations for Roses but had bypassed it on the way down, so we thought we’d give it a whirl and see if it was as nice as we’d been told; no doubts there, it is a stunning bay.
Located on the Costa Brava coast, just over the border from France, Roses lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Roses in a sweeping bay surrounded by mountains. Maybe that’s exaggerating a bit as they are big hills in the nature park, but they make a stunning backdrop to the bay that has been endorsed by UNESCO. It still remains a fishing port as well as a fabulous seaside town and has a nice marina at the opposite end of the bay to the traditional harbour.
A Walk on the Promenade
On arrival we checked into the campsite and headed straight down to the seafront. The flat wide promenade lines the whole bay, with a golden sandy beach that is almost 2 miles long, and clear blue sea inviting you in for a swim. There is a separately marked out cycle path along the prom making it safe for cyclists and walkers, and plenty of nice eateries and quiet bars to get refreshments. There is also a free gym area and volleyball courts on the beach which were being well used.
The outdoor market was in full swing and very busy, we were told its not to be missed although it did take us a while to find it as it is behind the Museu de la Ciutadella de Roses. This is an excavation site which houses the remains of a medieval monastery and ancient Greek, Roman and Visigoth features. We didn’t visit as it was closed for some renovation work, but it looked an impressive site set back slightly from the seafront. It is near here that you can hear and see the wild parrots that live in the palm trees, I'd never seen that before in a seaside resort.
We continued to the far end of the promenade then walked back on the beach dipping our toes in the sea for a cool down. Despite it being almost the end of October, the place was still bustling with holidaymakers, so I can only assume it is a very vibrant place in the height of the season. We stopped off for lunch overlooking the bay and succumbed to a huge ice-cream dessert; they just know how to make them in Spain! After which we were stuffed so settled on the beach for the day.
The Roses Express – Trip Highlight
We saw the land train advertised and we often take a ride on these as they can be very informative. We decided to spend a leisurely couple of hours on the tour that takes you through the Cap de Creus nature park, up the highest mountain and gives stunning views of the sea on both sides from the top. At this point we were advised by the ticket seller that it is quite a dusty track and a bit bumpy in places so not to wear our best white clothes; that should have been a warning bell ha!
The next warning bell that this was no ordinary land train should have been the huge off-road tyres it was sporting when it pulled up at the embarkation point; we missed that one too! We set off seated in the front of the second carriage with no windows along the seafront heading out of Roses and up towards the nature park on the normal road with fabulous views out of the train as there are no windows. Within 10 minutes we were off-road on a rocky dirt track with dust flying up around us, precarious drop-off ledges and potholes that had you bouncing out of your seat. At this point I’ll add I’m not good with heights so was grateful for the half bottle of wine I’d drunk over lunch that calmed my nerves!
In all fairness, despite the trauma of the heights, narrow tracks, and our bodies being battered by the huge potholes and dust clouds, it was the most fun we’d had in the 8 weeks we’d been away. When you get to the top the driver parks up for 20 minutes and provides everyone with a glass of local wine (it was more like very strong sherry) and some nice biscuits to wash it down. The views at this point are absolutely stunning, unfortunately it went a bit hazy on us, but we could still appreciate the surroundings and the beautiful bay.
You descend via a different route mostly on roads suitable for cars which was a slight relief. I highly recommend a trip on the Roses Express if you’ve not done it before, it really is a fantastic way to see the Cap de Creus nature park off the beaten track. We arrived back in Roses after 2 hours looking like we’d been dragged through a hedge backwards having done a shift down a local coal mine, but we had laughed a lot, had fun with the other passengers and the driver, and enjoyed the spectacular views that are not to be missed. You will never experience a land train trip like it!
A Bit of Cycling
After the excitement of the Roses Express, we decided the next day would be a more subdued affair so donned our cycle helmets and headed out towards the marina with a plan that we would ride to Empuriabrava, the next place along the bay which we’d read was a mini-Venice with some very expensive yachts and restaurant price tags to match.
However, after we’d arrived in Roses marina and had a walk around, we decided to head back to the campsite via the promenade cycle track and have a dip in the pool as it was so hot. We stopped off for lunch at a nice restaurant on the seafront and remarked on what a great few days we’d had in Roses.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Camping and Bungalows Salata which is only a 5-minute stroll to the seafront and beach, and centrally situated for Roses town. The pitches were a decent size, some larger than others, demarked by a line in the grass, the ground was a bit worn out, but it was end of season. We hadn’t booked and there were only a few standard pitches available, but we were allowed to choose whichever we wanted using our ACSI card, excluding fully serviced ones.
The facilities were excellent, with a very modern shower block in the centre of the site and a nice small swimming pool next to the on-site pizza restaurant, and well-stocked shop. We tried the takeaway pizza, ordered in advance, which was good quality and reasonably priced. I’d stay here again based on location alone, unfortunately I took no photos of the campsite but their web page is a very accurate representation.
Where We Ate
Restaurant Las Palmeras – excellent food and ice-cream desserts, with a nice range of cocktails, reasonably priced and the service was top notch!
Si Us Plau – excellent tapas food and very reasonably priced bottle of wine, however the service was poor to non-existent which was a real shame because the view from the glass balcony was great.
Summary
We really enjoyed our time in Roses, it will always be remembered for the white-knuckle ride on the Roses Express which has a catchy tune that you can't get out of your head! There is so much to see in the area that we have left a few things from the ‘to do’ list ready for a return visit in the future. It is a great place to spend a few days enroute to southern Spain or on your return to the UK.
Enough waffle for this week, if you have been to the area, please drop me a comment on the blog letting me know what you thought of it. If you enjoy reading my blogs, please like and subscribe to my website so you get notified when the next blog is published. It’s completely free, I don’t fill your inbox with unwanted spam, and it really means the world to me to know my experience has helped someone else.
Happy Travels
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