TRIPS l ROUTES l HERITAGE l BEACH

For those who like trekking and nature, Roses has five very well signposted and accessible routes forming part of a unique natural setting created by a perfect combination of sea and mountains.

Route nš1

Discover its prehistory

Duration: 3 hours (one way)

Distance: 3 kilometers

Optional visit: cave-dolmen of the Rec de la Cuana

The tour of Roses' prehistoric remains is within everyone's capabilities. The route begins by climbing Carrer Francesc Maciā street towards the Els Grecs residential area, then continues up Carrer Pitāgores as far as Carrer Homer, where the Hotel Grecs stands (50'). Opposite the hotel we take a path going uphill, and after 10 minutes we come to a fork. We take the left fork and continue upwards; after crossing Carrer Praxíteles, we find the Cap de l'Home dolmen under two cork oaks. Not far away, following the uphill path and close to a monumental pine tree, there is the dolmen of the Llit de la Generala, erected around 3200 BC.
Following the path, which runs alongside a stone wall, we reach a junction where we take a track leading downhill to the right. Following this, and a few metres to the side of it, we find the first menhir of the Casa Cremada, dated between the 4th and 3rd millennia BC. Continuing down the main path, after some 120 metres we find nearby the remains of the late medieval church of the Casa Cremada, which still conserves a stretch of wall with slabs arranged in the opus spicatum form. Continuing on the signposted path, some 200 metres farther on we find the funeral chamber of the Casa Cremada. Just 5 minutes farther along the path, there stands the second menhir of the Casa Cremada. 20 minutes along the final straight of the same path, running along the edges of a pinewood, we reach the dolmen of the Creu d'en Cobertella, the largest in Catalonia, declared a historic-artistic monument in 1964. After visiting the dolmen, we take the downward path (6'), which leads us to the car park by the Montjoi road. Before reaching this, if we want to return to the town we can take a path lined by a stone wall which initially runs alongside the road, then crosses it and finally goes down the hill to reach the beginning of Carrer de la Pedrera in 20 minutes; alternatively, we can follow the road in the opposite direction to reach the coves of Montjoi, Pelosa or Jōncols.

Optional visit:

The best way to reach the cave-dolmen of the Rec de la Cuana is from the car park of the Creu d'en Cobertella, walking towards the Pla de les Gates. Taking the path furthest to the right, which passes by the Rec de la Cuana stream, and after 45 minutes of hard climbing, we reach the cave-dolmen, dating from 2500 BC, which was only discovered in 1998. It is a funerary monument whose structure consists of a natural cavity, a corridor of stone slabs and two walls. Having seen the megalithic monument, we can return downhill by the same path or follow a marked path which climbs uphill to reach a fork; the left-hand path leads to the beginning of the itinerary.

Route nš2

 

Discover its sea

All shades of blue

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes (one way)

Distance: 4 kilometers

Itinerary: Citadel Gate - Seafront Promenade - La Punta beach - Port - Palangrers beach - La Poncella point - Lighthouse - Canyelles Petites beach - L'Almadrava beach.

 

Optional visit: Trinity Castle - Puig-Rom belvedere - Visigothic fortress.

After the lighthouse of Roses, built in 1864 under Isabella II, we go down some signposted steps leading to a marked path lined by the sea and the rocks. After 10 minutes' walk we reach the Apartamentos Delfín, where we climb some more steps to reach a street running alongside the apartments. When we reach the Apartaments L'Alguer, we go down some more steps and rejoin the same path as before, which leads to the cove of Canyelles Petites, with its fine sand beach and clean, clear water. At the other end of the beach we climb more steps and reach a path which runs along the shore, passing by the Bonifaci cove; two kilometers farther along the shore, we reach L'Almadrava, an expanse of 450 meters of golden sand bathed by turquoise waters.

On the way back, after Canyelles, we go up to the right via Carrer Antoni Canals. At the first bend, 100 meters to the right, stand the ruins of the Trinity Castle. Following the same road to the top of the hill, we reach the Puig-Rom belvedere, where we can admire the most fascinating panoramic views of the bay of Roses. To the east of the belvedere lie the remains of the Visigoth settlement, a fortress built during the 7th C. for defensive purposes.

Route nš3

 

Discover its promenade

A natural belvedere

Duration: 45 minutes (one way)

Distance: 2  kilometers

Itinerary: Citadel Gate - Seafront Promenade - Santa Margarida beach

The attraction of this route along the Promenade and breakwater lies in both the walk itself and the constant view of the bay. The route borders most of the beach of Roses, then the beaches of Rastrell, Salatar and Santa Margarida, finishing at the breakwater. During the walk, in addition to admiring the scenery, we can enjoy the lively atmosphere of the restaurants and terraces, which offer views of the most spectacular sunsets of the entire Catalan coast. The walk finishes in Santa Margarida, a tourist area with a marina and over sixteen kilometers of navigable canals.

Route nš4

 

Discover its landscape

Following the shore walk

Duration: 4 hours (one way)

Distance: 19  kilometers

Itinerary: L' Almadrava beach - Montjoi cove - Jōncols cove

The shore walk of Roses, which runs within the Cap de Creus National Park, forms part of the GR-92 and E-10 routes and stretches from the point of L'Almadrava to Jōncols cove, via the Murtra, Rostella, Montjoi, Calitjās and Pelosa coves, the peninsula of Cap Norfeu, Canadell and Jōncols.The route begins at the end of the Avinguda Díaz Pacheco, but before reaching a small square with no exit, we turn left up a signposted street lined by several houses. At the last chalet we take the downhill path leading from the Falconera point beside the sea to Jōncols cove. The shore walk allows us to admire natural scenery dominated by an intense blue, with cliffs, coves and small inlets with clean, clear waters.

One of the most unusual places on the coast road is cape Norfeu, a natural reserve of the Cap de Creus Natural Park. Norfeu is a peninsula which juts out a kilometre and a half from the rest of the coastline, elegantly forming what looks like the outline of a sleeping rhinoceros. It is situated between Pelosa and Canadell coves. In mythology, Orpheus, god of music, played his lyre here, and the Pyrenean mountains drew so close to listen to it that they lost their balance and slipped to form the cliffs of cape Norfeu.

Amongst other features of interest along the way are the Cova de les Ermites cave (a cavern of geological interest), several underwater caves, Norfeu tower (a partially ruined lookout tower, used as a reference point for fishermen and to scan the coastline for pirate attacks), steps cut into the rocks and leading down to the sea (used formerly to take down baskets laden with grapes), the Palaunencs hut (used by farmers to shelter from the rain and store their implements), and one of the most amazing botanical gems, the Astragalus massiliensis. At the foot of the peninsula we find the curious El Gat and Carall Bernat rocks, in addition to many underwater caves, which North wind and sea erosion have turned into features with surrealist colors and shapes. El Gat is a monolith which, as its Catalan name suggests, is shaped like a cat, while Carall Bernat is shaped like a rhinoceros horn, on top of which an artificial nest has been set in an Endeavour to encourage the osprey to nest.

It would be a pity if visitors were to leave Roses without having enjoyed this rich natural heritage, either by walking along the coastal path or by spending a day underwater diving in one of the Catalan coastline's most impressive and spectacular diving zones

Route  nš5

 

Discover its trees

A journey into monumental vegetation

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes (one way)
Distance: 3 kilometers
Itinerary: Citadel Gate - Carrer Madrid - Plaįa Pep Ventura - Carretera del Mas Oliva - Carrer Oslo - Carrer Brusel·les - Carrer Amsterdam - Large Pine - Millenary Olive Tree.

The route which allows us to discover the monumental trees of Roses begins in the Mas Oliva residential area. We begin by walking up Carrer Oslo, then up Carrer Brusel·les, and cross Carrer Viena to reach Carrer Amsterdam. Here we turn right and continue along a track which after some 90 meters reaches a fork. If we take the path to the left, after 30 minutes we reach the Large Pine, the biggest in Catalonia, with a trunk so wide that it cannot be encircled by three men holding hands. If we continue straight on at the fork, towards the Mas de l'Alseda farmhouse, in less than 25 minutes we reach the splendid Millenary Olive Tree, which over the centuries has become a symbol of the town.