Roses is situated in the Alt Empordà region of Catalunya, in the north east of Spain, just South of the border with France.
The area offers a wide range of attractions to suit all tastes: from the art and museums of Salvador Dalí, the flora and fauna in the natural park of Cap de Creus and a wide range of sports, including:
- water sports or sky-diving at nearby Empuriabrava
- skiing in the Pyrenees, just a two-hour drive away
- golf at the many golf courses in Emporda and on the Costa Brava
History enthusiasts will marvel at the Roman and Greek ruins at Empuries and wine lovers can explore the local vineyards, including at nearby Perelada. Beautiful beaches stretch both north and south and these provide further opportunities for underwater diving as well as swimming and sunbathing.
It is an ideal location for a family holiday, full of local child-friendly restaurants and cafes, and the sandy beaches are perfect for relaxing and soaking in the sun, whilst the children play in the shallow waters of the bay.
The history of the area dates back nearly 3000 years when the Greeks settled at Empuries, giving the region its name. The settlement there, further developed by the Romans a few hundred years later, is still being excavated, a hundred years after it was first discovered.
The area is perhaps now better known for its famous son, Salvador Dalí, born in Figueres in 1904. The charm and beauty of this area of Catalunya was such that it captivated and inspired Dalí.
The area contains two of the key vertices of the ‘Dalí Triangle’ consisting of the house at Port Lligat outside Cadaques where he lived and worked on and off for some 40 years, and the Teatro Museo in Figueres. The third part of the Triangle is Gala’s castle in Pubol, just to the east of Girona. All three museums are open to the public throughout the year.
The extraordinary coastline at Cap de Creus, whipped and shaped by the Tramontana wind,
is now a natural park offering wonderful walks and rocky coves for excellent swimming, diving or just relaxing.
Four ski resorts, open throughout the winter, are within a couple of hours drive from Roses enabling an easy day trip into the mountains for skiing or snow-boarding. The roads are excellent and the views breath-taking.
And a short drive along the spectacular rocky coast takes you to the most famous restaurant in the world, El Bulli, run by Barcelona-born Ferran Adrià. Restaurant magazine voted it the best restaurant in the world in 2002, 2006 2007 and 2008. If you manage to get a table (there are 400 requests for each place), Roses is the perfect base.
