A city with over 2,000 years of living history
Tapas, Empordà wines, and signature cuisine
Small, walkable, and with excellent connections
Roses was founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC, who came to the Iberian Peninsula to open up new markets. They set up two settlements on the Gulf of Roses: Empúries, near present-day La Escala, and Rhode, which became Roses. Many centuries on, this is now the sunny town that draws thousands of visitors a year. Tradition and the present day sit side by side on this walk of nearly two hours, in which, among plenty else, we explain what it means to be "tocat de la Tramuntana".
On this coach trip from Roses to Barcelona, you take in the city's best-known sights from your seat while the guide fills in the background along the way. Once the sightseeing loop is done, the coach drops you near Plaça Catalunya and you have free time to explore Barcelona at your own pace.
The boat sets off from the Roses pier and follows the coast round to Cadaqués. It is a good way to see the real Costa Brava from the water: the coves you cannot reach on foot, the cliffs, and the Mediterranean scenery in between.
Roses is best enjoyed between the bay and the old town, and most plans come down to two ideas: the sea on one side, the Citadel on the other. After years showing people around, we've gathered here what we genuinely recommend to anyone arriving for the first time, with a few practical notes the brochures leave out.
The Citadel is the best place to grasp where the town comes from: inside its walls, the remains of Greek Rhode, founded in the 6th century BC, sit alongside Roman and medieval traces. It's a solid hour of a visit, and from the ramparts the whole bay opens up. We always ask the group to stop here before heading down to the sea: everything you see afterward makes far more sense.
The Bay of Roses strings together sandy beaches along the seafront, from Platja Nova to Almadrava. The water is calm and shallow, so they work well with kids. Our guide's tip: the farther you move north away from the port, the more room you'll find, even in August.
Roses is boat country. From the Santa Margarida marina, some ten kilometers of navigable canals branch out to the open sea, and it's the natural launch point for our private trips around the bay. From the water you see the coast and the Citadel from a whole new angle, and it's the easiest way to reach the coves you can't get to from the beach.
If you've got a full day, the boat trip to Cadaqués leaves from the Roses jetty and hugs the coast to Dalí's white village. It's one of the best ways to see the real Costa Brava: coves you can't reach by land, cliffs, and Cap de Creus standing out in the distance. Once there, you tour Cadaqués on foot, at an easy pace.
In Roses the sea ends up on the plate. We tend to send people to Chiringuito La Pelosa, right on the front, for its rice dishes and paellas (they count on two people per paella) and for the Roses prawn carpaccio, which is local produce and it shows. Book if you're here in high season: it fills up fast and the tables with a view go first.
Punta Falconera, south of town on the way to Cap de Creus, is our go-to viewpoint for the end of the day. From there the bay opens right up and the sun drops behind the tramuntana wind; with a bit of luck it blows just enough to understand why people here say this wind leaves you "touched."
Bay, Citadel, a plate of rice, and a good sunset: that's Roses right there. You can do it on your own over a long day, but with someone who knows the town it goes further and you skip the guesswork about which way to turn.
Discover Roses with a local guide. Walk through the old town and bay, small groups, free cancellation.
Guided tour of Roses →The history of Roses fits into a single walk: the Greek foundation of the 6th century BC, the walls that defended the bay, and the chapels of the old town. These are the places that never miss our routes, with what's worth knowing before you go.
The Citadel is a 16th-century Renaissance fortress built to defend the bay, and within its walls it holds the oldest part of town: the remains of the Greek city of Rhode. Today it houses a museum space that lays out that Greek, Roman, and medieval timeline, and from the ramparts the view over the gulf is worth the ticket on its own.
Perched over the sea on Poncella point, the Castle of the Trinity was built in the 16th century to guard the harbor entrance, paired with the Citadel. You reach it by a short but steepish path, and the reward is a view of the bay that's hard to beat. Bringing water and shoes with grip is not bad advice.
Away from the bustle of the port, the old town keeps small churches and corners where the pace slows down. It's a short walk through narrow streets, ideal for the middle of the day when the beach gets crowded. For us it's the way to tell the story of inland Roses, the part that still lives at its own rhythm.
Almadrava closes the bay to the north and is one of the longest, quietest beaches in Roses. Nearby you'll find remains from Roman times linked to the ancient settlement of the gulf, so it's a plan that pairs nicely: a swim and, on the way, a little history without going far out of your way.
Not everything is old stone. The fishing port is a must at the end of the afternoon, when the boats come in and the catch is auctioned off. It's the beating heart of Roses and explains why the prawns and fish here reach the table so fresh. Ask when the fleet is due back: it shifts with the season.
Roses sits at the gateway to the Cap de Creus Natural Park, the easternmost point of the peninsula. It isn't a monument of carved stone but of stone sculpted by the tramuntana: coves, a lighthouse, and a rocky landscape that inspired Dalí. By car you can be at the lighthouse in half an hour, and it's worth every bend.
From Greek Rhode to Cap de Creus, Roses is easy to cover in a day if you split your time between the Citadel, a fortress, and the sea. And if you can, save Punta Falconera or the lighthouse for sunset: that's when the gulf looks its best.
In Roses you eat facing the sea, and for good reason: the port lands the fish and the local prawn has a name of its own. There's everything, from the beach shack doing rice dishes to Michelin-starred cooking. This is the short list we hand over when someone asks at the end of the tour.
This is the spot we recommend most for eating right by the sand. La Pelosa nails its rice dishes and paellas (they reckon on two people per paella) and serves a Roses prawn carpaccio that makes the most of the port's star ingredient. Casual setting, a table almost with your feet on the beach, and in season it's best to book: it's one of the first to fill up.
At the other end of the scale, Els Brancs plays in the fine-dining league, with a Michelin star and a terrace hanging over the bay. It's a celebration dinner, with local produce handled with technique and prices to match. It's worth booking ahead and factoring it into the trip's budget.
Along the port and the promenade you'll find the classics of fish and shellfish: suquet de peix, salt-baked fish, seafood platters. The advantage of eating here is obvious, since the catch comes from the quay itself. Keep an eye on the daily menus, which is where what came in that morning shows up.
It's not all fish. A short way from Roses, Empordà cooking leans on the grill, meats, and country dishes, often in farmhouses turned into restaurants. It's the plan for a tramuntana day when you feel like getting out of the wind and eating without rushing, with a glass of DO Empordà wine.
For something more relaxed, the seafront and the town squares are lined with terraces for tapas and a lunchtime vermouth while the bay goes by. It's the food that works best at midday when the heat sets in: some anchovies, some patatas bravas, a cold glass of wine, and on with the day without an endless lunch.
If you try only one thing, make it the Roses prawn: it's the product that made the port's name, and it shows in a simple carpaccio or grilled. After that come the seafood rice dishes and suquet de peix, the traditional fish stew of this coast. That's the taste of the gulf in a few plates.
From the beach-shack rice to the Michelin star, there's a whole range, and that's the beauty of eating in Roses: there's a table for every day and every budget. Order Empordà wine, book when you can, and always leave room for dessert.
Roses is not a big-mall kind of place. You shop on foot here, mostly around the town center and the seafront. Nearly everything worth a look sits close to the port and the promenade, so you can run errands and take a walk without touching the car. In this guide we point you to the fresh-produce market, the local shops, and a few spots for a keepsake that beats a fridge magnet.
The municipal market is where locals shop, and because Roses is a fishing port, the fish and shellfish from the bay are the main draw. Alongside them you'll find seasonal fruit and veg, olive oil, and Empordà cured meats. Our tip is to go mid-morning, while the stalls are still full; a good wedge of cheese or cured sausage, well wrapped, travels better than any souvenir.
Near the port it's easy to find fishmongers with the day's catch just off the boats: Roses prawns, fish from the bay, and shellfish to take away. It's the most honest thing you can buy here, the same shopping done by the people who make their living from the sea.
For a gift that needs less ice, the town center has shops selling ceramics, textiles, and small Empordà crafts. Don't look for big chains: what you'll mostly find are short-run pieces and local labels, which is exactly what we tend to recommend when someone wants to take home a bit of Roses that outlasts the holiday.
The weekly street market is a pleasant stop if you catch the right day: clothes, accessories, and produce stalls set up under the sun, with the easy feel of a coastal town in the background. You can walk it in a while, and it's usually near the center, so it slots into any morning plan.
In the end, shopping in Roses is mostly an excuse to walk the town between the port and the center. If you've only got one gap left in the suitcase, fill it with something from the market or a bottle of DO Empordà wine: those are the souvenirs that age best, even if they rarely make it home intact.
Choosing where to stay in Roses mostly comes down to one thing: do you want the town or the beach? The port and center put the restaurants and the Citadel within reach; the bay front and Santa Margarida put the sea at your door. These are the options we get asked about most, with what's genuinely worth knowing about each.
The Prestige Goya Park is in the Santa Margarida area, by the bay front, and it's a practical choice for families after beach time and somewhere to park the car for a few days. Being on the canal side, you have the sea and the promenade close by, with the center of Roses a short trip away. If your plan is sun, sand, and eating well without any fuss, it delivers.
The Prestige Victoria is right on the front, with the bay in front of it: step outside and you're on the promenade. It's the pick for anyone who wants to wake up to a sea view and walk down to the beach without the car. The center and the port are a stroll along the seafront away, so it balances beach and town nicely.
The Prestige Mar y Sol is well placed near the center, a few minutes' walk from the church of Santa Maria and the Citadel; in fact, it's the meeting point for our walking tour of Roses. It's the base we tend to suggest for travelers here more for the town and its history than for a day on a sun lounger: step out the door and you're already in the heart of the walkable center.
The Almadraba Park sits at the northern end of the bay, by Almadrava beach, the quietest and least built-up stretch of the seafront. It's the choice for anyone who values calm and swimming over having the bustle of the port next door. The trade-off: for dinner in the center, count on the car or a good walk.
If you'd rather have your own kitchen and no set mealtimes, Roses has plenty of tourist apartments, many in the Santa Margarida area and along the bay. They're the option we tend to suggest to families and anyone staying a full week: the extra space is welcome, and it lets you make the most of the market and the port's fish without relying on restaurants every night.
Our guide's summary is simple. Here for the beach and traveling with kids? Santa Margarida and the bay front. Here for the town, the Citadel, and the food? Better near the center and the port. And if you're torn between two places, write to us with no obligation: we know the town and we'll tell you honestly which one fits your plan.
In Roses there are two worlds to combine: the sea and the history. In this section we tell you which activities are worth it and how we approach them, having spent years showing people the town and sailing the bay.
Behind our tours are Rosa Maria, Pol, Alexia, Rosa, and Alex, a small team of local guides. The walking tour of Roses runs in groups of no more than 8 and starts by the Prestige Mar y Sol, a few minutes from the church of Santa Maria and the Citadel: with groups that size everyone hears well, asks more, and no one gets left behind.
Our walk through Roses follows the thread of its history, from the Greek settlement of Rhode in the 6th century BC to the Citadel and the port of today. Along the way we tell you the things that aren't on the plaques: what it means to be "touched by the tramuntana," how the town lived both with its back to the sea and facing it, and why this bay was coveted for centuries.
Roses is also there to be sailed. From the Santa Margarida marina, with its network of around ten kilometers of canals, our private trips around the bay set off. Seeing the coast and the Citadel from the sea changes the picture completely, and it's the easiest way to reach the coves that lie far from the beach.
If you want a full-day plan, the boat trip to Cadaqués leaves from the Roses jetty and follows the coast to Dalí's village, with a guided walk once you're there. It's the perfect mix of sea and town, and one that especially appeals to travelers who already know the bay and want to go a little farther.
We work in several languages so no one is left missing half of what's said. On the walking tours and on the boat alike, the history is told with the same care in each language, with time for questions, which is where the best conversations usually come up.
You don't have to take only our word for it: on Tripadvisor and Google there are reviews from travelers who've walked Roses and sailed the bay with our team. We read them all: we're proud of the good ones and take note of what can be improved, because there's learning in that too.
If you're after activities in Roses, this is what we offer: local guides, small groups, and a bay we know by land and by sea. Book your place, come in comfortable shoes, and bring questions; answering them is the part of the job we like most.
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Guided tours in Roses · small groups · from €250/group
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