Roses

The Blossoming Costa Brava

Sweeping around a sandy bay backed by mountains, the fishing port Roses has become one of the most popular Costa Brava resorts. This was partly due to El Bulli, one of the world’s best restaurants, which once graced a neighboring village.

Although that landmark restaurant is now closed, the town still has plenty of eateries and bars with some of the area’s best nightlife. Some are by the long promenade with palm trees beautifully silhouetted at sunset. Around the Bay of Roses, the headland becomes more rugged and the beaches more cove-like. In the opposite direction is the large Roses marina, although the one in next door Empuriabrava is huge.

Water sports are very popular here, including diving and windsurfing. The Aqua Brava waterpark has a host of slides, rapids and a wave pool, and other entertainment includes go-karts and minigolf.

Above the southern end of town, the star-shaped ruins of the 16th-century Castell de la Trinitat overlook the lighthouse. On the other side of Roses, the Ciutadella is a much larger site containing Greek and Roman remains and partly surrounded by medieval walls. Even older are the Creu d’en Cobertella megalithic structures, one of which is the largest in Catalonia.

The Roses accommodations on Booking.com include boutique hotels with pools, beachfront apartments and luxury villas.