It was unlucky for me that i visited the northern Costa Brava location called Roses during a period of very strong winds. But it mattered little. This is a delightful destination that, whatever the weather, is blooming lovely. And that is where the puns end. Possibly!
Stars in their eyes
Beach at Roses
I was tipped off about Roses by a friend who lives north of a favourite city of mine, Girona. I was told that I must not, under any circumstances, cut Roses from my Salvador Dali inspired schedule as I made my leisurely journey through the section of the northern Costa Brava that borders France. I had spent a week in Begur. I was on my way to stay in Cadaqués and preparing to visit the former homes of Dali at Port Lligat and La Pera.
The region as a whole is mighty fine discovery. One often missed by those travelling long distances to and from the north of Spain. The Bay of Roses itself has been a popular place since the 1950′ and 1960′s. Then it was the place pop stars, film stars and royalty went to hide away from prying lenses. It was then a very small and private place. It is a lot busier today but is still chic.
Roses offers visitors the longest beach on the Costa Brava. Plenty of room to maneuovre even at the height of summer.
Street life
Cafe culture
The town has many trendy street cafes and it is a popular place to hang out with visitors of all ages, including families. A fact that attracted the Old family to Roses when they moved out of the UK.
Yasmina Old is a mother of three boys. She told me: “Roses is a nice seaside town, with cafes lining the main street in front of the beach. It also has a lovely promenade that stretches in both directions away from Roses. It has a great working port as well as a marina. It has lots of restaurants and bars and is popular at weekends, even in winter, with the French and people from Barcelona.
“Figueres is not far away. It is a beautiful town with great shopping, a lovely rambla, and a great market three times a week. It is just the right size, not too big and not too small. There is much more on offer there than the famous Salvador Dali museum.
“We live in the most affluent part of Spain, equivalent to living in London and the South East of England. In our opinion, it also happens to be the prettiest. I would recommend that people visit Perelada and Castello de Empuries. They are lovely medieval towns.”
Amazingly, a car journey to the UK from Roses is roughly the same distance as driving south from this part of northern Spain to, for example, Andalusia. This is a benefit to families who need to drive back to Britain each year, as Yasmina Old’s husband, Jon, confirms.
He said: “We like driving holidays with the children so the fact that France is so close by is a bonus. We go there often and return to the UK each summer to visit family.”
The winds were a thorn in my side while I was in Roses. They were so strong that I could barely hold the car door open, or keep my feet on the ground. I asked Jon if that happens often.
He replied: “The seasons here are pronounced in that there are four definite seasons. Temperatures in winter can be cold at night as low as 3-4 degrees, but once the sun comes up it can rise to 18 degrees even in December and January. It really starts to warm up from early April until the end of October. We don’t get a lot of rain, and we rarely see grey skies.
“The strong winds can be a problem, but you just have to get used to it. The winds here can reach 200 kilometres an hour and last for three days at a time. It is unwise to go out when that happens.”
The neighbours are French
Selva
So, never having learnt the meaning of the word wise, I left Roses and went instead to the end of Spain. First to the ever so pretty port of Selva. This is, like so much of the surrounding area, within the comarca of the Alt Empordà in Catalonia. And, as with much of the surrounding area, it is a wealthy place that depends much on cross border tourism and the fishing industry. It is on the northern coast of a very special landmark in Spain.
Cap de Crues.
This is officially the most easterly point of mainland Spain. It is, therefore, suitably rugged. It has the most dramatic coastline in Spain. The sea is a beautiful turquoise colour and the area resembles the wildest parts of Cornwall. And, yes, you guessed it – it was windy!
Cap de Creus
It was at this far end of Spain that i found something my father always said was good for me. A pint of Guinness! It was in the large, rambling old bar and restaurant that overlooks the cliffs and sea. A surprisingly good place for refreshment when you consider its clients are virtually all tourists. On leaving the bar, I was careful not to fall off the edge of Spain as it is not only the strong winds that can hamper your balance after a long Spanish lunch.
France is so close you can almost touch it and the expats living in this region think nothing of popping over the border to buy some excellent French wines. Personally I would always opt to drive to La Rioja for great Spanish red wine.
The quality of the food served in restaurants around Roses is of the highest order. It is home to the famous, award winning El Bulli, but there are many other quality restaurants here and several that will not leave a large whole in your pocket, or empty your wallet before you have reached the dessert menu.
Salvador Dali liked his food and his wine (though he had other less tasteful, more addictive vices which we’d better not talk about here).
However, he knew which part of Spain to make home. When asked about why he enjoyed living on the northern Costa Brava, the surrealist Dali said: “There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.”
Clearly he also liked a pint of guinness!
