STAGE 2

CADAQUÉS - ROSES

  • Distance: 16.2 km
  • Difficulty level: NORMAL
  • Maximum altitude: 456
  • Minimum altitude: 6
  • height gain: 1095
  • height loss: 1101
GPX


Stage 2: CADAQUÉS - ROSES

We leave from in front of the church going down any street until we are in front of the sea and then we turn right into Riba Nemesi Llorens street and continue along the coast along Riba Pitxot street and the following ones. Once past the Hotel Llané Petit, when the asphalt disappears we will see that a wide track begins.

Cyclists will always follow this dirt track and those on foot will follow the red and white GR-92 paint signs.

We will go up this long-distance path and after 1.3 kilometres we will pass the Mas d'en Baltre and then we will continue another 900 metres until we reach a crossroads where we turn right, leaving the GR-92.

We will continue up this other path for another 850 metres until we reach a crossroads at the top of the path where we will turn right. After 850 metres we will reach a turning and take the path on the left.

We will continue along this path for 880 metres until we see another turning and now we will take the one on the right, which after a few metres will lead us to a wide path, where we will turn right.

A little further on we will see that this path turns off and we will turn right. Then we will not see any other detour until 500 metres further on and we turn left.

We will go along part of the military complex of El Pení for about 1 kilometre until we reach a wide track where we turn right. About 200 metres further on we will come across another track and now we will turn left.

After 370 metres, apart from some beautiful views, we will see on your left some markers indicating the remains of what was once a prehistoric tomb, although very degraded, from about 4,000 years ago (Cista de Puig Alt).

We will continue along the top and then descend a steep slope that we will see on our left that will take us to the plain of Puig Rodó where we will be able to see another burial place of the ancestors of the indiketes.

As in the previous stage, we are crossing the maritime part of the Cap de Creus Natural Park, whose name could come from the numerous stones engraved with petroglyphs that can be found throughout the area, many of them with cruciform motifs. 

In this area we are in, we will have the opportunity to see some examples of this type of engraving, although they are not as visible as the one on this stone from Vilajuïga.

We will go down the wide track next to us and after 1,000 metres we will see another prehistoric tomb from the same period as the previous ones (Middle Neolithic).

We will leave the track and continue along the path that continues to the left and shortly afterwards you will see another Neolithic burial site, the Cista del Pla de les Gates, which, like the previous ones, is very degraded, with only the lateral part of the burial chamber preserved.

However, we should not be discouraged by the sight of these few remains, since after returning to the wide track and after 100 metres taking the path that leads down to the right, in a distance of 2.4 kilometres we will have the opportunity to see other prehistoric funerary monuments that are much better preserved. 

Starting with the cave-dolmen that we can visit if we turn off along the signposted path that we will find further on.

We will continue along this beautiful path for 1.1 kilometres, and we will have to be careful to take a detour to the left, which we can easily miss, that will take us to visit the Menhir de la Casa Cremada I.

We will follow the route along this new path and every few hundred metres we will see prehistoric monuments until we reach the Mas de la Casa Cremada, which some historians believe to be the remains of a small church from the Visigothic period. 

Thenwe will only have 500 metres to the Creu d'en Cobertella Dolmen, the largest megalithic monument in Catalonia, dating from between 3,500 and 3,000 BC.

Near the dolmen there is supposed to have existed a small settlement Indiketa inhabited since the 4th century BC, which continued to be inhabited until the end of the Late Republican period, by the time of the Romans.

In the present-day town of Roses there was also an important settlement Indiketa promoted by colonisers from the Greek island of Rhodes. If we pay attention to Strabo, the great geographer who wrote in the time of Augustus, this town predates the first Olympiad (776 BC).

From here we have 2 possible routes to get to Roses, the longest is to visit the remains of the Visigothic Castrum of Puig Rom and the shortest is to follow the path that leads us to the back of the village.

Those who choose the fast option will descend about 100 metres and turn right onto the first path they encounter. 

After 500 metres we will cross the Montjoi road and continue on the other side for another 500 metres, until we enter Roses along Carrer de la Pedrera. 

Then it is only 800 metres to the church of Santa Maria, the end of the stage. 

Those who choose the second option will go down to the Montjoi road and turn left. 

Ahead we will see a wide dirt road, with a large sign announcing the Visigothic castle, and after 1,000 metres we will reach the top.

There, turning right, we can walk around the perimeter of the ramparts and enjoy a beautiful view of the Gulf of Roses.

Then we will follow the route passing by the metal fence that protects the houses and in 200 metres we will reach a street and we will only have to go downhill until you reach the sea front.

Then, following the promenade, after 600 metres we will reach the curious façade of the church of Santa Maria, the end of the stage.

Note: We recommend a visit to the Ciutadella Museum if you would like to delve deeper into the history of the Indiketes of this population.

ACCOMMODATION AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION STAGE 2

ROSES

It is an eminently tourist town and has many places to stay, restaurants and other services. You can visit its website here:

http://es.visit.roses.cat/