STAGE 3
Roses - Castelló d'Empúries
- Distance: 26,4 KM
- Difficulty level: EASY
- Maximum altitude: 176
- Minimum altitude: 1
- height gain: 381
- height loss: 372
Stage 3: Roses - Castelló d'Empúries
Leaving the church square of Santa Maria de Roses, we will go in search of the beach and then along Rhode Avenue towards the south, towards the Ciutadella, which we will skirt, leaving it on our right. Then we will turn right along Cala Pedrosa street.
Next, we will cross the Ronda de Circunvalación ring road and continue along Collsacabra street and shortly after finishing it, we will turn left onto a dirt track for about 500 metres, until cross the Cadaqués GI-614 road.
After about 150 metres we will come to a crossroads with 4 paths and take the one on the right until you reach the Mas Boscà housing estate, where we will continue along the dirt track, leaving the houses on your right.
We will continue along this path, ignoring any detour for more than a kilometre, passing through olive groves, until we reach a crossroads of 3/4 paths, where we will take the one on the left.
After about 250 metres we will come to a fork and turn right.
From here, and for a kilometre and a half, we will ignore the numerous detours on your right, until we reach a crossroads very close to the GI-610 road, where we will take the path that continues in front of you.
And so, passing almost next to this road, after 700 metres we will reach Palau-Saverdera, entering along Carrer Maresme.
Here we will turn left and take Carrer de l'església to visit the church of Sant Joan.
Then, following the street of Plaça de la Generalitat and Carrer Gironés, we will reach a roundabout and continue along Avinguda del Mas Oriol.
We will go up through this urbanisation leaving on our left different streets with names of countries until we reach Anglaterra street.
Here, the those on foot can take the path on our right which will take us to visit a couple of prehistoric dolmens before arriving at the Neolithic settlement of Ca n'Isach.
Cyclists should continue along Inglaterra Street until they meet the walkers at the archaeological site.
Unfortunately, we will almost certainly not be able to see any of this interesting Neolithic-era ensemble (as it is normally closed and cannot be visited).
And we will have to content ourselves with contemplating the spectacular view of the Gulf of Roses.
The settlement is dated to around 4600 BC, and through the fence we can see a reconstructed hut as it is supposed to have been erected and also the remains of four terraced houses in the shape of a "U".
We will continue along the road linking the street where we meet the Nord street of the neighbouring village of Pau, passing through the middle of the forest.
On the other side, continuing along this street, a few metres to the right, you will see the Barraca d'en Rabert dolmen, which dates from around 3500 BC.
On the mountain next to us (Puig Castellar), traces of a settlement have been found. Indiketa.
Then we will take Llevant street and we will follow the so-called Camí de Sant Pere to the rear of the village of Pau. Continuing along Carrer de Sant Pere de Rodes, we can visit the church of Sant Martí.
We will leave the village along Vilajuïga street until we see the dirt track that runs parallel to the GI-610 road and, in just over 1.5 kilometres, will take us directly to the village of Vilajuïga.
Note: In this village is located the castle of Quermançò where there may have been a settlement Indiketa. If there is time, we recommend a visit to this magical place where Salvador Dalí wanted to build an organ that would emit sound with the tramontana wind.
We will enter along Passeig de Pau street and following it we can visit the church of Sant Feliu and then we will continue along Figueres street until we reach a large roundabout, where we will continue for about 200 metres along the road that leads to Marzà, until we see a turning on our left.
After about 150 metres we will come to a crossroads and we will take the path on the left again, which we will follow straight on for about 600 metres until we reach another fork in the road, where we will take the path on the right.
After approximately 1 kilometre, we will cross the GIV-6101 road.
We will continue along the dirt track for another kilometre and a half until we cross another tarmac road.
This time we will turn left and ignore the first dirt track we see on our right, and take the second one, which in about 700 metres will take us to the group of houses in Vilaüt.
Here we will continue along the path on the right (GR-92) and a little over 600 metres further on, turning right again, we can visit the pond or lagoon of Vilaüt, the last reminder of the old marshland of Castelló d'Empúries, which occupied a large area of the plain and which forms part of the Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park.
After the visit, the road comes out onto the GIV-6103 and turning right we will follow it for 1 km until we see a path on our left that goes into the aiguamolls (GR-92).
We will follow this path for about 2.2 kilometres until we reach the wide Mas d'en Bec path, which is actually an old transhumance cart track used by shepherds since the Middle Ages.
We will enter via Carrer de Marín where we will see the washing place and then following Carrer Sant Francesc we will go towards the Basilica Santa de Maria, the end of this stage.
ACCOMMODATION AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION STAGE 3
ROSES
As it is an eminently tourist town, it has all kinds of hotels, restaurants and other services. Here you can visit the website of the Tourist Office:
PALAU-SAVERDERA
Hotel El Cau de Palau (671 60 03 03) c/ La Costa 19. From 112€.
Hotel Boutique Niu de Sol (671 600 303) c/ Nou, 34. From 113€.
Restaurant Bar Ca La Júlia (972 53 02 93) Carrer de Roses s/n Menu at 13€.
Cente civic Palau Saverdera Carrer Tramuntana, 1 Menu at 14€.
Can Carriot (972 53 02 79) Carrer Figueres, 14 55 Menu 15€ 15€.
PAU
Hotel Can Massana (630 01 99 53) Carrer dels Grecs, 6. From 148€.
Hotel Mas Lazuli (872 22 22 20) Ctra. de Roses s/n. From 150€.
Restaurant Centre Cívic (972 552 252) Carrer Sant Pere, 12. Menu 12€.
Restaurant El Garimall (972 53 08 66) Carrer Concepció, 6. Menu at 14€.
VILAJUÏGA
Hostal Xavi (972 530 003) Carretera Roses, 17 From 45€.
Restaurant El Racó de la Vila - Centre Cívic (872 20 68 19) Plaça Onze de Setembre s/n. Menu at 12€.
Restaurant Can Maricanes (972 531 952) C/ Pompeu Fabra, 1. Menu at 13€.
Restaurant El Cau (972 530 186) Ctra. de Roses, 1. Menu at 13€.
Restaurant Cal Carboner (972 530 139) c/ Figueres, 6. Menu at 13€.
CASTELLÓ D'EMPÚRIES
As it is an eminently tourist town, it has all kinds of hotels, restaurants and other services. Here you can visit the website of the Tourist Office:
