Gulf Of Roses

$Bay of Roses looking across to the old town of L\\\'Escala$
Bay of Roses looking across to the old town of L\\\'Escala
Kitesurfing is very popular at Gulf of Roses
Windsurfing learning area at Gulf of Roses
Cafe next door to ION Club at Gulf of Roses
Colours of the Bay of Roses
Gulf Of Roses - ION Club
Villas at Camping La Ballena Alegre
Other watercraft can be rented along the beach
ION Club and the beach bar next door at Bay of Roses
Fase wind at Gulf Of Roses is another option for renting windsurfing gear
Fase Wind also has a small retail shop for windsurfing gear
The Bay of Roses is great for flat water blasting with big sails in a moderate breeze
Foiling is also very popular in this area
Kites dominate the sky in the Bay of Roses
The water is blue and warm at the Gulf Of Roses
The main swimming pools at La Ballena Alegre
There is plenty of storage for windsurfing gear at the villas at La Ballena Alegre
Gulf Of Roses is a great and safe area for kids to learn to windsurf
Windsurfing at Gulf of Roses
El Port de la Selva near Gulf of Roses is a worth-while visit
Gulf Of Roses - to foil or not to foil?
The spectacular town of Cadaqués near Gulf Of Roses
The narrow historic streets of Cadaqués
Cadaqués pebbly beach
The bay at historic Cadaqués
The beach at El Port de la Selva
Medieval Girona (Game of Thrones filing location) is between Barcelona and Gulf of Roses
Girona is a must see if you head to Bay of Roses
The street of old Girona
The old town of Girona
A bridge in Girona
Girona has some lovely cafes and bars
Gulf Of Roses
Gulf Of Roses
Gulf Of Roses
Gulf Of Roses
Gulf Of Roses
ION Club - Gulf Of Roses
ION Club - Gulf Of Roses
Gulf Of Roses
Learning to sail at Gulf Of Roses
$L\\\\\\\'Escala old town beach - Gulf Of Roses$
L\\\\\\\'Escala old town beach - Gulf Of Roses
$L\\\\\\\'Escala old town cafes & narrow streets$
L\\\\\\\'Escala old town cafes & narrow streets
$The beach in the new area of L\\\\\\\'Escala$
The beach in the new area of L\\\\\\\'Escala
$The streets around L\\\\\\\'Escala$
The streets around L\\\\\\\'Escala
$Beautiful L\\\\\\\'Escala$
Beautiful L\\\\\\\'Escala
The port of Roses at Gulf Of Roses
Roses nightlife
A couple of the many restaurants in the town of Roses
Cafes and sidewalk markets in the town of Roses
The main swimming beach at Roses
$Sunset at the old town of L\\\\\\\'Escala$
Sunset at the old town of L\\\\\\\'Escala

: Overview
: Windsurfing
: Kitesurfing
: Getting There
: Where to Stay
: Food & Nightlife
: Photos
: Reviews

Gulf of Roses
Gulf de Roses (or Gulf of Roses) is a beautiful destination located about 2 hours drive north-east of Barcelona (Spain) in the Catelona region in the province of Costa Brava on the Mediterranean sea just south of the French border.
The area is full of history and spectacular historic seaside villages such as Cadeques & El Port de la Selva. In the area there are numerous ruins, castles and medieval towns (such as Gerona dating back to 982 where they filmed a number of the scenes for Game of Thrones).
Gulf of Roses is a haven for family holiday makers and also caters well to solo travellers, couples and groups.
The Sailing
The area has been a popular destination for windsurfers with PWA events being held in the bay since the early 2000’s. In more recent times, kitesurfing numbers have grown to dominate the location. The sailing is predominantly bump and jump and flat water blasting but the waves can get bigger in strong winds for those that like a little airtime. The wind is typically light in the morning’s making it an ideal sport for first-timers and young kids and more ideal for the experienced as the wind strengthen in the afternoon’s. There are a few sailing centres dotted along the bay offering equipment rentals & lessons with the ION Club being the most significant.
Accommodation Options
There is accommodation to suit just about any requirement from 5-star boutique hotels, self-cater apartments & villas and bed & breakfast’s. If you are looking for a family holiday that entails some windsurfing & kitesurfing, you can’t go past the incredible camping grounds (which also offer villas) strewn along the bay adjacent to the sailing areas.
Activities & Culture
In addition to windsurfing & kitesurfing there are numerous on and off-water activities to entertain non-sailors and sailors when the wind is not right for their ability. The beaches are a great place to just hang-out and the water is blue, warm and inviting. Scuba diving, fishing and cycling are also popular activities in the area as well as visiting many of the amazing towns/villages and historical sites in the area.
Restaurants & Bars
For those who like good tucker there is an endless array of restaurants, tapas bars & cocktail bars around the area to satisfy just about everyone’s desires. Likewise there are plenty of cafes and simple dining options for those who like to keep things simple or who are on a bit of a budget.
Cost
The cost for accommodation, car rentals, Food and alcohol was moderate moderately priced at this time we visited.
Best Time to Visit
Wind
The best time for the thematic winds is April to September with average winds speeds ranging from 12 – 20 knots however the afternoon seabreeze is usually at the higher end of the scale.
Air Temperature
The area can get pretty warm and humid during summer reaching the mid thirties (with the average max temps in Aug & Sept around 29 Deg C) however the sea breeze keeps things relatively cool on the beach. During winter it can get quite cold and only has limited hours of sunlight. The best months for warm weather are June to September.
Water Temperature
The water temperature during the summer month (June to Sept) range from 19 – 23 Deg C. During winter temperatures can be as low as 13 Dec C…..brrr!!
So if you are looking for the windiest period, warmest air temps and warmest water temps the best times to visit would be June, July, August & September.
Average Monthly Stats
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Wind (Knots)
14
15
15
14
14
14
Air (max daily in C)
14
14
17
19
22
27
29
29
26
22
18
15
Water (C)
13
13
13
14
16
19
21
23
21
18
16
14
Bay of Roses Windsurfing
Windsurfing takes place along the long sandy Bay of Roses with most of the concentration of sailing taking place behind the La Ballena Alegra camping park, just south of El Escala on the Mediterranean Sea.
The Tramuntana wind from the Pyrenees provides a reliable sea breeze in the summer months (June, July, Aug & Sept).
The shoreline basically runs North to South and the most common wind direction is from the South-East making it cross on-shore.
As the wind increases in the afternoon the chop also increases with along with a small to medium shore break.
The water depth increases reasonably sharply making it a good location for foiling which is very popular in this location and is also one of the locations for the PWA foiling championships.
This area is also very very popular for kite surfing so there are designated areas for windsurfing & kitesurfing to try and keep the potential for carnage to a minimum.
Whilst ION Club is the most prominent Windsurfing Centre in the area there are a couple of other smaller outfits along the beach where you might be able to snag a better deal if budget is a constraint.
Windsurfing Centres
ION Club Golf de Roses

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Services Overview:
Premium Gear Rentals
Beginners Gear Rentals
Kids Gear Rentals
Walk-Up Rentals
Hourly Rentals
Advanced Booking Rentals
Adults Lessons
Kids Lessons
Kids Club
Safety Observers
Rescue Craft
Kitesurfer Storage
Parking
Photo Service
Location of centre:
Walk from accommodation
Beachfront
Facilites:
Food
Beach Bar
Showers
Changing Rooms
wifi
Shady Seating Area
Sun Beds
Retail Shop
Equipment Washing
Other equipment for rent:
SUPs
Surf Boards
Wing Foils
ION Club Roses ION Club is a full-service windsurfing & kiting centre located right on the beach at the Bay of Roses. They offer rental gear for virtually all disciplines of kiting and windsurfing as well as for all ages. They have a designated kiting area and windsurfing area for safety and during the summer months they move the windsurfing Read more...
Fase Wind

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Services Overview:
Beginners Gear Rentals
Kids Gear Rentals
Walk-Up Rentals
Hourly Rentals
Adults Lessons
Kids Lessons
Location of centre:
Beachfront
Facilites:
Food
Beach Bar
Shady Seating Area
Retail Shop
Fase Wind Fase Wind is a small windsurfing centre located adjacent to the Las Dunas camping area (about 2 km north of where the ION Club is located). They have a small cafe/bar and hang-out area and offer lessons for kids through to adults for all levels. There is also a small windsurfing retail shop here. Read more...
Bay of Roses Kitesurfing
Bay of Roses is a very popular location for kitesurfers. During summer the sky is lit up with the vibrant colours of dozens of kites in the air. The wide sandy beach makes it an ideal location for rigging and launching and the designated kiting area keeps them separated from swimmers and windsurfers.
The water ranges from flat to slight chop as the wind builds in the afternoon. Kite foiling is also very popular in this location and there are no hazards to speak of such is sand bars, reefs or turtles.
Kitesurfing Centres
ION Club Golf de Roses

1 Review
Favorite
Visit Website
Services Overview:
Premium Gear Rentals
Beginners Gear Rentals
Kids Gear Rentals
Walk-Up Rentals
Hourly Rentals
Advanced Booking Rentals
Adults Lessons
Kids Lessons
Kids Club
Safety Observers
Rescue Craft
Kitesurfer Storage
Parking
Photo Service
Location of centre:
Walk from accommodation
Beachfront
Facilites:
Food
Beach Bar
Showers
Changing Rooms
wifi
Shady Seating Area
Sun Beds
Retail Shop
Equipment Washing
Other equipment for rent:
SUPs
Surf Boards
Wing Foils
ION Club Roses ION Club is a full-service windsurfing & kiting centre located right on the beach at the Bay of Roses. They offer rental gear for virtually all disciplines of kiting and windsurfing as well as for all ages. They have a designated kiting area and windsurfing area for safety and during the summer months they move the windsurfing Read more...
Getting to Bay of Roses
Gulf of Roses is located in the Costa Brava region of Spain on the Mediterranean sea approximately 2 hours scenic drive north east of Barcelona.
Most visitors flying in to visit this area would enter via Barcelona International Airport.
From there you can rent a car and self-drive (which is very easy even for non-Spanish speakers) or you can catch a bus from the airport to Roses.
However unless you are wanting to just stay in the one spot when you get there, having a car is advantageous.
Along the way from Barcelona there are some must see things to do like visiting the historic town of Girona or visiting some of the many spectacular seaside towns and fishing villages along the way.
When you are in Roses there are some fabulous places to be visited within an hour's drive which may be considerably more logistically difficult to access via public transport (and be back to the beach in time for the sea breeze in the afternoon!)
Where To Stay at Bay of Roses
There are basically 3 options when it comes to staying & sailing at the Bay of Roses depending on your priorities.
Camping Grounds
If you are there mostly to sail at every opportunity or if you have a group or kids who you want to keep entertained, you can't go past one of the many camping grounds along the foreshore of the bay. In particular if lessons or renting gear is important then the La Bellena Alegra Camping Ground & Bungalow Resort is ideal as you have direct access to the ION Club. These camping grounds are not your typical small camping area, they have multiple swimming pools, restaurants, bars (some even with nightclubs) and the house thousands of people (pretty much like a small town). Most of them offer villas & cabins as well as camping sites.
Featured Accommodation
Camping La Ballena Alegra

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Star Rating:
4-star
Beach Access:
Beach-front
Room Types:
Single
Twin
Double
Triple
Quad
Family
Room Facilities:
Kitchen or kitchenette
Private Bathroom
Balcony or Terrace
Property Facilities:
Child Friendly
Restaurant(s)
Bar(s)
Outdoor Pool
Day Spa
Fitness Centre
Communal Lounge Area
Car Parking
Pet Friendly
Activities:
Entertainment
Bikes
Book Here
Camping La Ballena Alegra This camp ground is huge with accommodation for up to 6,000 people. It is more like a town than a camping park with restaurants (piza, pub, bakery, Grill, bars (and even a disco!). There is a supermarket, mini-mart and a bottle-shop for all of your grocery needs. To keep the kids entertained there are multiple swimming Read more...
L'Escala
If you are wanting more of a traditional Spanish experience you can't go past the beautiful seaside town of L'Escala. This lovely town has an old area with narrow streets and historic buildings as well as a newer area. There are some wonderful beaches, restaurants, bars and shops so even the non-sailors in a group will be delightfully happy staying here. The town is only about 10 mins drive from the sailing areas along the bay so not to far to travel when the wind starts to come up.
Featured Accommodation
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Roses
The town of Roses is located about 30 mins north of the sailing areas although it is possible to also sail from the main beach at Roses but this is not as popular for advanced sailors as there is a point protruding out at the northern end of the bay which blocks a lot of the prevailing winds. Roses is very touristy but still has a nice Spanish feel and there is a vast amount of accommodation making for competitive rates. The beaches are perfect for lazing around on and there are restaurants & bars to keep anyone satisfied for weeks. Roses is probably more suited to people who want a holiday in the sun at a more tourist oriented location and who may want to do some sailing whilst they are there.
Featured Accommodation
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Bay of Roses Food & Nightlife
Depending on where you are staying may dictate where you eat and party...
Camping Grounds
Most of the camping grounds have their own eating facilities & bars. If you are staying at La Ballena Alegre there is a couple of restaurants located in the medieval town of Sant Martí d'Empúries which you can access via a 15 - 20 min stroll along the beach.
L'Escala
On the town of L'Escala you will find beautiful restaurants and bars in the narrow streets of the old town and down by the water or over in the newer area there are also many water-front restaurants & bars. As this is only 10 - 15 mins from the camping areas if you have a car you could easily hit up L'Escala in the evenings.
Roses
Roses is set up for tourism and virtually every hotel has its own restaurant & bar plus there are dozens of other restaurants located along the water-front and up the little lane ways.
Other Options
There are some fabulous seaside villages in the area like Cadaqués and El Port de la Selva just to mention a couple. These villages have some outstanding restaurants and bars and being a little away from the main tourist areas tend to be less expensive.
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