DAY 5 AT LEISURE
We bussed it into Roses this morning (not too early as it was designated a day of leisure) for the weekly market. Acres of stalls, most selling clothes were situated just behind the Citadel. After a few purchases of linen tops – renovation will be required when I get home but I liked the fabric- we needed a toilet stop and lunch. We’re fast becoming “tapas” experts. We also checked out the local Tourist information centre for options to touring with Margaret every day.
La Ciutadelle was our focus for the afternoon, as it’s supposedly essential for anyone visiting Roses. It was declared a historical and artistic centre in 1961, and its history was well described with a short video at the entrance to the Museum.
The museum had cabinets with some lovely displays of the antiquities that have been left behind by many cultures. After struggling to understand the descriptions (in French, Spanish and Catalan) we discovered that were was an informative brochure available which hugely helped our tour.
The outdoor walled enclosure was built in the 1500’s, a military fortification with a monumental Sea Gate. Inside that were various ruins which very difficult to manoeuvre even with a map – or maybe because of the ‘confusing map’. I eventually settled on the simple brochure that we had been given at the door which gave a very broad outline of the many civilisations that had occupied this site over the ages. There were physical vestiges of the various occupations of the last thirteen centuries but as they were built often one on top of the other, I couldn’t always differentiate.
The important archaeological site which lies within the fortification consists of :
- the remains of the Greek settlement of Rhode (hence the modern day name Roses);
- the Roman villa, dating back to 6th century AD;
- very early Christian society (close to the age of the apostles)
- some Gothic buildings.
- the Romanesque monastery of Santa Maria, dating back to the 11th century
- the remains of the fortified medieval town.
- the remains of several military buildings dating back to 16th century.
DAY 6 NURIA VALLEY AND THE NURIA RACK RAILWAY
Today certainly upheld Margaret’s “not to be missed” experiences. One of the few rack railways operating in Spain, the Núria Valley Rack Railway represents one of the only ways to access the Núria Valley besides hiking.
Having watched some of the hikers on narrow rock faced paths, I certainly preferred this opportunity to appreciate the serene beauty of the valley and its lakes from a train seat. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe the magnificent scenery from almost the moment we left Ribes-Enllac station, taking on passengers in in Ribes-Vila station and Queralbes, the last point that can be reached by road.
It is also the start of the rack section of the line. Photographs won’t do justice to the splendour of the the sheer valley walls, dotted by pine trees on quarry stone, the chasms and rivers as we climbed almost 2000 metres to the terminus at Nuria.
And we still had the breathtaking, panoramic views from the cable car to the summit and then the unimaginable, perfect silence to marvel at the beauty and spectacle of the landscape!
The railway was opened in 1931 and is the highest rack railway in southern Europe. It operates 365 days a year.
No wonder St Giles decided to settle here in 700 in the company of the mountain shepherds; later in 1072 St Amedeus also found retreat here. There are two churches here, the little church of St Giles (where you write your intercessions) and the Basilica to the Virgin of Nuria where couples pray for fertility or give thanks for children with ancient symbols of a cross, a bell and a pot.
DAY 7 CADEQUÉS
We took off on our own today to on a boat trip to vsit the picturesque little town of Cadequés with its narrow cobbled streets and blue doors and windows.
En route we passed the Punta Falconera and the Lighthouse Bunkers, two sets of bunkers built between 1945 and 1946, as part of Franco’s defence plan in response to the possible threat of invasion by allied troops. More obvious on the northern point of the bay was Castell de la Trinitat, a 16th century fortification designed to protect Roses.
We also had a close encounter with the cliffs as the captain took us landward at speed until the bow was inside the opening to a large cave. Once we caught our breathe, it was an amazing photo opportunity – quite an amount of squeezing into the bow as fellow Spanish cruisers were slow to allow all snap the amazing rock features.
Cadequés was beautiful.
We climbed to its crowning glory, the Església de Santa Maria, This small white walled church houses the most wonderful golden baroque altar piece as well as the Black Madonna of Cadequés.
In the little chapel there were the most wonderful series of paintings by Catheriene Rey, Exposition Lévitation-Maasai.
After a leisurely stroll up and down the steep “Carrers Cadeques” we sat at the port to enjoy delicious pastries from Pastisseria Quer a Cadaqués, almost missing the return boat!
