Costa Maresme

The Spanish east coast, on the Mediterranean Sea, is classified by areas known as costas. From north to south, till the Portuguese borderline, the coast is denominated as follows:

Annually, tourists from all around the world come to visit the Costa Maresme. Are you curious why? Certainly, it's not only because of its pleasant climate. This area has so much more to offer in terms of activities, history, art and culture. Consequently, this area attracts, on the one hand, people that want to rest and, on the other hand, walkers or lovers of sports, history and architecture that are looking for an active holiday.

The pleasant temperatures, during the whole year, and the very little rainfall in the summer, makes it an ideal place for a sun, sea and beach holiday. But, at the same time, thanks to its soft climate, you'll enjoy fully of the art and culture in the idyllic villages or of the beauty of the inlands. All this without suffering extreme heat!
And don't forget the winter sports! From the Costa Maresme you can depart to many other places. You can enjoy the coast or, for example, ski or snowboard in Andorra, Masella or la Molina.

An ideal departure point to your visit to Barcelona

Even if Barcelona is not on the Costa Maresme, it's certainly recommendable to have a day trip to this famous city. Coincidentally, the Costa Maresme is part of the Spanish province named Barcelona. So, yes, you got it right, Barcelona is just a few kilometres away!

All you're looking for, you'll find it here, on the Costa Maresme! There are so many reasons to stay in one of our beautiful villas with a private swimming pool. We have villas in the inland, where you'll have a wonderful view of the tops of the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea. Or would you rather stay near the coast? Choose one of our attractive accommodations by the seaside.

The ingredients to have a perfect holiday: beach, nature and culture.
And a perfect place to stay for winter sports

The modern coast line is characterized by large extended beaches (with fine or coarse sand) and all kinds of possibilities for its visitors. As the years passed by the Costa Maresme, the amount of tourists of all kinds has increased. You can find families with or without children, couples, young people or beach, nature and culture lovers. And, in fact, you can enjoy an unforgettable holiday on the Costa Maresme during the whole year.

Your villa on the Costa Maresme

Useful information

General

Location of the Costa Maresme: at the north-east coast of Spain, in the province of Barcelona, in the autonomous region of Catalonia.
Time zone: GMT+1 in the winter, GMT+2 in the summer.
Languages: Catalan and Spanish. Street signs are written in both languages.
Currency unit: euro €

Payments

Passport / ID card: It can be required when you withdraw money from a cash machine or when you pay with your credit card.
Travellers Cheques: They are seldom accepted. But you'll find plenty of cash machines provided by Amex, Diners Club, Euro / Mastercard, Visa, Europas and Giropas.

Electricity

220 Volt

Climate

The north-east coast enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate. In other words, it has warm summers and soft winters. The rainy seasons are usually spring and autumn and their average rainfall is about 400 mm a year. On the contrary, the sun shines almost 3.000 hours a year! No wonder that so many people have their holiday here. The only treacherous phenomenon can be the northern wind, which is a bit cold and rainy. Though this can't spoil the fun, it can even be pleasant during the warm summer period. All in all, it's just fine to everybody, particularly to lovers of the winter sports, which are at a relatively short distance. In the spring, temperatures are between 21 and 25 degrees, but, in the summer, they can rise up to 28 or even 32 degrees. In November, the temperatures drop generally to 16 degrees.

Tap water

Despite that tap water is supposed to be drinkable, you can taste the chlorine in it. So we recommend you to drink bottled water.

Emergencies

112 for all emergencies
092 for the Local Police (Policía Local)
061 for ambulances or medical emergencies

Opening hours

Opening hours of shops and shopping malls: 10:00 - 20:30 or 21:30.
Opening hours of traditional shops: generally from 10:00 - 14:00 and f16:30 - 20:30. Though the so-called "siesta" is different depending on each company.
Opening hours from banks: on working days from 09:00 till 14:00. Some banks are also open on Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00 and/or on Thursday afternoon.

Travel advice

You can enjoy the beautiful weather from May till October. During the high season (from June till August), it's really crowded and temperatures are on their topmost point.

Sales

Winter sales start at the second week of January. But do you prefer the summer sales? You'll find them from July till September.

Transport in the Costa Maresme

From and to the airport of Barcelona (El Prat) and Girona's Airport

When you arrive to the airport of Barcelona (El Prat), you can take the Aero Bus (1 or 2) or the train to the centre of Barcelona. From Plaça Catalunya (the city centre), you can continue your trip to the different places on the Costa Maresme by train or by bus. From Girona's airport there's a direct bus line to the different coastal villages of the Costa Maresme. For more information: Click here.

Just like from Barcelona (El Prat), from Girona's airport you can also reach the coastal villages by bus and train. You can find the up-to-date information about schedules and train stations on the website of RENFE (in English and in other languages).

Besides the public transport, you can also take a taxi. Other options are booking a transfer coach or renting a car, online or at your arrival at the airport terminal.

Boat

It's always interesting to visit other places nearby the coast. Are you in for a refreshing boat trip? With the Dolfi Jet boat, you'll get to other places along the coast, from the Costa Maresme to the Costa Brava. Normally, the boats sail from April to October, depending on the weather conditions.

Bicycle

The coastal area is relatively flat, which invites you even more to discover its villages by bicycle. Feel the sun rays and the smooth wind in your hair. The good news is that, during last years, there's been invested more in cycle paths. If you prefer to go off-road, go berserk by mountain bike in the wild nature.

Public transport in general

Along the east coast of the Costa Maresme, there's a train every 30 minutes to the beautiful city of Barcelona. Thanks to the big amount of stops, you'll reach 90 % of the coastal villages, which makes a day trip to Barcelona even more attractive.
There are regular buses between the beach resorts and the bigger cities. So for a day trip to Barcelona, you can choose between going by train or with Barcelonabus.

Taxi

The taxi transport has existed for centuries and is a very conformable way to travel from A to B. You don't depend on stops or time schedules. To avoid unpleasant surprises in the end of the ride, we recommend you to discuss the price with the taxi driver before departing. Prices can be affected by several factors, like the amount of people travelling, the time of the day, the day of the week, official holidays, extra luggage, etc.

Touristic train
In some touristic villages like Pineda de Mar, Santa Susanna or Malgrat de Mar, you'll find a touristic train which takes you to the touristic high lights. In every village, there's a different name to the phenomenon of "road trains", like for example "el Cuc" or "Xino-Xano". During the ride, you can hop-on or hop-off; depending on the type of ticket you bought. It's a perfect and funny way to have a general impression of everything what the village offers you. In a short time and while your feet are resting, you'll visit lots of places. It's the perfect solution for kids and disabled people!

Road network

Most of the roads of the Costa Maresme are in good condition. There are many places to see if you take the N II and/or the C-32. Are you here with your car or do you prefer to rent a scooter? No problem, in most villages of the Costa Maresme, you can rent cars, motorcycles, mopeds or quads.

From France to Alicante (passing through Barcelona, Castellón and Valencia), there's a (toll) motorway.

Traffic rules

You'll find out by yourself that Spain's traffic rules are nearly identical to those from other European countries. Nevertheless, pay especial attention to the traffic signs, particularly to those that indicate speed limit, because in Spain there are lots of radars and safety cameras. The presence of many motorcycles and mopeds, which usually drive a bit crazy, can surprise you. Moreover, as it happens often in other southern countries, drivers usually use hand gestures and other non-verbal language. Don't feel stressed if the other drivers use their klaxon, it's perfectly normal and very common. Don't feel surprised if a moped passes you on your right side, a truck to the left, without indicating its direction, or even if a car stops in the middle of a roundabout to let somebody step out. Just like in the rest of Europe, it's forbidden to use mobile phones while driving.

Extra information about car, moped and motorbike rental
Besides the traffic rules, every car rental company has its own policy and procedures. Most of those conditions are related to: minimum age of 23 years, minimum three years of possession of the driving licence or payment of the deposit by credit card.

When you rent a moped, it's not unusual that they keep your ID card as pledge. Don't forget to contract the necessary insurances!

Tourism Offices

Wander in the streets and enjoy the most of Spanish life; getting lost will take you to unknown places. However, sometimes it's difficult to find out where's that particular place that you want to see, or maybe there's a lot more to discover than what you thought in the beginning. The staff of the tourism office is at your disposal and will help you out with pleasure to make your holiday very special. In Spain, the Tourism Office is called "Oficina de Tourismo"; you can visit it with all your questions about the surroundings of the area where you're staying. Every touristic village has its own Tourism Office indicated with the sign "I".

Just a few things to keep in mind

Clothing

There's no accounting for taste.
Unfortunately, the weather is not an exact science and we can be surprised every day. During summer time, temperatures can rise really high. A fresh breeze can be very pleasant and inviting to wear the minimum of clothes, but it's recommendable to dress according to the place and circumstances. For example, doing errands in a bathing suit is not done.

Delicious temperatures during day time, but fresh nights

In the summer season, you'll need less clothing, but in spring or autumn an extra sweater or jacket, in the early morning or in the evening, is not a luxury. Yet appearances are deceptive, in the day time, you can enjoy the lovely weather with temperatures around 20 degrees but, in the late afternoon, it can be fresh and temperatures can go down till eight degrees lower.

Suggestions to have a nice time on the Costa Maresme

There is so much to do during your holiday. In general, holidays are made to relax, forget about your daily routine and think positive. The Costa Maresme is the indicated place for all this! To many people, Barcelona is one of THE cities in Europe, so, if you come to Spain, you can’t miss a visit to this versatile metropolis. Because it’s such a big city, you’ll find there many accommodations. But if you want to enjoy the calm and you want to see more about the surroundings, we certainly recommend you one of our villas, with so many possibilities, on the Costa Maresme.

Let you be surprised and visit the Costa Maresme!

Some of the villages on the Costa Maresme

Because it's difficult to say in which coastal area every village is situated, we have contacted the Oficina de Turisme of Catalonia, in Barcelona, which has information about Catalonia and Spain.

The following 30 villages pertain to the Costa Maresme:

List of suggestions to have the time of your life on the Costa Maresme

Art, nature and culture

For a combination of Art Nouveau architecture and the style of the beginning of the 20^th century, you can go to places like: Canet de Mar, Mataró or Argentona. Here, you'll admire modern architecture from famous architects as Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadalfach. The Costa Maresme enjoys a wide variety of art. So, for example, in Sant Pol de Mar, you'll find totally different impressive places. Let you be taken to the past, walking through the streets Carrer Nou, Cases de Cos or Abat Deàs. Even if the villages are so small, you can be surprised at any moment by discovering historical places. The Passatge del Mar (on the sea front), the train tunnel of Sant Pol de Mar to Barcelona, and its Town Council are just a few examples. If you prefer the baroque style, then go to Arenys de Mar and visit its Santa Maria church. Far away from baroque, but certainly worth to visit, are the old hospital Xifre and the museum of Frederic Mares de la Punta. Would you like a small taste of Gaudi's works, which have made Barcelona so famous? Then, you can't miss the church of Sant Feliu, a gothic construction with a touch of Renaissance, in which there's a portrait of Christ made by Antoni Gaudi.

The most central point of the Costa Maresme is Mataró, where you'll find plenty of cultural heritages like, for instance, the Roman baths, built in the first century before the birth of Christ, or the small basilica of the Virgin Maria. Several of the buildings from the hand of the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch are situated in this town and its surroundings. To get well informed about their history, you can book an excursion with audio assistance. You'll find this and the route in the Tourism Office of Mataró.

Spanish people love to drink a glass of wine! With a lunch menu during the siesta time, as an appetizer with some tapas or simply while sitting on a cozy terrace, watching the sun go down. Wine is, socially and economically speaking, really important in Alella. Take a nice bottle of Alella's wine home or take a look at the museum and the wine cellars. You can discover its history and see with your own eyes how the wine and cava are produced in Alella.

Do you fancy walking, cycling or just relaxing in the nature? In the nature park Montnegre - El Corredor, as a result of its Mediterranean climate, you can find typical Mediterranean plants, pines, beeches and birch trees. Nothing compares to the top of the Montalt. Do you want to know why? Then take the challenge and climb on this magnificent hill and gaze at the great view from its top. If you rather stay at the sea level, you're really close too.

Malgrat de Mar is the most northern village of the Costa Maresme and it's situated on the coastal road, parallel to the train rails from Barcelona (south) and Blanes - Maçanet (north). It's an amazing coastal village where you'll experience the ultimate sun, sea and beaches. The centre of Malgrat de Mar has several interesting places as the small streets and alleys, the Sant Nicolau's church, the old market "Peixateries velles" or the library "la Cooperativa".

If you are looking for more modernism, then take a look at the town council, "l'Ajuntament". The ancient centre of Malgrat de Mar is formed by "el Castell" and offers you an entertaining panoramic view of the inlands and the coast line. Starting from Calella, you can walk to the park Dalmau, designed in 1928 by Jeroni Martorell and composed by beautiful gardens and aromatic pines. It's certainly an experience that will take your breath away. For more beautiful nature, visit the Parc de la Serralada Litoral, between the river Besós and the lake of Argentona. You'll have a moment on your own, surrounded by more than 4.500 ha of nature.

Montserrat is a huge area near Barcelona. We recommend visiting it, because of its importance from a religious point of view and because of the beauty of its nature.

The possibilities are unlimited, but here are some suggestions:
- The caves of "d'en Pau" in La Granota
- The defense towers of el Masnou, from the 13^th century
- The Alta Alella vineyards, which produce wine and cava and cultivate, in more or less 3.3 ha, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes
- Parc Misericordia (Canet de Mar), which has playgrounds and beautiful botanical gardens

In the heart of the Costa Maresme, there's a great passion for theatre, which you'll notice because all the plays are performed with a lot of dedication. There are also many dancing shows of all kinds that are exhibited in the Monumental Theatre (Teatre Monumental), in Mataró.

You can also visit the cinema, but take into account that most of the movies are dubbed into Spanish. Nevertheless, it's always fun to have this Spanish experience. Many of the villages on the Costa Maresme have a cinema, some examples are: Arenys de Mar, Calella, Canet de Mar, El Masnou, Mataró and Pineda de Mar.

The beaches on the Costa Maresme

The beaches on the Costa Maresme are generally equipped with all kinds of services. There's been thought about sun loungers and parasols for rent, parking and life guards.

Many of these beaches have the Q title, which is a synonym of high quality. The highest rating of quality (on the basis of 29 established criteria) is indicated with a blue flag. The following beaches on the Costa Maresme own this title: Sant Vicenç de Montalt, Sant Pol de Mar, Santa Susanna, Pineda de Mar, Calella, Canet de Mar, Mataró, El Masnou and Caldes d'Estrac.

Wherever you go, pay especial attention to the signs on the beach and the flag that indicates whether the water is secure or not (green, yellow/orange and red).

In total, the Costa Maresme has 42 beaches, with fine sand. It's aloud to sunbathe topless all along the coast.

Are you on a holiday with your kids and you're looking for somewhere to entertain them? On the beaches of Santa Susanna, Calella, Malgrat de Mar and Arenys de Mar you'll find a Mini Club, during the high season. All kinds of animation games for children are organized there.

These are the main beaches on the Costa Maresme:

Malgrat de Mar
- Platja Malgrat Nord / Playa Malgrat Norte: 2.270 m long, 50 m wide, lots of campings, bar, showers and parasols and sun loungers for rent.
- Platja Malgrat Sud / Playa Malgrat Sur: 1.880 m long, 35 m wide, bars, showers, parasols and sun loungers for rent and wheelchair accessible.

Santa Susanna
- Santa Susanna: 2.420 m long, 35 m wide, parasols and sun loungers for rent, wheelchair accessible, shower, water sports and bars.

Pineda de Mar
- Pineda de Mar: 2.910 m long and wheelchair accessible.

Calella
- Playa Garbí: 814 m long, 65 m wide, wheelchair accessible, bar, parasols and sun loungers for rent and showers.
- Platja Les Roques / Playa Las Rocas: 750 m long, 34 m wide, perfect to fish with a line, some parts are nudist (unofficially), sun loungers for rent and showers.
- Platja Gran / Playa Grande: 1.403 m long, 50 m wide, wheelchair accessible, bar, parasols and sun loungers for rent.

Costa Maresme's harbours

There are many harbours on the Costa Maresme, though most of them are, unfortunately, not being used as in their origins. They've become an attractive place to moor small or even beautiful and spectacular boats; and they've got many possibilities like, for example, fishing (because of its abundance of trout). If you want to try something different, the rivers of the Pyrenees offer excellent freshwaters to fish. But be aware that a valid fishing license is required.

These are the harbours of the Costa Maresme (from north to south):

- Arenys de Mar
In Arenys de Mar's harbour, you can moor your boat or practice different kinds of water sports, by yourself or organized by the Club Nautic (situated in the centre of the harbour). Do you want a boat trip or a day of fishing? Then, you're on the indicated place! And if you're here with your own boat and, suddenly, it has a technical problem, don't worry! In Varador 2000, they'll solve the problem quickly and efficiently.

- Sant Andreu de Llavaneres
Size does not matter: the harbour of Sant Andreu de Llavaneres is neat and petite! Though it's small, it has a wide range of activities, for example, you can buy a boat or sell yours in the Milla Nautica. And are you curious about the latest technologies in the nautical sector? Pay a visit to Travinautic and let you be surprised!

Also very interesting are the many restaurants nearby the harbour, where you can drink or eat something while you discuss if you're going to hire a boat in the Motyvel Yacht Charter.

- Mataró
As many other places on the Spanish coast, the city of Mataró has a harbour with boat rental, reparation services and moorings for a long or short term. The harbour is also surrounded by many restaurants where you can delight yourself.

- Premià de Mar
Premià de Mar is situated between Barcelona and Mataró and has a small harbour. It's a relatively cheap and practical option to moor your boat.

- El Mas Nou
If Premià's harbour is the smallest we've talked about, el Mas Nou is certainly the biggest one. It has more than 1.000 moorings for lengths up to 22 metres. Most of the moorings are made to yachts, but 34 of them are reserved to the fishery. Are you looking for a ship? The harbour of el Mas Nou has the widest range of offers in Spain! So, it's the place to be!

Calella hasn't got a harbour, but its Club Nautic is absolutely worth to mention. It was founded the 23^rd of August in 1970 by a private individual and it's situated on the beach, in front of the train station and next to the Catalan Sailing Federation. Besides from sailing, you can also kayak and windsurf there. The professional staff will offer you a top quality service and, at the same time, the boats will be equipped with all comforts. Are you looking for something else? You'll find more additional activities like fishing competitions from a boat or dancing and singing in the Havannaclub. They also have the most popular board games and, if you want, you can watch TV. So, you'll be active all the time but, when you're tired, you'll be able to relax on the big terrace or barbecue in the picnic area.

Night life on the Costa Maresme

You'll find most of the vivacity in Malgrat de Mar, Santa Susanna and Calella with several bars, disco bars, clubs and lounges. Calella was the first touristic attraction on the Costa Maresme, and it still has a very high position. The old village centre in Calella is characterized by tapas bars and restaurants that are open till late in the evening. Are you looking for night life with a good beat? Go to the new area of Calella.

There's something for every nationality. Thus there are typical Dutch clubs and pubs, like Bar-Disco Bobs and Hans en Grietje. More in the English atmosphere, there's Turisme 35, The Avenue, The Tunnel and the Western Saloon. Because of the multicultural nature of the Costa Maresme, the Alcatraz International Bar is a nice mix of all kinds of nationalities. But, of course, you can also find great retro moments in, for instance, the Maui Disco Club, in Kauai / Disco Tiki (with regular Jacuzzi parties) and cocktails in the Caribean Fever Club.

Do you want to enjoy music, sports and dancing at the same time? From early in the morning till late at night, the Caramba Beach Club offers an animation programme, water sports on the beach, a daily brunch, an all-you-can-eat buffet in the evening and many more!

Would you rather avoid all the fuss? On the beach of Santa Susanna, between the train station of Santa Susanna and Pineda de Mar, you can also find plenty of sport facilities, mostly during the high season.

And where can you find a pub or club? Besides Calella, you can also go to Santa Susanna or Malgrat de Mar. Holland is well represented by the Costa, the TMF Café and the Asterix. Some of the Spanish clubs, like the QK, Tropicana, Opium or the Palm Beach, are also very recommendable.

Obviously, there are many other pubs, clubs and other nightlife options. These are only a few examples, because there's so much more. Let you be surprised and organise your own pub crawl during the nights that you stay here. What happens in the Costa Maresme, stays in the Costa Maresme!

Suggestions for kids

It's time to spend a moment with your kids! What does holiday mean to you? Enjoy yourself while your kids also have the time of their lives. In the surroundings, there are many possibilities. Moments of relax alternated with the possibility to turn energy into action:
Parc Francesc Macià in Malgrat de Mar, with 40.000 m² of playgrounds and such.
Parque Dalmau (Calella) with 18.000 m² with grass, trees and different types of playgrounds.
Parque Misericordia (Canet de Mar): playgrounds with botanical gardens.

Who's the fastest and the most skilful? Look forward to a great time, where everything is aloud and nothing is obliged.
Active Natura Park in Santa Susanna, in a woody area
Aventura Park (Mataró)
Adventure Wood "el Bosc Vertical"
Jalpi Adventure Park, Arenys de Munt

Swim like a fish in the sea:
Marineland in Palafolls, next to Malgrat de Mar
Illa Fantasia in Vilassar de Dalt

Does your kid love playing in the water? Then, the summer Club Nautico, on the coast of Vilassar de Mar, is probably the place to be for your kid. We're in this together. Become a child again, with or without your kids, in Port Aventura (A kind of Movie World), next to Salou.

Sports and active life

Are you sportive or interested in sports? Football is all around Spain, but pay attention because there's a yearly triathlon on the eastern coast of Spain.

What about water sports? Along the coast, you'll find terrific possibilities to dive. Especially for inexperienced or new divers, there are some diving schools, like the Mataró Niman Sub, Manatee Diving, Blaumar, Mediterranean Dive Centre, Premià Sub en Subsiluet.

Just imagine, a lovely summer afternoon around half past four. On both sides, you admire the beauty of nature while you feel some smooth wind and sunrays on your face. Do you want a wonderful holiday feeling? Come to Ranxo Mestres, and enjoy a ride on a Spanish horse or donkey.

The last years, golf has increased its popularity in Spain. In the area of Sant Vicenç de Montalt, there's a 18-holes golf course. The place is a small holiday paradise where you can practice your favorite sport in a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by beautiful nature.

During fresher days spoil yourself in one of the Spa centers, like the one in Caldes d'Estrac, in Hotel Colón Thalasso & Termal. Other examples are: La Garrigue Blancafort, Termas Victoria in Caldes de Montbui, Silience Spa in Calella or Titus in Arenys de Mar.

Places with WIFI

You'll find WIFI spots in several public places. Besides that, every town has the so-called "locutorios" where you can call, surf on the Internet, print or fax for a relatively cheap price.

Festivities and events

Besides the Spanish and Catalan official holidays and events, there are also the local festivities.
April: The gastronomic weekend of the peas, with all kind of delicious dishes elaborated with peas.
11 May: San Poncio martyr is a festival where the whole population of the village Tordera comes together in the local chapel.
3rd Sunday of July: Festival of Minerva (Calella)
23 August: Correfoc Tordera
In the beginning of September: Mountain bike tour in the area of Sant Cebrià de Vallalta.
Last weekend of September: The biggest festival of Sant Cebrià de Vallalta.
October: Festival de Titelles of Vilassar de Mar, called El Firobi.
The weekend before the 30th November: In Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, there's its annual festival.

Find your villa on the Costa Maresme here