If we had to define the Maresme, we could say that it is a region that brings together the best of the land and sea, with some charming towns. Having said that, it would be difficult to choose which are the most charming towns in the Maresme. Any choice implies leaving out of the same examples that also deserve the category. Without detracting from the rest, we have made a first selection of charming towns in the Maresme. If someone thinks of living in the Maresme, these towns are an unbeatable choice.
Five charming villages in Maresme
ALELLA, A HISTORY OF 1,000 YEARS
Alella is well known for its WINE D.O. B but Alella is much more than wine. Its history includes Roman occupation, Romanesque art, and the magnificent modernist and summer properties of the 19th and early 20th centuries. A walk through the village allows us to discover some well-preserved and very unknown romantic gardens.
Cabrera de Mar, sea and mountains
Cabrera de Mar has two and a half kilometers of beach, its main population center is in the interior about 2,500 meters from the sea, in a small valley between the mountains of Burriac (where the splendid castle) and Montcabrer. Its surroundings are full of attractions. One of the most outstanding is the Castell de Burriac. The Roman site of Can Modolell, the Roman ovens of Ca l’Arnau or the Roman baths of Ilturo (Ilturo is the Roman name of Cabrera de Mar) are other very attractive places
It is a very quiet and very pleasant town. It was in medieval period when the first streets around the church began to be drawn, and they have continued to this day. Obviously have been transformed over the centuries, but in general the complex maintains an old style, testimony of the 16th and 17th centuries as Gothic windows or voussoir portals. In the municipality there are some farmhouses, such as Can Bartomeu or Can Dalmasses (Cal Conde).
Cabrils, gastronomy and sunwatches
Cabrils is a cozy, pleasant town. A walk through the old town of Cabrils allows you to discover vestiges of a historical heritage of the medieval period. The town is full of unique buildings, for example the church of Santa Creu from the 18th century, whose 20th century bell tower is one of its symbols, since with its construction Cabrils became independent village from Vilassar de Dalt. On Calle del Castell we have the Hostal de la Plaça, a traditional 17th century farmhouse that has become one of the most emblematic gastronomic restaurant in Maresme.
Cabrils is also the town of sundials, it has more than twenty, an astronomical, mathematical and historical heritage. There are from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries such as Can Carbonell or Can Grau.
CALDES D’ESTRAC (CALDETES), THE ATTRACTION OF THERMAL WATERS
Caldes d’Estrac is thermal water. Its own place name comes from Romans who, knowing its waters, called it Aquae Calidae. The waters have always been one of the great attractions of this town, and not only for the Romans, also for the Arabs. It was not until 1820 that the waters began to be used in a nowadays. The public baths are renovated and become a prestigious establishment.
In the 19th century, many bourgeoisie people came to Caldes d’Estrac to cure their disease. Many of them built their summer properties. Here “Americans” or “Indians” met with politicians and writers. Strolling through Caldes d’Estrac and getting lost in its promenades allows you to admire and enjoy the old bourgeois mansions, many of them modernist or “noucentistes”. Many of these mansions were built on the seafront on the promenade known as Passeig dels Anglesos (Paseo de los Ingleses).
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Vilassar de Mar, “indianos”, sea and flowers
Sea and flowers are the best definition of Vilassar de Mar. The sea is represented by its long and well-kept beach and the flowers by the Mercat de Flor i Ornamental Plant of Catalonia. Must be added that Vilassar de Mar conserves an important legacy Indianos architectural sample and that can be seen through the “Ruta dels Indians”.
Vilassar de Mar lived very intensely the migratory waves to the Americas at the end of the 19th century. It is estimated that between 15 and 20 percent of the population embarked overseas. Thanks of those neighbors returned to Vilassar de Mar, we can enjoy the route of the “Ruta dels Indians” that show us the best of that period as the L’Espinaler Tavern, the Plaza del Ajuntament, the properties in Sant Pau street, Cal Pigat, Can Bisa, the Museu de la Marina or the Municipal Cementiri. Also interesting are the defense towers Can Mir, Can Rufau and the Torre d’en Nadal, the antic hostel and current Museu Monjo, calle dels Balcons, Can Bassa or the Museu de la Mina Vella, among many other attractions.
