Getaway to Maresme: Arenys de Mar and Mataró in depth

Your getaway gets underway in Arenys de Mar. From here a number of people, popularly known as 'Indianos', set off to seek their fortune in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of them did indeed manage to make that fortune and, when they returned to their native land, built great mansions, some of which are still inhabited today, while others are run by the town council.

The walking route we suggest begins at the upper end of the famous 'riera' (dry river bed prone to flash floods) of Arenys, and goes from one side of this main avenue to the other so you can see different buildings. Perhaps the most famous of Arenys' Indianos was Josep Xifré, who donated a hospital for the needy to his home town. It's a large building and contains his mausoleum. You should also look out for the Torrent Asylum, the El Paraiso palace and Can Còrdova, among others. You should also visit the Sinera cemetery on a hilltop overlooking the town, which was immortalised in the verses of Salvador Espriu. Many of the cemetery’s magnificent pantheons are the last resting places of the town’s Indianos.

There's a port almost every five kilometres in the Maresme region. But the one in Arenys may well be the most iconic, since it's still used by an active fishing fleet, whereas the others basically cater for leisure boats. Here you can still see nets being laid out to dry, and there's a fish auction every afternoon. And Arenys port also has on offer a lot of water-based leisure activities and plenty of restaurants where you can east fresh fish, making it a great place to spend a day.

Stroll along the quay looking at the fishing boats, and visit the fish auction house, Mont-Calvari with its magnificent sea views, the nurseries full of lobsters, and wait for the fishermen to return to port with their catch. You may be interested in one of the water sport activities on offer: you can accompany the fishermen when they go fishing for Mediterranean sand eels (if you do you’ll have to wake up early!), go sailing or take a diving course. At weekends in July and August you can also take a cruise along the nearby coast on a motor launch.

These are great ways to get closer to the water, and to the maritime traditions of Arenys de Mar.

You’ll be spending the last day of your getaway in Mataró, the capital of the region. The city has an enviable beachfront promenade and spacious beaches where there’s always plenty of room to spread out your towel. You've also got to explore the old town, near the  Santa Maria Basilica, as well as shopping areas like Plaça de Santa Ana, Carrer Barcelona and La Riera.

But perhaps one of the most interesting things about the city, at least for lovers of art and of architecture, is the presence of buildings and sites that bring to mind the town’s long history, from the time when it was known as Iluro and was under the rule of the Roman Empire, to Baroque buildings and the era of Catalan modernism with Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a native of the city, as its representative. Even the town’s old knitwear factories allow you to get an idea of Mataró’s rich industrial past – as exemplified by the Museum of Can Marfà – Knitwear, which opened in 2015.

Guided tours on a number of themes are scheduled for most weekends. Another option is to call in at the Tourist Information Office, which is located in the town hall, to ask for an audio guide and visit the town’s attractions at your own pace. You can wander from the Baroque artwork 'Els Dolors', which has recently been restored, to Nau Gaudí, architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch’s first building, where you can see contemporary art exhibitions featuring works from the collection of Lluís Bassat.

You’ll find plenty of restaurants here where you can stop in for lunch. And after your meal, you may well feel like relaxing on the granitic sands of one of Matarós beaches to soak your feet in the water.