The city

Mataró is a Mediterranean city well worth visiting at any time of the year! The capital of Maresme county, with population of over 129,000, the city occupies a superb location, lying between the sea and the Serralada Litoral mountains. Just 30 minutes from Barcelona, Mataró is also very near to some of the finest tourist resorts in the county.

Moreover, Mataró carefully conserves its traditions, history, heritage, culture and natural landscapes for the enjoyment of visitors and locals alike.

A stroll around the city centre reveals a huge variety of quality shops and restaurants, as well as the El Rengle and Plaça de Cuba traditional markets, where we can find many products certified as local by the Collits a Casa brand.

All these facilities are combined with a pleasant, attractive environment in which the visitor is frequently surprised by examples of the rich local heritage: Roman remains from the ancient city of Iluro; the beautiful baroque Chapel of Els Dolors in the Basilica of Santa Maria; and Nau Gaudí, the first work by the Modernista (Art Nouveau) architect Antoni Gaudí, which now houses the Museum of Contemporary Art, with works from the Bassat Collection, to name but three. Visitors can discover this outstanding heritage by taking guided tours or using the free audio guide service, which is available in five languages (Catalan, Spanish, English, French and Russian).

If you go down to the sea front, you will find beaches that have been awarded “Q” for tourism quality certification, ideal for a lovely swim. The restaurant and leisure facilities here are complemented by the amenities at the Port of Mataró, a marina with more than one thousand mooring places where water and underwater activities are available throughout the year. In June, Mataró welcomes the summer with the Port Festival, during which many events are organised to enable visitors to enjoy the sea.

And if the mountains are your passion, you can walk or cycle through the Montnegre i Corredor Natural Park, while adventure-lovers are sure to enjoy the Vertical Wood in the Forest Park.

Mataró is great to visit throughout the year, but the activities here really intensify in summer. In late-July, the city explodes into life during the Festa Major de Les Santes, celebrations catalogued as a Heritage Festival of National Interest. The activities organised during this festivity include giants, firework displays, concerts, Nit Boja (“Mad Night”) and castells (human towers), unique in the world.