Villas in Barcelona – North Coast

Malgrat, Pineda and Calella suit beach holidays, Llavaneres and Argentona suit pool villas near Barcelona, and El Masnou suits city trips. This is the Maresme, the coast between Barcelona and the Costa Brava. Beaches are long and sandy, but the railway runs right behind most of them. Trains reach Barcelona, though hillside villas need a car.

Where

Villas: 29
From, per week: £341
Cheapest month: September
Nearest airports: Barcelona El Prat is best for the south of the coast, around 35 minutes from El Masnou and over an hour from Malgrat. Girona-Costa Brava is closer for Malgrat, Santa Susanna and Pineda, at around 40 minutes. Flights from London to either take around two hours.

Where to stay in Barcelona – North Coast

Malgrat de Mar, Santa Susanna and Pineda de Mar (north)

This is where most of our Maresme homes are. Malgrat de Mar is the last town before Blanes and the Costa Brava, with a wide beach and a working town centre. Santa Susanna and Pineda de Mar are lined with hotels, campsites and beach bars. Girona airport is around 40 minutes by car, Barcelona El Prat over an hour. Barcelona is about an hour and a half by train.

Best for: Families who want long beaches, resort facilities and Girona airport nearby

Not for you if: You want a quiet village: Santa Susanna and Pineda are package-hotel resorts in summer.

Calella and Sant Pol de Mar

Calella is a long-established resort with a pedestrian shopping street, a lighthouse on the headland and a promenade lined with plane trees. Sant Pol de Mar, the next stop south, is smaller and whitewashed, with its station right on the beach and the hermitage of Sant Pau on the hill above. Trains reach central Barcelona in about an hour and a quarter.

Best for: Walking to the beach, the station and the shops

Not for you if: You dislike crowds: Calella is one of the coast's busiest resorts from June to September.

Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Sant Vicenç de Montalt and Arenys de Mar

These are well-off commuter towns where many homes sit on terraced slopes above the sea. Sant Andreu de Llavaneres has the Port Balís marina and a golf course, and Caldes d'Estrac, between the towns, has a thermal spa and a quieter beach. Arenys de Mar has a working fishing port with a fish auction. Barcelona airport is around 45 minutes by car.

Best for: Larger villas with pools and sea views, close to Barcelona

Not for you if: You want to walk to the beach: most houses are on steep residential hillsides.

Argentona and Cabrera de Mar (the hills behind Mataró)

Argentona is an inland town a few kilometres up from Mataró, known for its summer pottery fair, the Fira del Càntir. Cabrera de Mar sits under the hill of Burriac, with a ruined castle at the top and a short, steep path to it. Both are 10 to 15 minutes from the beaches at Mataró and Vilassar. Barcelona is around half an hour away by car outside rush hour.

Best for: Space, gardens and walks in the hills around Burriac

Not for you if: You don't want to drive: the beach and the shops are a car ride away.

El Masnou, Vilassar de Mar and Premià de Dalt (south)

These towns are closest to Barcelona, and the R1 train from El Masnou gets you into the city in around half an hour. El Masnou has a large marina and a long beach; Vilassar de Mar has its own station and seafront. Premià de Dalt is up the slope behind Premià de Mar, quieter and greener. Barcelona airport is around 35 to 40 minutes by car.

Best for: Day trips into Barcelona with a beach base

Not for you if: You want a resort feel: these are ordinary suburban towns with few visitors.

When to go to Barcelona – North Coast

June and September are the best beach months: the sea is warm and the coast is calmer than in July and August, when Barcelona families and package groups fill Calella, Santa Susanna and Pineda. Expect weekend traffic on the coast road all summer. Many resort hotels and beach bars close from November to Easter, though the towns themselves stay open. Spring and autumn suit walking in the hills, and late-summer storms can bring heavy rain for a day or two.