Arenys de Mar, Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Catalonia, Spain

Arenys de Mar is a town and municipality in the county of Maresme and judicial capital of the Alto Maresme. It is an important fishing port —the main one in the province of Barcelona— and a recreational one. So much so that the port and its services are the main engine of the municipality’s economy. Arenys de Mar has a great social activity and the people of Arenys are very proud of their town.

The town of Arenys de Mar is located 40 km from Barcelona. There is very good communication, either on the N-II road or the C-32 motorway. The commuter train (line C-1) makes its way to Plaça Catalunya in 50 minutes. The C-61 road maintains communications inland, through Collsacreu, with the AP-7 motorway (Sant Celoni exit). The Montseny massif is very close and the Corredor-Montnegre Natural Park is just a few kilometers away. Girona is 60 km away and Montserrat is a long hour away. Barcelona Airport is 56 km away and Girona-Costa Brava Airport is 40 km away.

The port of Arenys is one of the most important on the Catalan coast. It is the most obvious example of the long history and seafaring tradition of the town. Fishing and all the industry that is created around the port move much of the economic activity of the population. The port concentrates almost all the fishing fleet of the region. The fish auction that takes place every afternoon when the keels and boats return is a picturesque spectacle that attracts many visitors. The fish that comes out of the Arenys market is valued throughout Catalonia, especially the prawns, sonos and squid. So much so that the local restaurateurs and the town council are holding a gastronomic event during the autumn, the Calamarenys, whose main protagonist is the Arenys squid.

The entire coast of Arenys is bordered by extensive beaches that are framed by the hills that reach the sea, an announcement from the neighboring Costa Brava. The port has a large space dedicated to sports boats, with modern facilities to accommodate passing boats. During the summer many sailboats stay there on their Mediterranean voyages. Shipyards, which in the past built much of the Catalan merchant fleet that made the Americas, continue to be an important local industry.

HeightThe tourist offer is diversified. There are hotels, campsites, summer camps, hostels, pensions and the possibility to rent apartments at a good price. There are a significant number of second homes. The Baths of Can Titus, with more than two hundred years of history, are a modern spa with mineral-medicinal waters of sodium chlorinated composition.

Arenys receives, throughout the year, the visit of hundreds of schoolchildren and numerous excursions for the elderly. The artistic and architectural attractions, the museums, the port, and everything that surrounds the myth of Sinera created by Salvador Espriu are good arguments to get to Arenys de Mar. There are several itineraries and routes planned to discover the village. On weekends, many people come to the village simply to have a good meal in the restaurants of the port or in the establishments within the town center.

The appeal of the beaches of Arenys lies in their extension and in the thick sand that covers them. For those who prefer shady stays, the town offers the park of Lourdes and the possibility of walking along the many roads and rials that the town has.

History
Santa Maria d’Arenys, today Arenys de Mar, is a young town compared to many towns in Catalonia: it is only 400 years old. However, these are years full of history. Arenys de Mar has been a town since 1599, and was of great maritime importance during the 18th and 19th centuries. The port of Arenys, for many years the only one on the entire north coast of Barcelona, is the most obvious example of the town’s long history and maritime tradition.

A thousand years ago, Arenys was a bay closed to the east by the rocks of Portinyol, which formed a natural port. The surrounding area was covered with oak and oak forests. The area was uninhabited due to the dangers of the coast: military raids, piracy… At the end of the ninth century, there was already a population center around the church of Sant Martí, which would later be called Sant Martí d’Arenys, as areny means stream of sand. It is the current Arenys de Munt. From the thirteenth century some inhabitants of Sant Martí settled on the coast to carry out activities related to the sea: fishing, boat building and maritime transport in various ports in the western Mediterranean. Three hundred years later, the neighborhood already has more than a hundred houses, several streets have been opened and the chapel of Sant Elm has been built, near where the current church is. Shortly afterwards, the hermitages of Mercy and Calvary were built.

On the other hand, the maritime district has acquired more security, as several fortified towers have been erected. These towers, which will eventually become thirteen, are defended by the civilian population, and serve to alert the population of the presence of pirate ships, to take refuge and to chastise them during the attack, with all kind of weapons.

In 1574, the Governor General of the Viscounty of Cabrera granted permission to the inhabitants of La Ribera, to meet separately from those of Sant Martí. Two trustees were elected who, the following year, in 1575, obtained a license from the bishop of Girona to build their own church. The new temple is dedicated to Santa Maria d’Arenys. In 1599, Gastó de Montcada, Viscount of Cabrera, established the term of the parish of Mar and granted it a municipal regime.

17th Century
During the seventeenth century, shipbuilding and navigation increased. As a result, the town grows, which is structured around the four main streets: d’Amunt, today Andreu Guri; the one in Avall, also known as Carrer dels Senyors, because the most distinguished families lived there; Carrer Ample, currently Josep Anselm Clavé; and that of La Perera, now Catalan Bishop. Social life revolves around two powerful brotherhoods. The Brotherhood of Sant Elm, called the sailors, and the Brotherhood of Sant Joan, which brings together farmers and artisans. These institutions, compete with each other and sometimes fight with firearms. The pirate protection system is improved. On February 13 of 1624, a ship of Arenys capture a Turkish pirate ship. Attracted by the progress of Arenys, the Capuchin Fathers settled there in 1618.

Meanwhile, the construction of the church is finished and the side chapels are beautified with beautiful altarpieces. The prestigious artist from Arenys, Antoni Joan Riera, designs the altarpiece of the high altar, in Renaissance style. But once the plinth is finished, the work is interrupted. The church was consecrated in 1686 by the bishop of Vic, son of Arenys, Antoni Pasqual i Lléu. To commemorate the consecration a barrel is burned every June 29th.

The power of Arenys was periodically interrupted by the epidemics that ravaged the country. At the end of the 16th century, the town made a town vow in Sant Roc, a great advocate against the plague, and since then it has been celebrating the saint’s day with solemnity. For Sant Roc, the administrators of the Brotherhood did the collection for the town, helped by the macips or young workers. Sant Roc were added in the 19th century. Sant Roc has become the second patron saint of Arenys and its day is still very popular. Since 1949, the old Arenys Dance has been revived, which is danced on the afternoon of Sant Roc.

18th Century
Arenys de Mar positioned soon the Austrian cause, supporting the siege of Barcelona in 1705, at that time in the hands of Philip V. Despite the victory of the Austrian side, Arenys de Mar suffered the consequences of the conflict, in part, due to the increase in demands for economic contributions that the Austrian side required to deal with the war. Once the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, with the withdrawal of Allied troops, Philip V’s troops took refuge in Mataró to begin the siege of Barcelona. Due to its geographical location between Barcelona and Girona, Arenys de Mar became the scene of several military operations, as it was a town coveted by both sides. To the economic demands demanded by the Austrian side would be added the requirement to house soldiers and the looting pressure from the Bourbon side.

At the turn of the 18th century, Arenys was one of the most flourishing towns on the coast. Thus, from 1706 to 1711, during the War of Succession, built the altarpiece, a jewel of Baroque Catalan. Work of the sculptor from Vic, Pau Costa, is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. It was largely paid for by the people and was gilded with thin sheets of gold and then polychromed by the Barcelona masters Erasme and Fèlix Viñals. The piece shows several passages from Mary ‘s life, surrounded bysaints and angels. In a preeminent place, we find St. Zeno.

In 1714, the War of the Spanish Succession intensified and the town was looted and attacked by the Bourbons. In order not to be set on fire, Arenys pays a contribution. The Bourbon pass by and burn Sant Pol de Mar.

In the course of the eighteenth century, the village followed an upward progression and the textile industry began. In addition, it is undergoing a major urban transformation. La Riera, until then a landfill, becomes the main axis of the town, where several stately homes and the town hall are established. At the end of the century, more than three hundred houses were built and new streets were opened.

This flourishing has as its main cause the explosion of overseas navigation. Several provisions of Charles III, culminating in 1778, allow Catalonia to trade directly with the American colonies. A glorious stage of Catalan navigation begins, which will last almost a hundred years. With its five shipyards, Arenys became for almost a century the most important center of the coast in the construction of large tonnage ships. There are sandy lineages of shipbuilders, including the Caldes, in the nineteenth century. Numerous sailors and skippers from Arenys also embark on the great ocean routes. In order to technically instruct officers and captains, the villager Josep Baralt i Torres founded, in 1779, the Pilots ‘ Studio, which became the most prestigious nautical school in Catalonia.

Many villagers settle in America and some leave remarkable marks there. It is worth noting Josep Xifré i Casas who, with his business in Cuba and the United States, made an immense fortune. And Jaume Partagàs, creator of the Real Fábrica de Tabacos Partagás in Havana. Sand boats travel to the seas of northern Europe, the Caribbean, the West Indies, the Silver Estuary. They transport brandy, cork, wood, pottery, leeches, etc. Some are engaged in the slave trade on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea.

Among the most exported sandstone products are pillow laces. The lace made in Arenys enjoyed great prestige for the delicacy of the workmanship and the perfection of the finishes. In a village of about 4,500 inhabitants there were more than 1,200 lacemakers. There are also several houses of leading merchants, including Can Castells, founded in 1862.

19th Century
The French War, which began in 1808, slowed down this progress. When Girona fell to Napoleon, Arenys became head of the Girona corregimiento and became the strategic nucleus of the first order for the country’s troops, which kept the population free from French rule for most of the war.

In the middle of the 19th century, the town had about 5,000 inhabitants, and wealthy houses were built: many in the Elizabethan style. La Riera becomes the axis of the population. In 1865, it was beautified by transplanted bananas from the Devesa de Girona. In addition, several public service buildings are erected, paid for by Americans of the town. For example, the Xifré Hospital paid for by Josep Xifré, now converted into a workshop school. And the Asylum of the Sisters of the Abandoned Elders, built by Antoni Torrent. Also, the school of the Escolàpies Mothers is abre, order founded by the arenyencaPaula Montalt, canonized in 2001. Also established in the village are the nuns of the Presentation who will create a boarding school of great prestige, especially during the twentieth century.

In 1865, the cemetery that until then was around the church was moved to the first two landings of the current site. Also, it has developed the industry cork (cork) will be one of the strongest of Arenys nineteenth century.

There is also a growing cultural activity. In 1863, the Societat Coral l’Esperança was founded, affiliated to the Cors de Clavé. And in 1885 the Ateneu Arenyenc was created, which brings together the artistic and intellectual activity of the population. Shortly afterwards, the Gran Casino Cultural and Recreational Society was born, which has now disappeared.

During the confiscation of Mendizabal the family of Cals Nois Grossos bought a pottery factory, called LA UNIÓN. The ceramics factory “La Unión” was one of the most important in the Maresme, even the owners came to get a kind of cologne, as they owned a whole street where both the owners and the factory workers.

In 1857, the train arrived in Arenys. Transport by rail, the progressive loss of the colonies overseas and the appearance of ships steam, produced the decline of sailing navigation. The mastery of Arenys disappears or is reduced to the construction of light tonnage boats. In 1874, the Pilots ‘ Studio closed its doors for good.

20th Century
Upon entering the twentieth century, economic activity is revived. In 1896, Magí Mollfulleda created the Calisay liqueur factory, which would soon enjoy world renown. The building, acquired by the city council in 1996, is intended for a civic and cultural center. In the same year, the zoologist Salvador Castelló, founded on his farm El Paraíso, the Royal School of Poultry, the first in Spain, and which has trained many students from all over Spain and abroad. King Alfonso XIII visited her twice. With the coming of the First World War, the knitwear industry is expanding. There are more than eight factories in the village which export to all over the world.

The result of this progress is the construction of bourgeois houses and sumptuous mausoleums in the cemetery, with works by prestigious sculptors such as Josep Llimona, Venanci Vallmitjana and Frederic Marès. Social housing is also being built. On the other hand, in 1906, the Capuchin Fathers created the Seraphic Youth, which will influence large sections of the population throughout the twentieth century. In 1922, construction began on the port on the rocks of Portinyol. But a few years after the works are interrupted with the breakwater east half. The weekly Saturday Market, which traditionally took place in the middle of the Riera, was moved to the current building built between 1925 and 1928.

Civil war
In 1936, the Spanish Civil War broke out. In the uncontrollability of the first moments there are some murders and looting of religious buildings with the loss of many works of art. The altarpieces of the church are burned and the main altarpiece is mutilated. During the war, industries were collectivized and some were converted into war factories. For this reason, the town is punished with bombings. On January 30 of 1939, the troops Franco seized the town.

Postwar
Economic and cultural hardship dominated the post-war years. Encouraged by National Catholicism, the traditional pious life of Arenys increases. Several storms in the late 1940s show the lack of protection of the Arenys coast. In 1947, the construction of the port area continued and the western breakwater was completed. The port is used for sports activities and, above all, fishing. Numerous fishermen, most of Sant Carles de la Ràpita settle in the town.

In the early 1960s, Arenys underwent a profound transformation. The influx of European tourism triggers strong urban speculation and anarchic population growth, which completely changes its appearance. In addition, the number of immigrants from the rest of Spain is increasing.

From the 1970s onwards, the town’s economic activity focused on trade and the professions derived from its judicial and administrative capital. On the other hand, the port is being expanded and the fishing fleet is increasing, which has become one of the most important in Catalonia, both for the diversity and the quality of the fish caught, which is highly valued gastronomically.

In 1979, Ràdio Arenys was created, dean of the municipal stations of Catalonia. Also, the historian Josep Maria Pons i Guri gives a strong boost to the Fidel Fita Historical Archive, which keeps the oldest documentary collections preserved in the region. Two sections of the Arenys de Mar Municipal Museum open: the Puntes Museum, with one of the best collections in Europe, started with a donation from Frederic Marès; and that of Mineralogy, donated by Joaquim Mollfulleda. On November 17 of 1996, inaugurated the new headquarters of the Library Father Fidel Fita.

During the 1990s, the population was affected by the execution of two major engineering works: the extension of the A-19 motorway (now the C-32) and the canalization and coverage of the Riera. This last work has tried to solve the problem of floods, which periodically punish the people. With more than 15,000 inhabitants, the current Arenys is a town rooted in its traditions and with a high degree of identity. It is, however, open to all newcomers who wish to join.

Economy
The port of Arenys is one of the most important on the Catalan coast and in the Maresme. It is the most obvious example of the long history and seafaring tradition of the town. Fishing and all the industry that is created around the port move a large part of the economic activity of the population. The port concentrates almost all the fishing fleet of the region. The fish auction, which takes place every afternoon when the keels and boats return, is a picturesque spectacle that attracts many visitors. The fish that comes out of the Arenys market is valued throughout Catalonia, especially the prawns. In October, the local restaurateurs, with the support of the City Council, organize Calamarenys, a gastronomic contest whose main protagonist is the Arenys squid. There are two important industrial areas of public and private development under development. Agriculture has lost crops in recent years, but orchard production is still maintained. The port has a large space dedicated to sports boats.

La Riera is the commercial center and the axis of all the local activity. Two rows of hundred-year-old banana trees shade its sidewalks and give it a unique image. These trees are the discreet witnesses of one of the favorite activities of the people of Arenys, especially on public holidays: strolling Riera up, Riera down. In the middle of the Riera, a few meters from the church square, is the Mercat, a splendid and functional modernist building. It is open every morning and a few afternoons a week. Inside the bustle of people and activity are constant. On Saturday mornings, commercial traffic moves throughout the Riera, where the weekly market is set up. The Calisay is another of these notable buildings in the town. The building of the former herbal liqueur distillery, which came to be recognized everywhere, is now a municipally owned cultural center and houses all sorts of cultural services. During the summer, many sailboats stay there on their Mediterranean voyages. Shipyards continue to be an important local industry.

Tourism
The tourist offer is diversified. There are campsites, summer camps, hostels and boarding houses; but, especially during the summer season, there is the possibility of renting apartments at a good price. There are a significant number of second homes. The Baths of Can Titus, with more than two hundred years of history, are a modern spa with mineral-medicinal waters of sodium chlorinated composition and the latest services, treatments and thermal facilities.

Arenys is visited daily by hundreds of schoolchildren and numerous excursions for the elderly. The artistic and monumental attractions, the museums, the port, and everything that surrounds the myth of Sinera – created by Salvador Espriu – are good arguments to get to Arenys. On weekends there are many who come to the village simply to have a good meal in the restaurants of the port or in the establishments inside the town center.

The appeal of the beaches of Arenys lies in their extension and in the thick sand that covers them, as we can see in Picòrdia Beach. For those who prefer shady stays, the town offers the Parc de Lourdes and the possibility of walking along the many paths and rials that the town has.

Within the town there are a number of must-see places. The church of Santa Maria d’Arenys, from the 18th century, has one of the most important and well-preserved baroque altarpieces in Catalonia, the work of the sculptor Pau Costa. At the top of Carrer de l’Església, there is the Museu Marès de la Punta, with the most important 16th-19th century rand content in Europe; and the building of the old Pilots’ Studio, founded by Josep Baralt, now houses the Mollfulleda Museum of Mineralogy, which has one of the best and most complete collections of minerals in Catalonia.

On both sides of the lower part of the Riera, hide a series of urban places and houses of remarkable beauty. The route through this network of streets brings pleasant rewards. Some of the defense towers built against Berber piracy are still preserved. The Fidel Fita Historical Archive has recovered and preserves important historical documentation of Arenys and the whole region. His work has been instrumental in preserving the historical memory of Arenys.

At the top of Turó de la Pietat, to the west of the town, is the Arenys cemetery. It is a characteristic example of Mediterranean marine cemeteries. Salvador Espriu turned it into a literary myth, with the poetic work Cementiri de Sinera. Inside there are some sculptural works of remarkable beauty, the work of renowned modernist artists such as Josep Llimona and Venanci Vallmitjana.

The view from the cemetery is splendid and you can see the main elements and symbols of the geography of Arenys. To the west, the silhouette of the Torre dels Encantats, which guarded the boundaries between the bishoprics of Girona and Barcelona. Further inland, the ubiquitous Three Hills contemplate the scene. The view to the east is dominated by the port, where the old Montcalvari building stands out. A glance, from this privileged balcony, allows us to identify the church of Santa Maria, the various convents of religious orders, the neoclassical mansion given by the son of the town Josep Xifré and on the horizon, above, the great mountainous mass of the Montnegre

Old Twon
RieraLa Riera is the commercial center and axis of all the local activity. Two rows of hundred-year-old banana trees shade the sidewalks and give it a unique image. These trees are the discreet witnesses of one of the favorite activities of the people of Arenys, especially on public holidays, walking Riera up, Riera down.

In the middle of the Riera, a few meters from the church square, is the Mercat, a splendid and functional modernist building. It is open every morning and some afternoons. Inside the bustle of people and activity are constant. On Saturday mornings, commercial traffic moves throughout the Riera, where the weekly market is set up.

The Calisay is another of these notable buildings in the town. The building of the former herbal liqueur distillery, which came to be recognized everywhere, is now a municipally owned cultural center and houses all sorts of cultural services.

Like so many Catalan people, Arenys took part in the Indian adventure between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th. Surrounding the streets of the town you can still breathe the colonial airs carried by some of the most important Americans in history, especially Josep Xifré.

Historical heritage
Within the town center there are a number of must-see places. The parish church of Santa Maria has one of the most important and well-preserved Baroque altarpieces in Catalonia, built at the beginning of the 18th century by the sculptor Pau Costa. At the top of Carrer de l’Església is the Museu Marès de la Punta, with the most important 16th-19th century rand content in Europe, and the building of the old Pilot Studio, founded by Josep Baralt, now houses the Mollfulleda Museum of Mineralogy, which has one of the best and most complete collections of minerals in Catalonia.

On both sides of the lower part of the Riera, there are a series of urban places and houses of remarkable beauty. The route through this network of streets brings pleasant rewards. Some of the defense towers built against Berber piracy are still preserved. The Fidel Fita Historical Archive has recovered and keeps important historical documentation of Arenys and the whole region. His work has been instrumental in preserving the historical memory of Arenys.

At the top of Turó de la Pietat, to the west of the town, is the Arenys cemetery. It is a characteristic example of Mediterranean marine cemeteries. Salvador Espriu turned it into a literary myth with the poetic work Cementiri de Sinera. Inside there are some sculptural works of remarkable beauty, the work of renowned modernist artists such as Josep Llimona and Venanci Vallmitjana.

The view from the cemetery is splendid and you can see the main elements and symbols of the geography of Arenys. To the west, the silhouette of the Torre dels Encantats, guarding the boundaries between the bishoprics of Girona and Barcelona. Further inland, the ubiquitous Three Hills contemplate the scene. The view to the east is dominated by the port, where the old Montcalvari building stands out. At a glance, from this privileged balcony allows us to identify the church of Santa Maria, the various convents of religious orders, the neoclassical mansion given by the son of the town Josep Xifré and on the horizon, above, the great too mountainous of the Montnegre.

Defense towers
Built to defend the town from pirate raids, four are preserved: with a Gothic ribbed vault; the one at Can Cabirol, with matacà and watchtower; that of Llobet, to defend the neighborhood of Sa Boada, retains upper corbels; the Encantats, on the hill of Puig Castellar, (13th-16th centuries), built on an Iberian village (4th-3rd century BC).

Route of the Indians
Route of the Indians is a route that will take us downhill, from the top of the stream to the sea, to end with a walk through the delicious cemetery of Sinera. Arenys de Mar has been a member of the Network of Indian Municipalities since 2008. We call all those towns and cities that knew the return of the Indians Indian municipalities. Most of these Indian municipalities are located on the coast, but there are also inland Catalonia.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many people from Arenys left at a very young age to “make the Americas”, willing to work hard and with the sole aim of making a fortune. They arrived recommended to meet relatives or acquaintances who opened the doors for them. Many of them were sailors, such as members of the Baralt family, founders of the Nautical school, or Salvador Castelló. Others, such as Josep Xifré or Antoni Torrent, were already heading towards the trade sector. All of them left their mark on distant lands, but also in this town of Arenys which, thanks to its Indians, has a valuable architectural heritage, part of which bequeathed to the municipality.

Mont Calvari
Built on a rocky cliff around the Chapel of the Holy Christ (16th century), it was a spa and later a luxury hotel in the early 20th century. A restaurant on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors.

Religious heritage
Beyond the baroque altarpiece, the parish church hides a lot of stories to discover: its construction, the tombstones, the chapels, the destruction of the Civil War, the temple of the bell tower, the communion… 400 years of church and village. (Walk around the outside and inside of the church. Meeting on the steps of the square).

Parish church of Santa Maria
The parish church of Arenys de Mar (Cultural Asset of National Interest) was built between 1584 and 1628. The main building, in late Gothic style, consists of a central nave, surrounded by open chapels between the buttresses, topped by a polygonal apse and covered with a ribbed vault. This ensemble was later enlarged in the 18th and 19th centuries with the chapels of the Dolores, the Minerva and the Santísimo.

The baroque façade, a bell tower crowned by a small tower from the beginning of the 20th century, and a common room, one of the most characteristic parts of the monument, flank. The Baroque main altarpiece presides over the parish church of Santa Maria d’Arenys, a brilliant work by the Vigo sculptor Pau Costa (1706-1711), with a Renaissance marble base. The mural paintings in the baptistery according to sketches by Josep Obiols. The architect Cesar Martinell designed the pulpits, altar and other elements after the Civil War.

Civil heritage
The stream is the apex of the social, economic and cultural life of the town. Going up and down we invite you to discover some of the most emblematic corners, buildings and anniversaries of our town.

Municipal market
Building built between 1925 and 1929 by Ignasi Mas. Within a late modernism, it has a brick facade and sculpted stone blocks.

Municipal Cemeteries
The Arenys de Mar cemetery, declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest in 1995, is located at the top of Turó de la Pietat, to the west of the town. An emblematic example of a Mediterranean sea cemetery, the writer and poet Salvador Espriu (1913-1985) turned it into a literary myth with his work Cementiri de Sinera – Arenys al revés. This cemetery is the result of three successive construction phases carried out between the middle of the 19th century and the second decade of the 20th century.

In particular note is the area around the Chapel of La Pietat, surrounded by pantheons and mausoleums built by prominent architects such as Enric Sagnier, Antoni Rovira and Cèsar Martinell, among others, and adorned with sculptures by Venanci Vallmitjana, Josep Llimona and Frederic Marès.

Cultural space

Art in town
Arenys preserves an important artistic ensemble, especially sculptural. Discover the jewels that hide its church -with a monumental baroque altarpiece-, the old Xifré Hospital -with the neoclassical mausoleum of its founder- and the cemetery -with pantheons from all eras-. An artistic walk through our history. (Walk through Arenys; from the church to the cemetery, passing by the Xifré building).

As they say, sea blue and white lace… In Arenys, lace has been an important art industry since the late seventeenth century. Our museum houses one of the most important collections in Europe. Likewise, what was once a chapel is today a space dedicated to getting to know objects from more than 2000 years of the town’s history.

Calisay Cultural Center
Cultural equipment that was an old flour mill converted by the Mollfulleda family into the Calisay distillery, a liqueur with aromatic herbs. Cèsar Martinell renovated the building between 1930-40.

Mollfulleda Museum of Mineralogy
Located in Can Baralt, home of the navigator Josep Baralt and headquarters of the Nautical School (1790), it is a scientific museum with an important collection of minerals that was donated to the town of Arenys de Mar by Joaquim Mollfulleda and Borell. It offers a valuable collection of systematically classified minerals from around the world; within this set you can also see pieces from practically all the mines in Spain, some of them closed today. In the museum we can also find an important collection of minerals from Catalonia with samples from all the counties, from the oldest mines to the latest finds.

Marès de la Punta Museum
The Museu Marès de la Punta is a space dedicated to textile art specializing in lace work, where virtually all techniques are represented: box lace, needlepoint, embroidery, techniques and styles from almost all over Europe. and where objects and graphic documentation related to the tips are also gathered. Located in the old Hospital de Sant Jaume (18th century), since 1983 the Museum has housed the lace collection donated by the Generalitat de Catalunya to the sculptor Frederic Marès.

In the old chapel part of the collection of local history is exposed, from the findings of the Iberian town of the Tower of the Enchanted ones to the Civil War. It is in this space where the relationship of our town with the sea stands out, with a sample of the tools of master of aixa that form part of the collection of the Museum, tools of navigation of the 19th century like octants and sextants, some from students of the Pilot School of Arenys de Mar and images of the construction of the fishing port and the development of tourism linked to the beaches and the marina. On the first floor you will find the space “The tactile gaze” that allows you to be more accessible to people with visual disabilities, a good opportunity to learn the art of the pillow tip.

Festivals and events

The Crema de la Bóta for Sant Pere
As every year for Sant Pere, on June 29, in the church square is the scene of the burning of a tarmac boot and the lighting of fireworks from the bell tower that remember that more than four years ago centuries that the church of Santa Maria d’Arenys was consecrated. On this day you can approach the square to leave your palms and palm trees, which you will see burning from 10 pm.

Festa Major Sant Zenon
The Festa Major is for Sant Zenon, on July 9, with an extensive program of cultural and festive activities and with a ceremony in honor of the saint and fireworks castle on the beach. The giants of Arenys go out in a parade at various times during these festivities. All the boys and girls of Arenys know the giants and live intensely the outings of tallaferro and Flor d’Alba, Roc and Maria, Elm and Carmeta, the six giants of Arenys de Mar.

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The feast of the Virgen del Carmen in July has a special meaning in the villages with port. In Arenys de Mar, boats of all kinds, large boats, fishing boats, sports and pleasure boats, all well decorated for the occasion and sounding their horns, accompany the image of the Virgin on her promenade. While on the pier and around the port people enjoy the maritime procession.

Arenys de Mar Jazz Festival
During the months of July and August, the courtyard of the Xifré building is the scene of the Arenys de Mar Jazz Festival, which has an interesting program: from classical jazz to new funk, blues or swing.

Grotto Music Festival
Like every summer, every Saturday in August, enjoy classical music in a natural setting as magical as the Parc de Lourdes.

Sant Roc, the town vote
One of the first acts of the Festa de Sant Roc in Arenys de Mar, is the crowded night parade of giants, which the giants perform on various streets of the town, on the evening of August 14, in an atmosphere magical, full of music, dancing and fun. On August 15, the town relives the arrival of the plague in Arenys de Mar which, for a few hours, traveled at the end of the 16th century and became the town of Santa Maria d’Arenys. On the 16th of August, the feast of Sant Roc, groups of young macips and collectors walk the streets and private houses of the town, soaking everyone with their perfumed water bottles in the cry of the glorious Sant Roc. In this way, the renewal of the vow of town takes place, which is done to the saint for having ended the terrible epidemic experienced.

The party closes with the traditional Dance of Arenys by the Esbart Maragall. A couple of dancers recall a courtship dance that dates back to the seventeenth century, to the sound of the cobla and adorned with traditional clothing.

Calamarenys Gastronomic Conference
As every October and for 25 years the restaurants of Arenys de Mar offer numerous culinary proposals with the squid of our coasts.

Natural space

Nature itinerary through the rials
The nature route through the rials of Arenys de Mar takes us to know the most characteristic flora and fauna of the nearest natural environment, as well as certain plant species, animals and types of materials that make up the habitat of the rials of Arenys de Mar.

Coast and beaches
The sea not only gives its name to this town but also gives it some of the most fascinating episodes in its history: from the watchtowers to the marina, to the Indian legacy or artistic heritage, the past and present of the town are soaked in the Mediterranean. (Walk through the center of town and along the coastline: port, Paseo Xifré and cemetery even)

Picardy beach
Picòrdia Beach is the closest to the center of the town and is located to the west of the Port of Arenys, between the Port and the Rodalies train station (approximately). It is a sandy beach between fine and medium. It is about 500 meters long, although it varies from year to year.

Musclera beach
La Musclera beach is located between Punta del Canyadell (east) and the boundary with Caldes d’Estrac (west). This beach has a grain of sand between fine and medium.

Cavaió beach
Platja del Cavaió is the longest and most extensive of the three beaches in Arenys de Mar with a length of 950 meters. Located east of the Port of Arenys, between the port and the border with Canet de Mar. With coarse-grained sand, we find different areas of environmental protection, vegetation and marine fauna.

The Port of Arenys
The Port of Arenys de Mar is one of the most important on the Catalan coast. It is the most obvious example of the long history and seafaring tradition of the town. Fishing and all the industry that is created around the port move much of the economic activity of the population. The fish auction takes place every afternoon at the LLotja, from Monday to Friday from 4pm, when the keelboats and boats return. The Market is located in the building of the Fishermen’s Guild, where there is a space for visitors to see the fish auction.