I LOVE Maresme (Barcelona coast)

Sometimes I just think how fortunate I am to live where I live. Barcelona its a great city. It can be a busy and vibrant place but at the same time it is a pretty relaxed city if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle.

Barcelona is famous for Gaudí and his Sagrada Familia, for Las Ramblas, for its food, wine and cava ... but one of the biggest attractions is its location too. Barcelona its sorrounded by Collserola Mountain and the Mediterranean Sea. Some other time I'll talk about some of the fun activities you can do in Collserola, but today I want to talk about Barcelona's coast.

Just north of Barcelona begins the Maresme county. That's where I live. To live in Maresme means to live almost touching the Mediterranean Sea. 16 towns are located along the 52 kilometers of its coast. The sea leaves an imprint on its people and their character. And the beaches offer different ways to enjoy them during the day as well as during the night, during summer or winter time.

• Chiringuitos (beach bars) are always there. You can drink something refreshing next to the sea, or enjoy live music, or have lunch or dinner ... 
• You can practice your favorite sport: volleyball, surfing, windsurfing, soccer, rugby ...  the list is so long! And of course, you can go fishing! It is also great (and my personal favorite activity) to just walk or run next to the sea. We have a long promenade that connects almost all of the different towns of the Maresme coast. 
• Once a year, during the Fiesta Mayor (festivities of each town) each local town prepares different activities. Some of them right at the beach: fireworks, havaneres (fisherman's songs), popular meals, life shows and performances, etc. 
• It is also nice to walk, drink or eat something at the port area. Or even have a fishing tour!

Coll i Regàs Modernista house in Mataró

The sea gives life to all the Maresme towns. We could finish here. A beach town is a beach town, right? But we would be very mistaken if we thought that's the end of the story. Every town has its own character, its own thing going on: modernista buildings and Gaudí's workshop in Mataró, famous Michellin star restaurants like Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, majestic castles like Santa Florentina in Canet de Mar, Alella wine region (the smallest wine region in continental Spain) ... 

I hope that gave you a taste of my Maresme!