Nearby Villages
Between the sea and mountain chains, we find Canet de Mar, a small Mediterranean town, famous for not only its wide sandy beaches and clear waters but also for interesting examples of Catalan Art Nouveau architecture.
Art Noveau in Canet de Mar
In Canet there is not only the beach and the mountains, it also has an architectural legacy to offer: Lluís Domènech i Montaner House-Museum, the architect famous for having designed the Palau de la Música and the Hospital de Santa Creu i Sant Pau.
This House-Museum is made up of Masia Rocosa, a 17thC Catalan traditional farmhouse where the architect conceived some of his works, and the Casa Domènech (1919), the house that he designed for his family.
You can ask at the reception for further information.
Santa Florentina Castle Title
It is possible to visit the castle and its gardens, guided by a guide. A the end of the visit, you will be offered a glass of champaign.
Gallery
Pedracastell Cross
Pedracastell is a 309m high mountain between Canet de Mar and Sant Iscle de la Vallalta, in the region of Maresme. There we can see the entire city of Canet, Sant Pol and a part of Arenys de Mar from a very good perspective.
You can appreciate Vallalta and its valleys, the Montnegre, the Serra dels termes, the Serra d’en Sala and, of course, the Cap de Bou. It is a great place to go for a walk or for a ride and to explore.
On the top, there is Pedracastell’s Cross. From there you can enjoy a fantastic view over the sea.
Villages
Tossa de Mar
This city on Costa Brava, situated in Girona province, is an old fishing village about 50 minutes far from Canet by car which has an important historic heritage.
Tossa de mar has one of the most beautiful landscapes in the region, with its rocky outline coast full of green and blue, its incredible beaches and cliffs. This open-air museum will introduce you to this city that was first roman (Turissa) and then medieval (Tursa), a fishing port and an intellectual refuge for artists. Visit its walls of the 12th C, its lighthouse, where there is a spectacular view of the coast; discover its medieval alleys and enjoy its beautiful beaches and its gastronomy.
Blanes
Marimurtra – Botanic Garden
In the Botanic Garden of Blanes, founded by the German businessman Karl Faust and regarded as one of the best botanic gardens in Europe, you can admire a great view of the Costa Brava. Within the 10 acres of Marimurtra, where you will get to know about 3.000 exotic species, what predominates is Mediterranean woodland, however, there are three different areas: subtropical, temperate and Mediterranean.
The Marimurtra Botanic Garden was declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest by the government of Catalonia.
Blanes is about 25 km far from Canet.
Arenys de Mar
400 years of history have left an important legacy to Arenys, which is the great cultural patrimony that we can enjoy today.
- Santa Maria church, with a fantastic baroque altarpiece
- The Museum Marès de la Punta (bobbin lace); the defense towers, built in 16 C to defend the town from the pirates
- The Museum Mollfulleda de Mineralogia, with minerals from Catalonia and other parts of the world
- Sinera’s cemetery, where the poet Salvador Espriu is buried;
- The harbour, where there are most of the fishing boats of the region and which offers a wide variety of options to have fun, to practice sport and to eat out, apart from the fish auction, which takes place every afternoon.
Sant Pol
In Sant Pol, a small fishing town, you can find the restaurant Sant Pau, which has 3 Michelin stars and 3 Campsa-Reopsol Guide suns. Its chef, Carme Ruscalleda, is known around the world and also has a restaurant in Japan, in Tokyo.
Places that are worth visiting are Sant Pau hermitage (Romanesque art, 10 – 13 C), Sant Jaume Gothic church (16 – 17 C), modernist façades and the Parc del Litoral (big green extension with a zone for children and skaters).
The weekly market is on Friday.
Banyoles
Banyoles, which is an hour drive from Canet de Mar, is a city particularly known for its natural lake, which is the biggest one in Catalunya and where one can practice a lot of different sports and activities. It has a big geological, ecological and cultural value. Its old medieval city center is worth visiting; its stony alleys, its squares, its religious buildings, the water flowing in the canals and its art make this city center unique and worth discovering.
Besalú
Besalú, which is an hour drive from Canet de Mar, is one of the most important and best maintained medieval cities of Catalunya. Its geographical situation allowed its populations to settle down there already a long time ago, which made that in this place various cultures have met. Therefore, the cultural heritage of the city has been strongly enriched. This fortress is located between two rivers and it is ideal to have a walk through its streets and squares, which transmit a unique medieval atmosphere.
The city council of Beslú organises different activities during the year like nocturnal visits every Wednesday of July and August with medieval characters, or also the transformation of the old town to a medieval one during the first weekend of September, as well as fairs, markets, etc.
Girona
Girona is a city with a great cultural and gastronomic variety in the north of Catalonia, about 58 km far from Canet. Despite the fact that it is a city with almost 100.000 inhabitants, its atmosphere and people are like in a small town, above all at the city center, where we find most of the places that are worth visiting. Some of the best known places are Sant Narcís cathedral, Sant Feliu church, the sculpture of the lioness, the Jewish quarter, the houses by Onyar river, Devesa Park, the Rambla de la Llibertat and the city walls. One can easily go to Girona by car as well as by train; please ask at the reception for further information.
If you are a gourmet, you may be interested in el Celler de Can Roca, which was named the best restaurant in the world in 2013 according to The Restaurant Magazine, and it also holds 3 Michelin stars.
Discover Girona’s magic and you’ll fall in love with the city for sure.
Calella
5 km far from Canet, there is Calella de la Costa, a city with plenty of touristic sites for all ages and various profiles (families, groups of young people, couples, etc.).
On the beach you can enjoy many activities, such as foam parties, volleyball, football, kayak, monologues, bouncy castles and fresh air cinema.
The great variety of shops makes Calella the perfect place to spend the afternoon by shopping. In addition, nightlife is really lively since there are a lot of discos and pubs.
As for cultural sites, you can visit the lighthouse, Parc Dalmau (it has about 18 ha.), Santa Maria and Sant Dalmau church, and an air-raid shelter, among others.