Parc de la Serralada Litoral

Parc de la Serralada Litoral is in Barcelona province of Catalonia in Spain. The park is a protected area, preserving its unique ecosystems, flora, and fauna. It is a haven for hikers, nature enthusiasts, and those seeking to explore the cultural and natural heritage of Catalonia's coastal mountains.

Understand

The park covers an approximate area of 7,400 hectares (18,000 acres), between the counties of Maresme and Vallès Oriental.

It is characterised by gentle slopes, a pleasant climate and a Mediterranean forest of oak and pine trees that rise up between the sea and the plains of the El Maresme and the El Vallès Oriental depression.

Burriac castle

• 1 Creu de Can Boquet office and information (Centre d'Informació de la Creu de Can Boquet), Creu de Can Boquet, 08339 Vilassar de Dalt, ☏ +34 656 903 642, p.slitoral.canboquet@diba.cat. Sa Su 10:00-14:00. (updated Aug 2023)
• 2 Alella Tourist office (Punt d'Informació de Can Lleonart), Plaça Germans Lleonart, 1, 08328 Alella, ☏ +34 935 554 650. (updated Aug 2023)

History

Established in 1972. Its history traces back to ancient times when human settlements and activities left their mark on the landscape. Ruins of Iberian settlements and Roman villas attest to this heritage.

Landscape

The Parc de la Serralada Litoral constitute a compact and continuous mountainous complex of rather gentle relief with a landscape reshaped by human activity and covered in exuberant Mediterranean forests. More than 95% of the park's surface is forested.

Climate

The climate of the Park is predominantly Mediterranean, characterized by mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. During the summer months, temperatures often soar, with highs reaching into the 30s °C (86-95°F). Winters are cooler but remain relatively mild, with temperatures rarely falling below freezing. The park experiences moderate rainfall, primarily from autumn to spring, which supports the lush vegetation of the region. The Mediterranean climate creates a favourable environment for diverse plant and animal species.

Get in

By train

Rodalies-Renfe trains

• Line R1 i RG1
• Line R2 nord

By car

You can get there by the Motorways AP-7, C-60 and C-32.

• The C-1415c crosses the park from Argentona to Coll de Parpers to La Roca del Vallès.
• The BV-5106 crosses the park from Argentona to Orrius to Coll de Sant Bartomeu to La Roca del Vallès.
• The BP-5002 crosses the park from El Masnou to Coll de Font de Cera to Vallromanes to Vilanova dell Vallès.
• A small road from Santa Agnes de Malayanes to the BV-5103

Fees and permits

It's free to enter.

Get around

The park has mainly unpaved roads. Some of them allow cars. Have in mind that is a small mountain range with almost no flat roads. Be careful with the climbs and descends in a car if you are not used to unpaved roads.

The park is part of the following cities: Alella, Argentona, Cabrera de Mar, Cabrils, Martorelles, Montornès del Vallès, Òrrius, Premià de Dalt, La Roca del Vallès, Santa Maria de Martorelles, Teià, Tiana, Vallromanes, Vilanova del Vallès i Vilassar de Dalt.

Parking areas

• 3 Parking Roca d’en Toni. free. 
• 4 Parking de la Mútua. free. 
• 5 Parking Font Picant. free. 
• 6 Parking Plana del Mestre. free. 
• 7 Parking del Mirador de la Cornisa. free. (updated Oct 2024)

See

• 1 Burriac Castle. The Castle of Burriac, or Castle of Sant Vicenç, is a castle that rises on the hill of Burriac, in the district of Cabrera de Mar and touching that of Argentona. Due to its location, it is very visible from a large part of the central Maresme. It has been an unbeatable point of watch and control of the territory.  
• 2 Sant Bartomeu de Cabanyes. It is a simple Romanesque construction from the 11th-13th centuries, consisting of a covered nave with a barrel vault and a semicircular apse with a small central alabaster window.  
• 3 Sant Mateu Hermitage. The chapel and the range are mentioned for the first time in documents from the years 993, in the pledge of land from Borrell to Bishop Vives and from 1075. Throughout the 11th and 12th centuries the chapel is mentioned in land sales approaches. In 1401 it was called Sant Mateu del Bosc.  

Creu de Montcabrer

• 4 Montcabrer Cross. Montcabrer is a mountain in the Catalan Coastal Range, which rises between the towns of Cabrils and Cabrera de Mar, in the Maresme. The main hill of the range is dominated by a large cross, originally of wood and now of iron, documented since the 17th century.  

• 5 Sagrat Cor de Teia (at the end of the asphalt of the Paseo de la Riera de Teià comes a track to the right, with route indicators). It is a Carrara marble statue made in 1956 by Claudi Rius. It was erected by the owner of the property to end a quarrel with the rector of the Teià parish who called it a lack of faith. The figure, atop the rocky hill of El Moliner and with open arms, looks directly at the church of Teià and enjoys a good view of the stream of Teià and the sea (updated Feb 2024)

Megalithic

Roca de'n Toni

• See the Prehistoric Route in #Local Hike
• 6 Roca d’en Toni (Dolmen de Can Boquet). This the best-known megalith in the Maresme region. It is an evolved corridor tomb, of the small Catalan gallery type, with a quadrangular plan and granite slab corridor.  
• 7 Burriac Iberic settlement (Poblat ibèric de Burriac) (go up by car to the Font Picant de Cabrera and go down a path in the east direction that leads there). It was a first-rate town of about two hectares that was the capital of the Laietan area. It is the largest of those known to date (more than 45) in the entire Catalan area. It was surrounded by a belt of smaller outlying towns that could be considered as lookouts and protection. The oldest vestiges are two huts from the 7th-6th centuries BC, together with some materials from this period. During the full Iberian period (IV-III centuries BC) it was completely walled (updated Feb 2024)
• 8 Poblat ibèric de la Cadira del Bisbe, Riera de Sant Pere, Premià de Dalt. It is an Iberian settlement established at the foot of the Turó de la Cadira del Bisbe (300 m), in the Serralada de Marina, which was founded by the Laietan tribe towards the end of the fifth century BC. It must have had its moment of maximum power between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC and was abandoned around the 1st century BC. The core of the settlement was distributed in terraces to overcome the unevenness. The village was walled and had a defensive tower, its disappearance dates back to 200 BC with the arrival of the Romans. (updated Feb 2024)
• 9 Poblat ibèric de Castellruf (follow the GR 92 from Coll de Font de Cera (BP-5002) and turn towards the GR 97-3 when we meet it, or take the GR 97-3 directly at Martorelles.). The first thing we will find is a small well or silo. From here, the path traces a more or less circular route that we will follow in a counter-clockwise direction. On both sides we will find remains of rooms, most of them covered with hedges, until we reach the northern side of the hill of Castellruf. There is a series of 8-10 perfectly visible and aligned houses, the outer part of which is a section of wall. The path continues to turn in a southerly direction, until reaching a rock. Passing carefully over it, we return to the silo where we started the tour (updated Feb 2024)
• 10 Dolmen de Castellruf. The chamber, enclosed by four vertical slabs, is 1.60 m long by 1.50 m wide and barely 0.60 m high. The roof is formed by two slabs worked in a triangular shape, which completely cover the chamber. There is an abundance of granite stones around that could be from the mound, which is estimated to be about 7 m in diameter. (updated Feb 2024)
• 11 Dolmen de Can Gurri. The vertical slabs of the chamber and some of the gallery are preserved. Only a small slab remains of the roof. The room is 2.40 m long by 1.20 m wide. Used during the second millennium before Christ. (updated Feb 2024)
• 12 Roca Foradada de Vallromanes (It is located in Vallromanes: you have to leave the church square of this town along Avinguda de Vilassar and continue until the La Mimosa estate. After this estate, just before a roundabout, take a dirt track that goes off to the left. When going up, we will find several forks: we must always go up to the plain of Cal Cabrit, between the hills of Cal Tàvec and Mas Miquel (Puig Aguilar). This plain is a clearing with a ridge in the middle. The holed rock is in the NE corner, about 20 m into the forest.). The room (roughly oval in plan and spherical roof) measures 1.45 x 0.90 m in base and 1.10 m in maximum height. The entrance hole, almost circular, is 0.90 m in diameter. The front face has some incisions that could be part of the closure system. It could have been part of a megalithic complex, as a series of large rocks can be seen nearby and it is an area of undoubted prehistoric occupation (updated Feb 2024)

Viewpoints

There are many viewpoints in the park, with magnificent views over the sea or inwards over de Valles counties. Those arranged with a bench and a rail are:

• 13 La Cornisa Viewing Point. It has great views to the south including Barcelona City.  
• 14 Mirador de la Pedrera. A view over the sea from up in the mountain. (updated Sep 2023)
• 15 Baldiri viewpoint. (updated Sep 2023)
• 16 Mirador de Céllecs. (updated Sep 2023)
• Mirador de Montcabrer (see Creu de Montcabrer)
• 17 Area d'en Galzeran. (updated Feb 2024)
• 18 Mirador de Nou Pins. (updated Feb 2024)
• 19 Mirador de Cirers. (updated Feb 2024)

Do

Hiking

Long hike

• The GR92 runs across the full length of the park, between Llinars and La Conreria.
• The Spanish GR-97.1 and 97.3 go through the park.
• The Green Meridian route, starting from Paris, makes its last segment in the park to finish in Ocata Beach.

Local Hike

• Hike from Sant Bartomeu up to 20 Turo de Cellecs. Impresive views either to the north or the south.
• Hike from Cabrera until Castell de Burriac
• Hike from Roca d'en Toni to Font Freda
• Hike from Creu de Boquet information point to mirador de la cornisa.
• Hike from Cabrils to Creu de Montcabrer
• Hike the prehistoric route from 21 Dolmen de Can Gol I to 22 Dolmen de Can Gol II, 23 Roca Foradada, 24 Pedra de les Creus, and 25 La Pedra de les Orenetes

Mountain bike

Hundreds of mountain bike ways and paths can be used in the park. Climbing to La mutua in Cabrils, or to Sant Mateu are classic routes.

Road bike

Several roads crosses de parc north-south and all of them are favourites among road cyclist. Even "la Vuelta 2023" did the Argentona-Orrius-La Roca segment.

Horse riding

• 1 Hipica Cal Senyor, ☏ +34 661 09 18 26. Daily 08:00-1800. Horse riding in the middle of the park. (updated Sep 2023)
• 2 Club hipic Sant Mateu, Carrer San Mateu, 08338 Premià de Dalt, ☏ +34 654 14 13 87. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. (updated Sep 2023)
• 3 Hípica Rosell, Casa de camp, 71, 08340 Vilassar de Mar,, ☏ +34 609 12 12 69. (updated Sep 2023)

Climbing

• 4 Les Banyadores cliff (Parking Font Picant; follow the way up towards Creu del Avellà). One of the most popular climbing zones in Maresme. (updated Sep 2023)
• 5 Céllecs Wall (Roques de Céllecs) (in the road from Sant Bartomeu to Vilassar de dalt, there is a path uphill until de bottom of the cliff; its top is also accesible using the path to Turo de Cellecs in Sant Bartomeu). Nice views and several climbing routes, for various levels. (updated Sep 2023)

Eat

There are many restaurants in the villages around the park. Inside the parc you can find:

• 1 Restaurant Cal Senyor (l), ☏ +34 937532160. Sa Su 09:00-17:00. Grilled meats, cyclist breakfasts (updated Aug 2023)
• 2 Restaurant Sant Salvador, Finca Sant Salvador, Camí de la Carena, s/n, 08339 Vilassar de Dalt, ☏ +34 937531703. Th-Su 8:00-18:00. Grilled meats, cyclist breakfasts. (updated Aug 2023)
• 3 Can Maimó, Camí de Vilassar, s/n , 08410 Vilanova del Vallès, ☏ +34 938459804. Daily. Grilled meats. (updated Aug 2023)

Drink

The springs usually have a signal if you shoud not drink there.

• 1 Font Freda. The path to go down is quite hidden. (updated Sep 2023)
• 2 Font del Botxer. (updated Sep 2023)
• 3 Font de Can Gurguí. (updated Sep 2023)
• 4 Font d'en Dirol. Since 2019 has long dry periods. (updated Sep 2023)
• 5 Font del Llop. (updated Sep 2023)
• 6 Font de Sant Bartomeu. (updated Sep 2023)
• 7 Font del Llorer. (updated Sep 2023)
• 8 Font dels Àlbers d'en Javà. (updated Sep 2023)

Sleep

The best option for finding lodging is to look in surrounding villages like Mataró, Granollers, Vilassar de mar, Premià de mar or even in Barcelona

Go next

Go to the Parc del Montnegre i el Corredor to the north following GR-92, or to Parc de la Serralada de Marina to the south following also GR-92