A Morning in El Masnou

El Masnou is the nearest town to Premià de Mar, and somewhat nearer to Barcelona. Probably because of this, it has a slightly grander recent past. In the 19th century, wealthy families looked from Barcelona to its wide sandy beaches and the hilly countryside beyond, and commissioned Modernista architects to build them a residence away from the bustle of the Big City. Over in Premià they just got on with fishing and a spot of market gardening as usual.

One day last week, during my Spanish stay which was emphatically NOT a holiday, but Granny as housekeeper, au-pair and what’s the next job? I nevertheless awarded myself a day off, and walked the 6.5 km. there along the seaside path.

I wanted to track down a few neo-classical and modernista buildings, and I did. but they were hard to photograph, being – often – in narrow streets.

Click on the images to reveal the captions.

I wanted to track down street art. It’s often assertively political here, defending Catalan independence, the rights of the dispossessed, and celebrating female pioneers of the last couple of centuries.

Click on the images to read the captions (on some of them).

Then there are the charming details every town must have: the mosaic of St. George, Catalonia’s patron saint (and also of England; Aragon; Georgia; Lithuania; Palestine; Portugal; Bulgaria; Ukraine; Malta; Ethiopia; Russia; Bosnia; Kosovo & Serbia. To name but a few). The little cats painted at pavement level. The gaping mouth letter box (but how to get a letter in?). The door knockers.

Then there are the ordinary streets, with ordinary houses. Or not so ordinary houses.

And my favourite. The house with the matching car parked outside. In this image, they don’t seem quite to match. Trust me, they did.

I left the town, walking through its industrial quarter. Even industry seems pleasant enough when every street is lined with jacaranda trees in flower.

After that, it was a drink in the quiet square I showed ten days ago, and a walk home inland through the market gardening area. A morning well spent.

PS. The featured photo of the busy port wasn’t taken last week, but on a greyer day last spring. My walk was on a strictly bright blue sky day.

For Natalie’s Public Art Challenge.

And Jo’s Monday Walk.

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Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

58 thoughts on “A Morning in El Masnou”

  3. The grand is very grand indeed, Margaret! And the postbox is priceless. What a very lovely morning stroll. I enjoyed looking over your shoulder. Thanks a lot, and happy weekend xx

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  4. what an interesting area to walk around. That mailbox just made me grin back at it and jacarandas I love them, they are street trees over here and make a fabulous show in October/november

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  6. Beautiful. I’m glad you got a little respite from your duties. I’m intrigued about the house & the car. Was the latter chosen to match the former, I wonder.

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  8. So much to photograph here, even if the narrow streets make that difficult at times! (I had the same problem in Malta btw). I love that blue house and car too, the mosaic of St George, the little cats, the door knockers and perhaps most of all that glorious jacaranda tree!

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  9. Margaret, What a lovely walk with so many interesting things to see and photograph. I love the building architecture, the street art, the matching blue house and car and the window full of potted plants. Thank you for your public art share.

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  13. What a delightful stroll, I was very happy to accompany you around Margaret, especially as you had to do all the hills and not me. I love Jacaranda trees. I wonder why we don’t have them in the UK? My first ever sighting of them as street trees was north of Johannesburg on the way to Pretoria. Absolutely fabulous.

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    1. Apparently jacarandas can’t tolerate temperatures of 5 degrees C or below. So climate change may see us welcoming them here. As far as possible, I dodged the hills. They’re STEEP.

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      1. You’d think they would cope in Cornwall? But maybe not enough heat in the summer for them to flower. Or even London with the temperatures they get there.

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  16. I am glad you found the time for a bit of exploring in between all your granny / au pair / house keeper duties. Seems like there is an amazing amount of architecture and art to be seen on this walk.

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  17. Absolutely lovely post and photos. That mayor’s house is gorgeous. The street art is fascinating. And the mailbox? Hopefully, the mail deliverer has a key, as does the owner.

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