Calella (Spain) is a resort town on the Costa del Meresme with an area of only 8 km2 and a population of no more than 18.5 thousand people. Due to its mild climate and favorable geographical location, the resort is popular among tourists. It has comfortable hotels, sandy beaches, vibrant nightlife, restaurants, shops, while maintaining a rich historical heritage, interesting sights. In addition to beach relaxation, tourists can visit theatrical performances, carnivals.
Photo: Calella
History and features of the resort
Calella has a rich centuries-old history – the first settlements appeared before our era. People were mainly engaged in agriculture – they cultivated grapes, wheat, made olive oil. Since the settlement is located on the coast, its inhabitants, of course, fished and seafood, designed sea vessels.
The modern period of Calella begins in 1338, when Viscount Bernat II Cabrersky received an official document allowing him to build housing on the territory and organize trade.
Interesting fact! The tourist destination has been actively developing since the middle of the last century.
Calella is a universal Spanish resort that will suit any tourist, perhaps the only exception is that there are no wild beaches. First of all, those who want to combine a beach holiday and an excursion program come here. In the first case, travelers will find almost three kilometers of beaches, and in the second – a rich historical heritage and Barcelona, which can be easily reached.
Families who are planning a vacation with children should take into account the fact that the entrance to the sea is not too shallow, and a great depth begins after 4 meters.
The infrastructure is excellent – comfortable hotels with playgrounds, cafes, restaurants, a wonderful promenade, lots of entertainment, including water sports for every taste.
Good to know! An obvious advantage of the resort is the ability to find inexpensive housing (relative to Barcelona hotels) and not spend a lot of money on travel.
Also, the resort in Spain will be appreciated by admirers of a calm, quiet holiday, away from the noisy tourist destinations that Barcelona abounds in. There are many bays where you can relax and enjoy the silence. Even topless lovers will find a secluded place for themselves if they go a little further from the beaches in the center. And in Calella you can find great places for diving, snorkeling. It’s time to go to the sights of Calella in Spain.
sights
Attractions in Calella are for every taste – natural, architectural. Be sure to take a walk in the old streets near Vila Square, admire the temples and mansions. For example, Torrets towers, in addition to architectural, historical, are also of practical importance – here is one of the best observation platforms in Calella. Undoubtedly, the lighthouse built in the middle of the 19th century is a symbol of the resort. Go to the local history museum and take a walk in the coniferous park of Dalmau.
This is not just a landmark of Calella, but a symbol of the city in Spain. From the highest point of the lighthouse, tourists can view the resort and the seashore. The lighthouse appeared at the resort in 1837, it was built, first of all, to perform two important functions:
- ship lighting;
- defense against attacks from North Africa.
The lighthouse remains valid today. To see the attraction is not difficult from anywhere in the city, as it is built on the Rock of Gross.
Interesting Facts:
- construction work lasted three years – 1856-1859;
- light was first lit with liquid oil;
- electric lighting was carried out in 1927;
- the light of the lighthouse is visible at a distance of 33 m;
- from the observation deck you can see the city.
In 2011, a museum was opened in the building, where they talk about how the lighthouse works, what equipment is used, and what functions it performs. For many, it comes as a surprise that the lighthouse is also an optical telegraph, and church bells turn it into an object of urban communication.
Schedule:
- in spring and autumn: Saturday and Sunday from 10-00 to 14-00;
- in summer: from Tuesday to Sunday from 17-00 to 21-00.
Ticket price:
- adult – 2 €;
- complex ticket to visit the bomb shelter, lighthouse and museum – 3,50 €.
This is the best place for unhurried walks. Dalmau Park is well-groomed, green, pine trees, oaks, plane trees grow here, and during the rest you can drink water in one of the fountains. The attraction is located in the city center. The park is notable for the fact that there are no attractions and attractions, trees are planted throughout. The main reason people come here is walking and a calm, measured rest. In the center of the park there is a single playground. The park offers scenic views of the Mediterranean Sea. In the warm season, concerts and festivals are held in the park.
In the photo, the attraction of Calella in Spain is Dalmau Park.
Another interesting place, preserved from the time of the Civil War, is the bomb shelter. You can also visit it, watch an interesting exhibition and documentaries.
In the warm season, locals come to the park who like to dance sardana (Catalan dance).
A botanical route is organized in the park for tourists – banana trees grow in the lower garden, and Mediterranean vegetation prevails in the upper garden.
What to see in Calella besides historical sights? If you want to get to know the locals, see their way of life, take a walk on the promenade of Manuel Puigvert promenade. The boulevard is named after the mayor of the city; it was during his time when the embankment was built. The boulevard is more than two kilometers long, there are beaches on one side of it and the city on the other. The boardwalk is decorated with palm trees and plane trees.
Interesting fact! The boulevard was drafted in 1895, and already in 1904 the first trees were planted here, it is likely that the age of some palm trees and plane trees exceeds one hundred years.
On the promenade in the city of Spain, benches are installed, playgrounds are equipped, a bicycle path is laid. In general, an atmosphere of calm reigns here, since there is no loud music, the smells of barbecue and fast food do not interfere. In summer, it is pleasant to relax here in the shade of trees, and in the evening tourists come to the boulevard to observe the local population – the residents of Calella walk dogs on the promenade, walk slowly, admiring nature. And on weekends, the promenade is filled with the sounds of sardans, the local population comes here to dance. By the way, this dance even has a monument. An interesting and colorful place is the flea market, which operates on the boulevard. Festivals, fairs, and theatrical performances are held on the waterfront.
Good to know! To be in the city, you must go through the railway crossing, there are several of them along the boulevard.
Not far from the promenade, there is another attraction of Calella – a three-story house entwined with cacti.
It was built in the 18th century, during its existence the temple was destroyed several times for various reasons – an earthquake, then a bell tower fell on the building, then the cathedral was badly damaged during the Civil War. The temple was completely restored only in the second half of the 20th century. Initially, the cathedral was not only a religious building, but also a defensive structure. The project provided for a powerful wall, guns, and the bell tower was used as an observation point. Despite numerous destructions, it was possible to preserve the ancient bas-reliefs dating from the 16th century.
Today the temple is included in the list of the most significant sights of Calella and Spain. This is an active cathedral where services, liturgies, weddings are regularly held. The cathedral building is recognized as one of the most beautiful in the city.
Interesting fact! The interior is surprising in that there are no icons, and sculptures tell of the life of Jesus.
Entrance to the temple is free for everyone, but during the service you must turn off the mobile phones.
The attraction today looks like the dilapidated ruins of a medieval fortress, but it certainly makes sense to see the towers. They were built in the mid-19th century and were used as a signal structure and for communication with other defensive structures – signals were sent through flags and fire. Such a warning system was seen in the cities of Blanes and Arenis de Mar.
With the advent of electricity, the towers were no longer used for their intended purpose, and were abandoned. Today, tourists come here to look at the ruins and climb the mountain. Visually, one tower is lower and the second is higher. The former housed the military, while the latter was used for telegraph communication and officials were based in it.
Calella beaches
The length of Calella is about three kilometers, with the largest concentration of people in the northern and central parts, but in the south there are fewer vacationers. Of course, tourists prefer to stay in the center of Calella, where the longest beach is located and there is access to the promenade. Already after a quarter hour of walking, secluded coves appear, here are frequent guests – lovers of a relaxing holiday and nudists.
Important! The beaches of Calella are all municipal, respectively, free, with good infrastructure, well-maintained. The sandy shore, the entrance to the water is shallow, there are deck chairs, umbrellas – their cost is about 6 euros.
Calella has two central beaches, its length is 2.5 km, and you can swim and sunbathe almost anywhere. Coating on the shore is coarse sand, some tourists believe that it is large, but this is even a plus – the water remains clean.
On the central beaches of Calella in Spain – Gran and Garby – there are volleyball courts, cafes, bars, rental points of equipment for water sports. Garby is located west of Gran and ends with cliffs.
Good to know! Calella’s beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag several times.
Roques Forest is a beach that will surely appeal to fans of noisy parties and crowds. You can get to it as follows – go along the sea, climb the stairs and go forward to the bay between the rocks. The coast here is quite noisy and crowded, there is a bar equipped directly in the rock.
Accommodation
All hotels are located not on the coast, but across the embankment and the railway, so it makes no sense to book a hotel on the first line. Whatever hotel you are staying at, the beach will be near you.
As in all resort towns, the most fashionable hotels are located on the first line. If you go a little further from the beach, you can find inexpensive accommodation, including in hostels.
If you travel with a child, pay attention to the children’s infrastructure at the hotel – a shallow pool, a playground with slides and attractions, babysitting services.
If you wish, you can rent apartments, in which case you will have at your disposal a kitchen.
Good to know! In high season, book your accommodation a few months before the trip, as there are a lot of tourists in Calella.
Accommodation at the hotel during the tourist season will cost from 45 €. A room in a three-star hotel will cost from 70 €. But for a room in a five-star hotel you have to pay from 130 €
Weather and climate
A resort with a typical Mediterranean climate, rainfall occurs throughout the year, but not often. On average, in two weeks, only two rainy days. The highest probability of rainfall in the fall.
The temperature in summer is from +24 to +29 degrees, the water warms up to +24 degrees. In the winter afternoon, up to +16 degrees. The best time to travel to Calella is from mid-spring to the end of October. If you plan only a beach holiday, book the hotel in July or August.
How to get to Calella from Barcelona
The distance between the capital of Catalonia and Calella is 75 km. The fastest way to cover this distance is by train. On average, you don’t have to spend about 2 hours on the road, but if you catch the next train, then the time will be reduced to 75 minutes.
Of course, you can use the bus, but they go less often – once an hour, respectively, will have to wait at the airport.
Advice! If you are interested in how to get from Barcelona Airport to Calella inexpensively, pay attention to the group transfer. You will have to pay a little more than 17 €, but on the road the tourist spends more than three hours, because the transport stops at each hotel.
Practical recommendations:
- in Barcelona, air conditioning does not work in the metro, so it is recommended to go down directly to the train;
- if the plane arrives in Barcelona late at night or you travel with children, book a car with a driver.
From the airport you need to get to the train station, for the convenience of tourists a separate branch has been laid. Here you should transfer to the train, which follows in the direction of Blanes or Macanet-Massanes.
The interval of trains 30 minutes, the last flight at 22-54. Ticket price 5.1 €. If you want to save on travel, buy a T-10 ticket valid in zone 5. Validity is 30 days.
Buses Barcelona – Calella depart from the airport, ticket costs 9.5 €. For lovers of comfort and service, shuttle bass is more suitable, the fare is 17 €. Public transport in Calella makes two stops:
- on St. Josep Mercat;
- on pl. de les Roses.
If you are planning a trip from Barcelona, you need to get to Barcelona Nord Bus Station. A ticket costs 5 €, if desired, you can buy a ticket for 10 or 12 trips.
Calella (Spain) – a resort for relaxation for every taste. You will find relaxing beach relaxation, an interesting excursion program, a rich historical heritage, the opportunity to actively spend leisure, playing sports.
Prices on the page are for November 2019.
Streets of Calella in Full HD:
