Sant Pol de Mar, municipality in the comarca of Maresme in Catalonia, Spain
Sant Pol de Mar is a small coastal town in Maresme with white houses on narrow streets and modernist-style buildings that reflect its maritime character. The center sits close to the water, anchored by a stone church and fishing houses that showcase the town's connection to the sea across several centuries.
Sant Pol de Mar grew from a 10th-century settlement near a monastery into a fishing and maritime trade center. In the 1800s, sailors and merchants who profited from Atlantic voyages built grand homes that still define the town's appearance.
Sant Pol de Mar celebrates its fishing roots through summer festivals featuring traditional sea songs called havaneras performed by the water. The town's identity remains tied to maritime trades, which visitors can experience through local markets, community spaces, and seasonal gatherings that reflect its coastal heritage.
Sant Pol de Mar is easiest to reach by train from Barcelona, which takes about 90 minutes with the station right in town. Those driving can use the coastal highway C-32, though both options take less than an hour from the city.
The small hermitage of Sant Pau dates to the 1000s and sits on a hillside offering views that reach as far as Barcelona and Montjuic mountain on clear days. Most visitors miss this hidden vantage point and the sweeping coastal panorama it provides.
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