Ca la Xalma

Ca la Xalma is a Modernista residential house in Premià de Mar, a small coastal town in the Maresme region just north of Barcelona. The building stands at Carrer Enric Prat de la Riba 48-50, right in the town centre, and belongs to that quiet category of early-20th-century houses that are easy to walk past without noticing — unless you know to look up above the shopfronts.

What is this building?

The house was completed in 1910, at the tail end of the period Catalan architecture calls Modernisme (roughly 1888-1910) — the same movement that produced Gaudí's landmark buildings in Barcelona, though here it takes a more modest, small-town residential form. Construction was commissioned by Josep Riera Cisa, but the name "Ca la Xalma" actually comes from a later owner, Josep Xalma Mota — a common pattern in Catalan house-naming, where a building ends up known by the family most associated with it rather than by whoever built it.

What can you see there?

The facade has a few details worth pausing for. The central section of both the street-facing front and the garden-facing rear is topped with a trefoil-shaped crown, a decorative motif typical of the Modernista repertoire. The upper window openings are framed by pronounced, rounded moulding that gives the whole facade a soft, organic feel. The side facades, meanwhile, end in a sinuous, wave-like profile along the terrace enclosures — a detail that catches the light nicely and is easy to spot from street level.

The house is still a private residence and its interior is not open to visitors — the appeal of Ca la Xalma is entirely in its exterior, which you take in on foot from the street.

How do you get there?

Premià de Mar sits on the Rodalies R1 commuter rail line linking Barcelona with the Maresme coast; the train from central Barcelona takes around 25-30 minutes. The station is within walking distance of the town centre, and Carrer Enric Prat de la Riba is one of the main streets downtown, so the walk from the station takes well under fifteen minutes. Drivers can reach the town directly via the C-32 motorway or the N-II road.

When should you visit?

Spring (April-June) and early autumn (September-October) offer the mildest weather and the fewest crowds, since summer in Premià de Mar is dominated by beach tourism concentrated near the seafront. Because Ca la Xalma is viewed from the outside, the season matters less here than it would for an open-air attraction — a quiet stroll through the town centre works at almost any time of year, though a sunny afternoon shows off the facade's moulding and shadows best.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Ca la Xalma is one of several buildings listed on Premià de Mar's local register of cultural assets (Bé Cultural d'Interès Local). The surrounding streets hold a handful of other early-20th-century houses worth a look, and the town is also known for its Textile Printing Museum (Museu de l'Estampació), a reminder of the area's industrial past. A walk through the Modernista streets pairs well with a short stop at the town beach, only a few minutes away on foot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Ca la Xalma? No — it's a private residential building and the interior is not open to the public. You view it from the street, along Carrer Enric Prat de la Riba.

Who built it and when? The house was completed in 1910, commissioned by Josep Riera Cisa, in the Catalan Modernista style. Its current name comes from a later owner, Josep Xalma Mota.

Is the building protected? Yes, Ca la Xalma is registered as a Bé Cultural d'Interès Local (local cultural asset) and is listed in Catalonia's Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

How long does it take to get there from Barcelona? About 25-30 minutes by Rodalies R1 train from central Barcelona; the station is a short walk from the town centre and the house itself.