Can Fontova

Can Fontova is a heritage house in El Masnou, a small coastal town in the Maresme region just outside Barcelona. The building stands on the corner of Carrer de Jaume I and Carrer dels Capitans Comellas, next to the equally well-known Can Pere Maristany, and is listed on the town's local register of protected cultural heritage.

What makes Can Fontova worth knowing about?

The house follows a rectangular floor plan typical of Catalan bourgeois residential architecture: a ground floor, a first floor, and an attic under a two-pitched roof, its ridge running parallel to the main facade, which faces south. It is a modest but distinctive building — one of many that shaped the center of El Masnou around the turn of the 20th century, when the town grew on the back of maritime trade and emigration to the Americas.

The name comes from the Fontova family, specifically Dr. Ramon Fontova i Rosell, a physician who lived in the house and ran his medical practice there during the first half of the 20th century. He was originally from Lleida. His sister, Francesca Fontova i Rosell, was one of the first women in Spain to earn a doctorate in medicine — a detail that gives this otherwise modest house a notable place in the local history of women's professional emancipation.

How do you get to Can Fontova?

El Masnou sits on the Maresme coast, about a 15–20 minute ride on the Rodalies suburban train from central Barcelona toward Mataró or Blanes. The town's train station is a short walk from the old quarter, where Can Fontova stands at the crossing of Carrer de Jaume I and Carrer dels Capitans Comellas. Drivers can reach the town via the C-32 motorway or the N-II road.

What can you actually see there?

The house is viewed from the outside only — it remains a private residence, and its interest lies in the preserved shape and facade typical of the period. It's worth pairing a visit with a walk through El Masnou's old quarter, where several similar protected townhouses survive, including the neighboring Can Pere Maristany. It's a good way to picture how the town looked when doctors, ship captains, and merchants tied to the shipping trade built their homes here.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and early autumn are the best times, when temperatures along the Maresme coast are mild and walking through town or along the seafront promenade is comfortable. In summer, El Masnou fills up with beachgoers, which makes a quiet walk through the old quarter harder to enjoy. Winter still works for short walking visits, though days are shorter.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Can Fontova? No, it's a private residence — only the exterior facade and shape of the house can be viewed.

Why is the house called Can Fontova? It's named after Dr. Ramon Fontova i Rosell, the physician who lived there and ran his medical practice in the first half of the 20th century.

How do you get to El Masnou from Barcelona? The easiest way is the Rodalies train from central Barcelona, a trip of roughly 15–20 minutes.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The neighboring Can Pere Maristany house, other townhouses in El Masnou's old quarter, and the town's seafront promenade.