Can Lladó

Can Lladó is a historic masia (traditional Catalan farmhouse) in Cabrera de Mar, a small town in the Maresme comarca on the Catalan coast between Barcelona and Mataró. Also known locally as Can Modolell, the building is listed as a local cultural heritage asset (BCIL) thanks to its surviving Gothic details and a history that stretches back to the early Middle Ages.

How do you get to Can Lladó?

Cabrera de Mar sits in the Maresme comarca, a few kilometres from Mataró and roughly 30 km northeast of Barcelona. Driving is the easiest option, via the C-32 motorway or the N-II road, turning off toward the town centre where Can Lladó stands among the older village buildings. By train, the Rodalies R1 line stops at Cabrera de Mar-Vilassar station, from where the house is a short walk away. Keep in mind that Can Lladó remains a private property, so visits are normally limited to viewing the exterior and façade — access inside is only possible during occasional local heritage-open-day events.

What will you see there?

Can Lladó is an unusual example of a Catalan masia: its two-slope roof runs with the gable facing the side wall rather than the main façade, a layout that sets it apart from the more typical farmhouses of the region. The building is made up of three sections arranged perpendicular to the front façade, with a ground floor, an upper floor, and an attic. In the right-hand wing, a vaulted cellar with three arches survives — a remnant of the estate's old working quarters. The real architectural highlight, though, is a 15th-century Gothic window set into the main façade above the entrance, topped with a distinctive ogee arch. It's this surviving detail, more than any other feature, that gives the building its heritage status despite later renovations.

The site's history goes back much further than the structure visitors see today. The land where Can Lladó stands was already recorded in 1025 as a royal fief, making it one of the earliest documented settlements in this part of Maresme. From the 16th century the property belonged to the Lladó family, who gave the house its name. In 1783, following the marriage of the Lladó heiress to a member of the Modolell family from Sant Just, ownership passed to the Modolells — which is why the building is also known locally as Can Modolell. Its present form mostly dates from a 17th-century renovation, one that nonetheless preserved the most valuable medieval elements, including the Gothic window mentioned above.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for exploring Cabrera de Mar, when temperatures along the Maresme coast are mild and the nearby Alella wine country looks its best. In summer, the town becomes more of a stopover for visitors heading to the coastal beaches, so it's worth touring its heritage buildings in the morning before the heat sets in. Since Can Lladó is private, it pairs well with a wider walk around the town's other historic masias — Cabrera de Mar is known for having an unusually large number of well-preserved rural houses from different periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Can Lladó? No, it's a private residence, so interior visits are not normally possible outside of occasional heritage events organised by the town.

Why is it also called Can Modolell? That's an alternative name used since 1783, when the estate passed to the Modolell family through the marriage of the Lladó heiress.

What's the oldest surviving feature of the building? The 15th-century Gothic window on the main façade, topped with an ogee arch, which survived later renovations including the 17th-century one.

Are there other historic sites near Can Lladó? Yes, Cabrera de Mar has more than a dozen protected masias and archaeological sites, making it a good base for exploring the history of the Maresme region.