Can Peixau

Can Peixau is a historic residential building in Teià, a small town in the Maresme district, roughly 25 kilometres northeast of Barcelona. It stands at the junction of Carrer Pau Claris and Carrer Pau Casals, in a quiet residential stretch of town, away from the crowds found along the Maresme coastline. It's easy to drive straight past it on the way to the beach, but it rewards anyone with an interest in the country-house architecture of rural Catalonia.

How do you get there?

Teià sits just inland from the coastal towns of Alella and El Masnou, on the road linking Barcelona to the Maresme region. A car is the most practical option, since the town has no train station of its own — the nearest stops on the R1 commuter line are in El Masnou or Alella, a short bus or taxi ride from the centre. Regular buses also run from Barcelona, departing from the Fabra i Puig area. Once in town, the building sits within the ordinary street grid, so reaching it on foot from the centre is straightforward.

What will you see?

Also known locally as Can Paixau de la Torre, the building was first constructed in 1726 and took on its current appearance after a major renovation in 1849. The façade is symmetrical around a central axis: a ground floor and a raised main floor carry three balconies, with an attic level above and a balustrade running along the roofline. At the rear rises a square lantern tower, a feature shared by several country residences of this kind across Catalonia. The side walls are lined with arcaded galleries under semicircular arches in a neoclassical style, and traces remain — though poorly preserved — of painted decoration imitating cut ashlar stonework across the main façade.

The building has been listed on Catalonia's local cultural heritage inventory (BCIL) since 8 October 2015, with a Level B protection classification under Catalan urban planning law. Its condition is rated as fair: the façade shows visible wear, unsurprising for a residence that has been continuously inhabited for close to three centuries. Can Peixau remains privately owned and currently holds four separate dwellings, three of which are unoccupied. There's no museum or visitor centre here — the building is viewed from the street, as a well-preserved example of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century residential architecture in the Maresme.

When should you visit?

Spring and autumn are the best times to explore Teià, with mild weather and the surrounding vineyards — the area is known for the local pansa blanca grape — at their most scenic. Summer brings more visitors passing through en route to Maresme beaches, but a stop at Can Peixau works year-round, since the building is appreciated from the outside regardless of season. It pairs well with a short walk through Teià's old centre or a side trip to neighbouring Alella and its wineries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Can Peixau? No — it's a privately owned residential building with occupied and unoccupied flats, viewed from the outside only.

Where does the name come from? Can Peixau, also recorded as Can Paixau de la Torre, follows the traditional Catalan naming pattern of "Can" plus the surname or nickname of the family that once owned the residence.

Is this the same building as Can Peixau in Badalona? No — they're two separate sites that happen to share a name. The Badalona building has a much older history tied to a medieval fortification, while the Teià building is an eighteenth-century residence remodelled in the nineteenth century.

How long does a visit take? A few minutes is enough to take in the façade and tower — it's a brief stop on a walk through Teià rather than a standalone attraction.