Can serra de l'Arca

Can Serra de l'Arca is an abandoned stone farmhouse perched on the ridge of Serra de l'Arca, in the municipality of Aiguafreda, in the Catalan county of Vallès Oriental. Sitting on a flat shelf near the ridge top at roughly 660 metres above sea level, the building has lost its roof over the years, yet its walls still convey the scale and layout of a working rural estate.

What kind of place is this?

A masia is the traditional Catalan farmhouse, a building type that combines living quarters and farm functions under one roof. Can Serra de l'Arca ranks among the larger examples of this architecture around Aiguafreda. According to historian Fortià Solà, an estate known as Arca already appears in records from the 14th century, while the name "Serradelarca" is documented from the 15th century onward. The structure visible today did not appear all at once — it took shape gradually, with the building consolidated between the 16th and 19th centuries, a common pattern for Catalan farmsteads that expanded as they passed through generations of owners.

What will you see there?

The complex is made up of several volumes arranged around an inner courtyard. The main block is rectangular and divided into three bays, a layout typical of larger masies that made it easier to separate living quarters from storage and livestock areas. A second, perpendicular volume is attached to the eastern end of the main façade. The ground floor still shows loopholes — narrow defensive openings not uncommon in Catalan farmhouses built in less settled times. Another distinctive feature is the horizontal gallery of four pointed-arch porticoes facing west, an element that is both decorative and practical, providing shade and a view over the valley below.

Today the building stands empty and roofless, and restoration work is underway. The outer walls and part of the interior survive, enough to make out the original room layout, though access is limited to viewing from outside. Two other heritage features nearby are worth noting: an old mine gallery with an adjoining pond (mina i bassa de Can Serra de l'Arca), which once supplied the farmhouse with water, and a rock shelter (balma de Can Serra), likely used as extra storage or shelter.

How do you get there?

Can Serra de l'Arca sits away from paved roads, in hilly terrain, reached on foot via trails crossing the Serra de l'Arca ridge. A popular route starts in central Aiguafreda, passes the farmhouse, continues to Cova de l'Infern (Hell's Cave) and the hamlet of Aiguafreda de Dalt with its Sant Martí church, then loops back to the start — a typical half-day outing combining landscape, nature and local history. Sturdy hiking shoes are recommended, since the ground is rocky and steep in places; the farmhouse sits at approximately 41.7755, 2.2700.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn offer the best hiking conditions, with mild temperatures across this part of Catalonia and the clearest views from the Serra de l'Arca ridge over the surrounding valleys. In summer, an early start is advisable, since the open ridge sections offer little shade and temperatures climb quickly. Winter walks can be windy, but snow rarely causes problems at this altitude.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the building? No — the farmhouse is abandoned, roofless, and under restoration, so visits are limited to viewing it from the outside.

How long does it take to reach Can Serra de l'Arca? It depends on the route chosen, but the full loop through Cova de l'Infern and Aiguafreda de Dalt is typically a several-hour outing that can be completed in half a day.

Where does the name come from? It refers to an old estate called Arca, documented from the 14th century, combined with its position on a ridge (serra) — together giving Serra de l'Arca.

What else is worth seeing nearby? Close to the farmhouse are an old mine gallery with its pond and a rock shelter (balma), and the trail continues on to Cova de l'Infern and the Sant Martí church in Aiguafreda de Dalt.