Can Torrents

Can Torrents is a protected historic house standing at Avinguda Roma 62 in Premià de Dalt, a small inland town in the Maresme comarca, roughly 25 kilometres northeast of Barcelona. Listed in the municipal catalogue of protected buildings, it is one of the notable examples of early 20th-century residential architecture in this part of Catalonia.

What is Can Torrents?

The house was built in 1929 for a branch of a family originally from the nearby town of Teià. Residences like this one were commissioned in the early decades of the 20th century by local landowning and merchant families across Maresme, combining the practical layout of a rural house with a representative façade facing the town's main street. Can Torrents blends contemporary (noucentista) design with popular, vernacular elements typical of the Catalan masia tradition.

What you'll see

The building follows a rectangular plan made up of a main body flanked by two lower side wings. The main body has a ground floor plus an upper storey; the side wings are single-storey. The roof is covered with curved, Arab-style tiles: a two-pitch roof over the main body, with the ridge running parallel to the façade, and single-pitch roofs over the side wings.

The south-facing main façade is symmetrical, with smooth wall surfaces and decorative moulding framing every opening. Upper-floor windows have straight lintels, while ground-floor windows are topped with flat arches - a detail that makes the floor division easy to spot even from across the street.

Can Torrents remains privately owned, so visits are limited to viewing the exterior from Avinguda Roma. That's enough, though, to appreciate the proportions and craftsmanship typical of the era.

How to get there

Premià de Dalt sits in the Maresme comarca, Barcelona province, right next to the coastal town of Premià de Mar. The easiest way from Barcelona is by car via the C-32 motorway or the N-II road (about 25-30 minutes), continuing on local roads into the centre of Premià de Dalt. Alternatively, take the Rodalies R1 train to Premià de Mar station, then a short bus or taxi ride inland and uphill to Premià de Dalt, a few kilometres from the coast. Avinguda Roma is one of the town's main streets and is easy to find with any GPS map.

When to visit

Spring (April-June) and early autumn (September-October) bring the mildest weather and the best light for photographing the façade. Summer middays can get hot, so an early morning or evening walk is more comfortable if visiting in July or August.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Can Torrents? No - it's a private residence, not open to visitors. You can only view the façade and architectural details from the street.

What architectural style is Can Torrents? It combines early 20th-century contemporary (noucentista) design with elements of the traditional Catalan masia, visible in the roof layout and façade detailing.

How old is the building? Can Torrents was built in 1929, making it nearly a century old.

Is Can Torrents part of a wider heritage trail in Premià de Dalt? Yes - it is listed in the town's catalogue of protected buildings alongside other historic houses, making it a worthwhile stop on a walk through the centre of Premià de Dalt.