House in carrer d'Adra, 35

Casa al carrer d'Adra, 35 is a historic residential house in El Masnou, a Catalan coastal town on the Maresme, just northeast of Barcelona. Standing on one of the town's oldest streets, the building is listed in the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Catalonia — a modest but distinctive example of the area's traditional terraced housing.

Where does the street name come from?

Carrer d'Adra takes its name from Adra, a town in the Almería province of Andalusia. This was one of the ports with which El Masnou's residents historically carried out coastal trade — cabotage shipping that moved goods along the shoreline rather than across open sea. That kind of trade underpinned the economy of Maresme's coastal towns for centuries, and the street itself ranks among the oldest in El Masnou.

What will you see there?

The house has a rectangular floor plan and forms part of a row of terraced buildings, with a ground floor and first floor topped by a two-slope roof covered in Arab-style tiles. The façade stands out for the sharp contrast between the plain ground floor and the more refined upper level. Two Gothic-style windows on the first floor are the building's most notable feature — a detail rarely found on such a modest, middle-class house, which makes it a small but worthwhile stop for anyone interested in vernacular architecture.

How to get there and when to visit?

El Masnou lies about 20 kilometers northeast of Barcelona and is well connected by the Rodalies regional train network — the ride from central Barcelona takes under half an hour. Carrer d'Adra sits in the town's old quarter, within easy walking distance of the train station and the seafront promenade. Spring and autumn are the best times for a walk through the old town, when temperatures are mild and the streets are quiet — in summer, El Masnou tends to fill up with visitors headed for the beach.

What else can you combine with a visit?

The house shares its street with other protected buildings, including a similar house at number 37-39, also listed on the architectural heritage register. A stroll through El Masnou's old town pairs naturally with a visit to the beach, the marina, or the local maritime museum, which tells the story of the coastal shipping trade that gave the street its name in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the house? No, it's a privately owned residential building — visits are limited to viewing the façade and architectural details from the street.

Why is such a modest house protected as heritage? Because of its Gothic windows on the upper floor and its well-preserved, authentic layout typical of El Masnou's old terraced houses — few examples like it survive today.

How long does a visit take? A few minutes for the street and façade, though it's worth setting aside 15-20 minutes for a relaxed walk through the whole old quarter.

Are there other landmarks nearby? Yes — another listed house (no. 37-39) stands on the same street, and the marina, beach, and historic town center of El Masnou are all close by.