House in carrer dels Mestres Villà, 19

The house at carrer dels Mestres Villà 19 is one of the residential buildings forming a protected architectural ensemble in El Masnou, a seaside town in the Maresme region, just outside Barcelona. It stands on a street classified as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest (BCIL), meaning the entire row of houses — not a single building — is protected for its unified historic character.

Where exactly is it located?

Carrer dels Mestres Villà runs parallel to the coastline, a short walk from El Masnou's seafront promenade and beach. This is a quiet, mainly residential part of town, away from the busier tourist routes, so a walk here reveals the everyday, lived-in side of the Maresme coast. Number 19 sits in the middle stretch of the street, surrounded by similar houses built during the same period of urban development.

What's the story behind the street's name?

Until 1931 the street was called carrer de Santa Anna. That year, the town council renamed it in honour of brothers Jaume and Josep Villà i Serra, teachers from the nearby town of Vilassar de Dalt who founded a private nautical school in 1860. Their school trained future sailors and ship captains at a time when the Maresme coast was one of Catalonia's key centres for building and operating merchant sailing ships. Naming the street after them was a way of honouring this maritime heritage.

What does the architecture along the street look like?

The buildings on carrer dels Mestres Villà were constructed as terraced houses, standing wall-to-wall on both sides of the street. Many have a small front garden or patio, and the main façade is typically set back from the street line — a layout common in the middle-class residential architecture of Maresme seaside towns around the turn of the 20th century, when wealthier residents and families connected to shipping built their homes here.

How do you get there?

El Masnou lies about 20 km northeast of Barcelona and is well served by the Rodalies regional train network, with direct connections to central Barcelona in roughly 25–30 minutes. From the train station, it's a walk of about fifteen minutes to carrer dels Mestres Villà, heading through the town centre towards the sea.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and early autumn are the most pleasant times to explore this part of El Masnou, with mild temperatures and quieter streets near the beach and promenade. In summer, the town draws more visitors from Barcelona looking for a seaside break, which also brings more foot traffic to the residential streets close to the coast.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the house? No — it is a private residence, viewable only from the outside as part of a walk along the protected street.

Why is this street legally protected? Because of its unified historic character — a row of terraced houses with set-back façades — which has been recognised as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest for El Masnou.

Where does the street name come from? From the Villà i Serra brothers, sailing instructors from Vilassar de Dalt who founded a private nautical school in 1860; before 1931 the street was called carrer de Santa Anna.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The walk pairs well with a stroll along El Masnou's seafront promenade and a visit to the town's historic centre, where more examples of similar period architecture can be found.