Mas Vendrell in Avinyonet del Penedès

Mas Vendrell is an abandoned masia — a traditional Catalan farmhouse — standing in the municipality of Avinyonet del Penedès, in the Alt Penedès district of Barcelona province. The building sits beside the path linking Santa Susanna with the castle of Olivella, on a hillside that gave its name to a nearby ridge reaching 214 metres, stretching between the municipalities of Avinyonet del Penedès and Olivella. This stretch of land — where the Catalan Prelittoral Depression meets the foothills of the Garraf massif — gives the area its characteristic rolling profile, popular with hikers and cyclists.

Where exactly is Mas Vendrell?

The building is catalogued under record number 08013-216 in the cultural heritage inventory kept by the Diputació de Barcelona, at coordinates roughly 41.323°N, 1.814°E, within postal code 08792. Access is difficult: only a dirt track and a stretch of walking trail lead to the farmhouse, with no direct paved road, which is why the site is reached mainly on foot or by bike rather than by car.

What does the building look like?

Mas Vendrell follows the basilical layout typical of farmhouses in the Penedès region: a ground floor and upper level arranged along three vertical bays, topped with a double-pitched roof. Attached to the main structure are working outbuildings — a threshing floor (era) with a storage room, and several wine vats, pointing to a farm that once combined grain growing with winemaking. Beneath the house lies a spring and a reservoir, formerly used to water livestock. The surviving structural elements are dated to the medieval and early modern periods, suggesting the farmstead grew gradually over several centuries.

What condition is Mas Vendrell in today?

The building's conservation status is recorded as poor — the structure has begun to collapse, and the site has long stood abandoned with no current use. Despite its architectural and historical interest, Mas Vendrell carries no formal legal protection as a heritage asset; it is listed only in the cultural heritage catalogue maintained by the Diputació de Barcelona, which also owns the land (public ownership). The existing documentation of the site dates from 15 November 2002.

Who is this place for?

Mas Vendrell will appeal mainly to visitors looking for less obvious stops on a hiking or cycling route through Alt Penedès — fans of rural, abandoned architecture, photographers, and walkers following the trail toward Olivella castle. It is not set up for mass tourism: there is no visitor infrastructure, signage, or facilities, and the building's fragile state calls for caution and viewing from the outside only. Even so, it is worth a pause during a longer walk through the area — the contrast between the traces of a bygone farming economy and the surrounding hilly landscape of Penedès and Garraf makes an impression.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can visitors go inside Mas Vendrell? Because the structure is in poor condition and beginning to collapse, and there is no protection or safety fencing, entering the building is not advisable. It is best appreciated from the outside.

How do you get to Mas Vendrell? Access is difficult, with no direct road for cars. The site lies along the walking trail that runs from Santa Susanna to the castle of Olivella, within the municipality of Avinyonet del Penedès.

How is Mas Vendrell different from the nearby Cal Vendrell? They are two separate sites in the same municipality. Cal Vendrell is another historic farmhouse, located in the village of Les Gunyoles, with an inscription dated 1727. Mas Vendrell is a distinct, abandoned farmstead sitting along the route toward Olivella castle.

Where does the name of the nearby ridge come from? A modest ridge reaching 214 metres, running between Avinyonet del Penedès and Olivella, shares its name with the farmhouse, suggesting the farmstead gave its name to the surrounding terrain.