A stroll through vineyards by the sea. Hills and trails brimming with remnants of the past, coexisting with farmhouses still surrounded by crops. And a culinary experience paired with Designation of Origin (DO) wines. Alella, a town in El Maresme, just a stone's throw from the coast and only 18 kilometres from Barcelona, offers you all this.
Wines, Nature, and Heritage
Alella is best known as the capital of the DO Alella, the smallest Designation of Origin in Catalonia and the closest to Barcelona. It comes as no surprise, then, that its wines and wineries are among its main attractions. But the town also offers the chance to enjoy a peaceful setting, a landscape full of charm, and countless food, cultural, and sporting experiences.
Nestled on the southern slopes of the Serralada Litoral, Alella boasts natural spaces of great value where you can trace the footsteps of its inhabitants since prehistoric times. Wandering among dolmens, Iberian ruins, hermitages, and castles, you’ll discover a protected natural park with a vital ecological role: connecting the coastline with inland valleys and preserving ecosystems that serve as a refuge for numerous species of flora and fauna. To uncover all its secrets, you can go for guided walks or take part in games for children, where legends, orienteering activities, and treasure hunts will bring the rich local biodiversity to life.
For history enthusiasts, guided tours of the town centre reveal Alella’s evolution from the 10th century to the present day, led by local guides. And if you love art, don’t miss the Espai d’art i creació Can Manyé, a former textile factory transformed into a public space and dedicated to the creation, production, exhibition, and dissemination of contemporary art, culture, and thought.
Wine Tourism: A Tour of Alella’s Wineries
This town of just over 10,000 inhabitants is home to five outstanding wineries: Celler Alta Alella, with stunning views of the Mediterranean and a strong commitment to organic wines; Celler Bouquet d’Alella, a small family-run organic winery featuring a Wine Bar amid the vineyards; Celler Roura, spanning 45 hectares of vineyards; Celler de les Aus, a young project specialising in natural wines; and Marfil Alella, a modernist winery designed by Jeroni Martorell, a disciple of Antoni Gaudí.
Many of these wineries actively promote wine tourism, with activities such as vineyard walks, aperitifs, picnics, breakfasts among the vines, winery tours, wine tastings, and food pairings featuring local cuisine. Furthermore, , the town hosts the Festa de la Verema (Harvest Festival) every January, a tradition spanning over 50 years that celebrates Alella’s winemaking heritage.
Discover Through Play
Alella offers plenty of original activities for the whole family. Escape the Town is an outdoor escape room that turns the entire municipality into a stage full of challenges and puzzles. Available 24-hours a day, this experience invites you to explore the village streets and stop at emblematic spots where you can test your skills.
At L’hort d’en Pau, you can fill your shopping basket with fresh, organic produce, stroll through the fields, and greet the chickens and sheep. And if you arrive on foot or by sustainable transport, you’ll even get a discount or a small gift. And the offers of original experiences don’t end there—Organic Spa provides a unique wellness experience with top-quality organic products.
Sustainability is a core value here, since Alella has been recognised with the Barcelona Sustainable Tourism Commitment. Its policies focus on transmitting love for the land, promoting local products and intangible cultural heritage, encouraging visitors to support local businesses, and backing a rich calendar of food events, fairs, and activities you won’t want to miss.
