Discover the maritime history of Vilassar de Mar
This mural was created to preserve and share the maritime memory of Vilassar de Mar. Located in the underground passageway of Torre d’en Nadal, it tells the story of the Fishermen’s Club of the Garbí Breakwater and pays tribute to all the people who have kept alive the town’s connection with the sea, fishing, and popular culture.
DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO GUIDEPromoted by A Mar Es Espectacular, with the collaboration of the Fishermen’s Club l’Espigó de Garbí, Bricbarca, Caseta de l’Arbre, Vilassar Ràdio, El Pagès a Casa, Veïns Carrer Sant Magí, Gràfiques Llavaners, Vilassar de Mar Town Council, and with the participation of the students of Pérez Sala School.
1. torre d’en Nadal
This defensive tower, built in the 16th century, was part of the surveillance system along the Catalan coast against attacks by pirates and corsairs coming from the Mediterranean. From here, the sea was monitored and the population was warned in case of danger.
In the old Veïnat de Mar there were two other towers: the Tower of Can Mi and the Tower of Can Rufau, also known as Can Lledó de Mar. Today, only Torre d’en Nadal remains, becoming one of the most emblematic symbols of the maritime history of Vilassar de Mar.
Narrator: Jordi Borrell Obach
2. THE FISH AUCTION
When the Festa Major arrives, Vilassar de Mar recreates one of the most emblematic scenes of its maritime past: the old fish auction on the beach. For many years, the fishing boats returned from the sea and the fish was sold directly on the sand, surrounded by fishermen, buyers, and local residents.
Today’s reenactment is a tribute to the people of the sea and to a way of life that shaped the town’s history. The voices of the auctioneers, the baskets of fish, and the atmosphere of the beach evoke the times when the sea was the center of daily life in Vilassar de Mar.
Narrator: Heura Llibre Matallana
3. THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE HOUSES BY THE SEA
Welcome to the neighborhood of the Houses by the Sea.
These houses, mainly built between the 18th and 19th centuries right on the shoreline, were home to fishermen and maritime families. Here, life revolved around the sea: boats were hauled onto the sand, fishing nets were spread out, and the palers helped pull the boats out of the water.
Before the seafront promenade existed, the sea reached almost up to the houses. This neighborhood still preserves the essence of the maritime past of Vilassar de Mar and the memory of a town closely linked to the Mediterranean.
Narrator: Vicente Nino Moreno Salzo
4. El Sorell Alegre
El Sorell Alegre was made up of a group of amateur fishermen who, during the 1970s, gathered on the beach by the Garbí breakwater in Vilassar de Mar. Some owned boats and others did not, but all took part in maritime tasks: removing fish from the nets, launching boats, or pulling them out of the water.
Over time, they built small huts where they stored fishing equipment and often gathered to talk and share meals. Although they were never officially established as an organization, in practice they functioned as a true association of fishermen and friends of the sea.
El Sorell Alegre was, in many ways, the predecessor of today’s Garbí Fishermen’s Club.
Narrator: Sança Riera Sánchez
5. THE BOATS AND THE SWIMMERS
Along the coast of Vilassar de Mar, the coexistence of boats and swimmers has for decades been a characteristic part of life on the beach.
In the past, especially before the current coastal regulations, fishing boats arrived and were hauled directly onto the sand, often in the same space where people swam or spent the day.
This closeness made the beach a lively and shared place, where the work of fishermen and the leisure of beachgoers coexisted naturally.
Over time, coastal regulations gradually separated these uses, improving safety and organization. Even so, the image of boats and swimmers sharing the beach remains part of the town’s collective memory and its bond with the sea.
Narrator: Jordi Borrell Obach
6. SARDINE COOKOUTS AND FESTIVE EVENTS ON THE BEACH
On the beach by the Garbí breakwater in Vilassar de Mar, sardine cookouts and popular celebrations are part of the living memory of the town and its connection to the sea.
When summer arrives, the beach fills with neighbors, families, and fishermen who used to gather — and still gather today, although less frequently — to share meals on the sand. Grilled sardines cooked over open fires were the centerpiece of these gatherings, with the smell of the sea and smoke blending with the Garbí sea breeze.
These celebrations were not only leisure activities, but also spaces for social gathering and community cohesion. Among boats resting on the sand, fishing nets, and conversations, the beach became a meeting point where the town reinforced its maritime identity.
Today, sardine cookouts still evoke this warm and popular spirit, still present though more occasional, as a living reminder of the maritime traditions of Vilassar de Mar.
Narrator: Venus Puiggros Martínez
7. HAVANERES SONGS
On the beach by the Garbí breakwater in Vilassar de Mar, habaneras have traditionally been one of the most beloved expressions of summer nights.
They were often held at the beach bar or during local festivities, when evening fell and the beach filled with neighbors and families. The voices of singers performing sea songs, accompanied by the traditional cremat drink, created an atmosphere that was both festive and intimate, with the sound of the waves as a backdrop.
Over time, these gatherings have become less frequent, but they still form part of the collective memory of the town and its deep connection to maritime culture.
Narrator: Monir Ziati Lejbari
8. ADRIÀ’S BOAT LANDING
Adrià’s Corner is a commemorative space on the beach by the Garbí breakwater in Vilassar de Mar.
Adrià Saborit was a person deeply connected to this place, with a great love for the sea, the beach, and boats. A sailor by vocation, he always lived very close to the maritime world and coastal life.
He was also the first councillor for beaches in Vilassar de Mar, reflecting his commitment and dedication to improving, organizing, and preserving this much-loved area of the municipality.
He devoted energy and enthusiasm to defending the presence of boats on the beach and to keeping alive the town’s maritime traditions. This corner aims to preserve his memory and recognize his work and sensitivity toward coastal heritage.
Narrator: Sílvia Egea Reina
9. En Bauxes
Enric Illa, known as En Bauxes, was a man who chose solitude as a way of living freely and apart from the conventional world.
He lived in a hut on the beach, right in front of the Vilassar de Mar train station. Both in summer and winter, he wore dark clothing and always wore a beret, becoming a familiar figure to everyone who passed through the area.
He was an excellent rod fisherman. He made his own fishing rods using materials he found in the stream bed, and he sold the fish he caught directly to his customers. He never begged and always lived from his work and ingenuity, remaining faithful to an austere and independent life.
Narrator: Luc Muñoz Schmidt
10. THE SANT RAMON BOAT
The Sant Ramon quillat is a much-loved vessel within the maritime tradition of Vilassar de Mar and is closely linked to its history and Festa Major.
During the celebrations, the Sant Ramon has played a prominent role in beach and sea festivities, participating in outings, exhibitions, and events that recall the town’s fishing past. Its presence evokes the time when boats were the center of everyday life and the driving force of the local economy.
With its historical and symbolic value, the Sant Ramon has become a heritage element connecting present generations with the maritime traditions of Vilassar de Mar, especially during the Festa Major, when the town symbolically turns once again toward the sea.
Narrator: Briana Cristel Briceño Aguilar
11. OUR LADY OF CARMEN
On the beach by the Garbí breakwater in Vilassar de Mar, devotion to Our Lady of Carmen has traditionally been deeply rooted among the people of the sea.
Until a few years ago, the image of the Virgin was located in the chapel beside the huts of the Garbí breakwater, a place cherished by fishermen and local residents alike. In November 2018, the central administration ordered the removal of everything from the huts and chapel under the enforcement of Coastal Law regulations.
That action led to the disappearance of a highly significant landmark for the maritime community, although the hope remains alive that one day this space of memory and devotion may be restored.
Narrator: Juliette Ibáñez Isern
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE!
This mural is also the result of a very special initiative born within the neighborhood itself. In October 2025, on Carrer Sant Magí, we organized the haunted tunnel “L’Espigó de Garbí és Terrorífic”, a popular event in which we reinterpreted the maritime history of the club and our coastline through a playful, creative, and spooky perspective.
The artistic proposal is the work of Elisenda Casabona and included the collaboration of Leticia Juan, Eva Monras, Marta Monras, Xavi Martín, Maxim San Agustín, and Enric Neddermann, all of whom helped transform this public space into a living, open, and participatory story about our maritime roots.
Thanks to the participation of neighbors, local organizations, and everyone who collaborated, the funds raised during that activity were used to make this mural a reality. In this way, a festive and community experience has been transformed into a permanent work that returns part of its maritime memory to the town.
