In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Spain
Mataró
Base in Mataró only if you want a cheap coastal bed 40 min from Barcelona by train; otherwise day-trip for the beach and Modernista centre.
Mataró is a working Mediterranean port city of about 131,000 people and the capital of the Maresme region, 30–40 minutes by Rodalies train from Barcelona. It has Roman Iluro remains, a Baroque basilica, Gaudí's Nau Gaudí and Puig i Cadafalch's Casa Coll i Regàs, plus long sandy beaches and a marina. It is a commuter city rather than a resort: come for a half-day of architecture and beach, or sleep here to cut Barcelona hotel costs.
- Country
- Spain
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, crowded beaches), Nov–Feb (many sights on short hours)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €80–130 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · National police 091 · Guardia Civil 062
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
- Water
- Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–2.50 |
| Menu del dia at lunch | €12–18 |
| Beer: caña at a bar / can at a supermarket | €2–3.50 / €0.60–1.20 |
| Mataró Bus single journey | €1.70 |
| Taxi from the station to a central hotel | About €6 |
| Casa Coll i Regàs guided tour (Saturday) | €9 |
| Marina berth | From €15/day, depending on the boat |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BCN · Barcelona El Prat
- Rodalies R2 to Sants, change to R1 toward Mataró; about 2 h, €5.50 (2026 estimate). By car about 1 h, well over 2 h in rush hour.
- GRO · Girona–Costa Brava
- About 1 h by car; by public transport go via Barcelona first.
Typical fares
- R1 Mataró → Barcelona
- about €5.50, 40 min (2026 estimate)
- Taxi station → centre
- about €6
- Mataró Bus
- €1.70 per journey
Get around
Mataró Bus has 8 lines and a clear map at every stop (€1.70 per journey, January 2026). The centre is walkable; the beach is 20–25 min on foot from the station. Taxis run from 12 stands: €4.75 flag drop plus €1.37/km on weekdays 08:00–20:00, €5.75 plus €1.43/km at night and weekends. Bike lanes exist but often end abruptly, and streets climb away from the sea.Mataró Bus has 8 lines and a clear map at every stop (€1.70 per journey, January 2026). The centre is walkable; the beach is 20–25 min on foot from the station. Taxis run from 12 stands: €4.75 flag drop plus €1.37/km on weekdays 8:00 AM–8:00 PM, €5.75 plus €1.43/km at night and weekends. Bike lanes exist but often end abruptly, and streets climb away from the sea.
See and do
Known for
- Nau Gaudí
- Casa Coll i Regàs
- Basilica of Santa Maria
- Roman villa of Can Llauder
- Maresme beaches
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | Rodalies R1 from Mataró station, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Sitges | R1 to Barcelona, change for the R2 Sud | About 2 h |
| Badalona | R1 southwest along the coast | 45–50 min |
| Sant Cugat del Vallès | R1 to Barcelona, then FGC from Plaça Catalunya | 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Centre / Plaça Santa Anna
- Shops, bars and terraces around the basilica; 10–15 min walk from the train station.
- Riera and station area
- Closest to Rodalies and the bus lines; practical for a one-night stop with bags.
- Passeig Marítim / Varador
- Beachfront promenade with food and drink; 20–25 min walk or a short taxi from the station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GràciesGRAH-see-es |
| How much is it? | Quant costa?kwant KOS-tah |
| The bill, please | El compte, si us plauel KOM-tuh, see oos plow |
| Where is the beach? | On és la platja?on es lah PLAH-jah |
| Can I pay by card? | Puc pagar amb targeta?pook pah-GAH amb tar-GEH-tah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
- Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
- Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
- Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
- Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
- Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish
Scams and watch-outs
- Museum hours are short and split: several open only Thu–Sat 17:00–20:00 and weekend mornings. Check before you go.
- La Presó closes on public holidays including 1 and 6 January, Good Friday, 1 May, 24 June, 27 July, 15 August, 11 September and 25–26 December.
- Blue-zone street parking is limited to 1 h 30 min; evenings and weekends are usually free.
- The night bus N-80 runs hourly from Barcelona between midnight and 05:00; last R1 trains are earlier.
A safe, ordinary Catalan city; the real risks are pickpockets on the R1 into Barcelona, strong sun and currents on the beaches, and unlit stretches of the promenade late at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mataró yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Nau Gaudí
- Casa Coll i Regàs
- Basilica of Santa Maria
- Roman villa of Can Llauder
- Maresme beaches
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Oficina de Turisme de Mataró: visitmataro.cat/en
- Rodalies de Catalunya: rodalies.gencat.cat/en/inici/index.html
- Port de Mataró: portmataro.org
- Wikivoyage: Mataró, revision 5330074 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5330074
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Mataró
A aquesta adreça, si us plau
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Mataró; most are in Madrid and consulates-general in Barcelona (check addresses).
Catalan is the everyday language; Spanish works everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mataro). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.