A travel feature published by El Periódico on Sunday identifies Tiana, a Maresme municipality 8 kilometres north of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, as a destination for visitors seeking woodland, vineyards and sea views away from the city.

For Santa Coloma residents looking for nearby outdoor and heritage visits, the comparison also draws attention to Puig Castellar, the Iberian archaeological settlement within the Parc de la Serralada de Marina. The site is a local landmark with public visitor facilities, rather than simply a viewpoint above the city.

Santa Coloma had 123,250 residents on 1 January 2025, according to Idescat, Catalonia's official statistics institute.

Why Puig Castellar matters to Santa Coloma

The Museu Torre Balldovina describes Puig Castellar as a symbol of identity for Santa Coloma. Its position gave its inhabitants control over part of the coastline, the mouth of the Besòs, the Barcelona plain and the route inland towards Vallès.

  • The settlement stands 303 metres above sea level.
  • It covers slightly more than 4,000 square metres.
  • It was occupied from the 6th century BC until the beginning of the 2nd century BC by the Laietani, an Iberian people of the region.

The museum says the settlement's elevated location also allowed communication with nearby Iberian communities. Agriculture was its principal economic activity, supplemented by hunting, livestock farming and fishing.

Visitor route takes about an hour

The museum's official Puig Castellar visitor guide puts the approximate duration of the route at one hour. Excavation campaigns are continuing, and explanatory signs have been installed around the remains.

Visitors are asked to follow the marked route and treat the archaeological structures with care. The guide includes a reconstructed house area, where two rectangular homes stood in the 4th century BC.

Primary sources: idescat.cat. Reported by elperiodico.cat, museu.gramenet.cat, gramenet.cat, fitxer.fmc.cat, todopueblos.com, ugeo.urbistat.com, Pte.es, BAJR, phys.org, ajuntamentinforma.gramenet.cat, lavanguardia.com, refugibiodiversitat.gramenet.cat, dadescat.com, El Periódico (CA).