Granollers
Once an ancient agricultural town, (the name Granollers is derived from Granullaria from the Latin word for grain), the old town contains a number of fine medieval houses as well as the 12th century Gothic church of Sant Esteve. The main square contains an old covered market, its tiled roof supported by stone pillars. The town used to be surrounded by 13th century walls, the remains of which are still visible. Today Granollers is an industrial centre, manufacturing chemicals and textiles. A number of important roads converge at or near to Granollers, 25km north of Barcelona and Granollers has become an industrial suburb of the city.
Granollers has a population of 60,000 and all the amenities of a modern town. The A-17 motorway passes close to Granoller and two train lines traverse the city, one leading towards the French border and the other running inland towards Vic and the Pyrenees.

Adjacent to Granollers is Canovelles, a town of 14,000 people. It is another ancient town that has grown over the years due to industrialization and immigration. The street market that is held there on Sundays is amongst the largest in Catalonia. Canovelles is 3km west of Granollers.
Four kilometres north of Granollers, the town of Les Franqueses del Vallès includes the Corró d'Avall, Corró d'Amunt, Llerona, Marata and Bellavista. The countryside area around the Corró d'Amunt, the Llerona plain, and the Marata are pleasant places and there are some Romanesque churches in the region.

Vilanova del Vallès
Located south of Granollers, Vilanova Del Vallès is a small town with about 2000 inhabitants. The town is next to the coastal mountain range separating Vallès Oriental from Maresme. Vilanova is close to both the C-17 and the major A-7 highways that cross Vallès Oriental. The Vallromanes Pitch and Putt golf course is at Vilanova.

La Roca Del Vallès
To the east of Granollers, spread along the banks of the Mogent river, La Roca is a town of 7000 people, nestled below a hill that is crowned by a restored castle.
A large modern shopping centre has been recently opened just outside La Roca.

Cardedeu
North East of Granollers, Cardedeu became known as a town of summer residence in the late 19th century when the upper classes of Barcelona began building summer houses in the Vallès Oriental because of the area’s proximity to the city and because of the improved transport links by road and rail. There are several substantial mansions in Cardedeu that were built at that time. Cardedeu is a pleasant town of 11,000 people with a pretty main square.

Llinars Del Vallès

Another town that previously served as a town of summer residence for the rich, Llinars del Vallès, with 6000 inhabitants, has an important Renaissance castle. Llinars is 8km northeast of Granollers.

The countryside in the north of Vallès Oriental is quite beautiful, part of the Montseny Natural Park is located here and the area is dotted with a number of quiet, rural villages.

Aiguafreda (2100 people) is located at the north of the Vallès Oriental near the border with Osona on the main C-17 road, some 26km from Granollers. Aiguafreda has several Romanesque chapels. Tagamanent, a small village of 200 people is south of Aiguafreda on the C-17. Located in the low mountains, the village contains the 12th century church of Santa Maria. There is an old ice-well nearby that was used in the past to store ice before it was taken to Barcelona to be sold. The next town south on the C-17 is Figaro Montmany (800 people), also in the mountains, where there are some fantastic views and opportunities for rock-climbing.

La Garriga
The thermal waters at La Garriga have always been important in the town. The Romans were the first to utilise them and the remains of a Roman villa can be seen nearby. La Garriga became an important holiday town at the end of the last century, evidence of which can be seen in the Modernist architecture of many of the houses built at the turn of the century. A quiet and pleasant town, today La Garriga is known for its health resorts; it has two spas offering diverse treatments.
There are 12,000 inhabitants in La Garriga which is located 38km north of Barcelona and 14km north of Granollers on the main C-17 road.
South of La Garriga is the tranquil town of L’Atmella del Vallès with a population of 5000. This is a pleasant place, 11km north of Granollers, where houses which were originally second homes are gradually becoming year round dwellings for their owners.

The northwestern area of Vallès Oriental consists of rolling countryside, mountain slopes and forested hills. Situated in the high planes of Vallès, Castellterçol is a small town of 2000 people with the medeival churches of Sant Fruitós and Sant Francesc and a restored castle where there are archaeological excavations and a museum. Summer concerts take place at the castle during the summer. The Club de Golf Castellterçol is located in the town. Castellterçol is 28km from Granollers, away from the main roads.
The small village of Castellcir with a population of 300 is 4km from Castellterçol. It has an unusual shaped old castle. Sant Quirze Safaja is just south of Castellcir on the border of Vallès Oriental. It is a small village built round an old temple with a population of 300.

On the north western edge of Vallès Oriental, Granera is a hamlet of about 60 people. It is situated in a forest area where the valleys of Vallès and Bages meet one another. The village has a Romanesque church and an ancient castle. Granera is 3km from Castellterçol.

Sant Feliu De Codines 4000

Known as “the balcony of the Vallès”, the medieval town of Sant Feliu de Codines is set in lovely countryside overlooking the surrounding valleys. With a population of 4000, Sant Feliu was a summer resort town in the early 20th century and continues to attract visitors. There is an archaeological museum in the town and also a centre that specialises in raising birds of prey. The 9-hole golf course, Golf Sant Feliu is in Sant Feliu.

Bigues i Riells
Two separate towns make up this municipality, Riells del Fai being at the top of a hill next to Bigues in the valley below. Together they have a population of 4000 and are situated 14km northeast of Granollers.

Caldes De Montbui
On the western edge of Vallès in the middle of two valleys, the town of Caldes is an important Catalonian spa centre with three thermal spas. At the Font de Lleó, the water comes bubbling out of the ground at 70 degrees centigrade. There are some Roman baths in the town which are still in good condition and a museum about the thermal waters. An 18-hole golf course, Caldes International Golf Course is in the town. 13,000 people live in Caldes which is 13km from Granollers.

East of Montseny, Fogars De Montclüs is another small village with a population of 350. Located in the heart of Montseny Natural Park, it is in the mountains near to the highest point of the natural park, looking down onto the valley of Santa Fe. The Romanesque chapel of Santa Magdalena de Mosqueroles located here is a classic example of the Catalan Romanesque style.

Southeast of Fogars on the border of Vallès Oriental, Gualba (population 700) is also in the park. The area surrounding this quiet village is outstandingly beautiful and includes the Gorg Negre (black rock) and the 33 metre high waterfall of Salt de Guabla. There are fantastic views from the Romanesque church of Sant Vicenç which presides over Gualba.

A group of quiet villages are dotted around the countryside near to Montseny, all with the names of saints, reflecting their antiquity. A residential village of 1300 inhabitants, Sant Esteve De Palautordera is the site of the ancient castle of Montclüs with some important ruins of an Iberian village nearby. Sant Antoni Vilamajor (2000 inhabitants) has attracted a number of second homers and summer holiday makers. It is the site of the Romanesque churches of Sant Julià d'Alfou and Sant Jaume de Rifà. Sant Pere De Vilamajor, north of Sant Antoni, is also popular with holiday home owners. The town has a population of 1900 and has several points of note including the church of Sant Pere and the Romanesque bell tower of Torre Roja. Another popular holiday residence town is that of Santa Maria De Palautordera where there is some excellent medieval architecture including the Gothic church of Santa Maria, the chapel of Mare de Déu del Remi and the arched bridge Pont Trencat. Santa Maria has a population of 5500.
These towns are all located within 30km of Granollers and can be reached by country roads.

To the northeast of Granollers, next to the A-7 motorway, Vilalba Sasserra (350 inhabitants) is 17km from Granollers. West of here, on the border with the Maresme region, Vallgorguina (1100 inhabitants) is situated in a valley between the mountains of Montnegre, the Corredors and the coastal mountain range. There is a dolmen in the area, the Pedre Gentile – the Gentle Stone – near to the Romanesque church of Santa Eulàlia de Tapioles. This stone is surrounded by legends of witchcraft.

Farther south Parets Del Vallès, a town of 13,000 people, grew to its present size at the end of the 1800’s when industry took off here. There are some ancient mansions in the area, including the fortified Cellers farmhouse, which is situated in the middle of an industrial area. There is also a prehistoric dolmen rock in the playground of the municiple school, known as the Pedra del Diable (Devils’s Stone). Parets del Vallès is 12km southwest of Granollers.

South of Parets, at the confluence of 2 major roads, Montmeló was once an agricultural town that has been transformed by industrialisation due to its proximity to Barcelona and good road links. Two tributaries of the Besós river converge here and the town is now home to 8000 people. The Catalonia Circuit, opened in 1991, is located here. It is considered to be one of the best race courses in the world and has hosted, among other races, the world famous Formula 1. There are some interesting buildings in the old town, including the Neo-classical church of Santa Maria and the Sant Crist de la Grua chapel. Montmeló is 9km south of Granollers.

Mollet del Vallès
The second largest town in the Vallès Oriental, the old town of Mollet grew to its current size of 45,000 when workers immigrated to the city as industry there expanded. Mollet strives to be a modern city, it has excellent road and rail links to Barcelona and the rest of Spain. It is 13km south of Granollers on the A-7 motorway that leads to Barcelona.
South of Mollet is La Llagosta, another town whose population expanded alongside its industrial sector to contain 12,000 people today. La Llagosta has managed to retain some of its old charm in the old town centre.

On the outskirts of Barcelona, Martorelles (5000 people) is an industrial and residential area where many second homes are located. The town is part of Barcelona’s commuter belt. North of Martorelles, Montornes Del Vallès is another industrialised town with a population of 12,000. Outside the historic centre, most of the deveolopment has taken place in the Riera Marçà industrial polygon, which is now heavily populated.
Santa Maria De Martorelles is a village away from the highway that has escaped intense industrial development. As a result, it is a tranquil town that has been popular as a summer holiday destination close to Barcelona. The interesting church of Santa Maria is located in the town, unusual because of the coexistence of two different architectural styles in one building.
South of Santa Maria, on the edge of the Vallès Oriental, Sant Fost De Campsentelles is a residential area of 6000 people close to Barcelona. A gathering takes place in Sant Fost at the Romanesque chapel of Sant Cebrià de Cabanyes on the second Sunday of September.

Vallromanes
The position of the town of Vallromanes, easily accessible via the major roads that surround it and very near to Barcelona, means that the small community of 1000 people is equipped with numerous services and residential areas serving as part of Barcelona’s commuter belt. The 18-hole golf course of Club de Golf Vallromanes is located here.