Cultural Tourism


The name Castelldefels comes from Castrum Felix, which, when Romanised, would be Castello de Feles. This can be seen in the current name of the community, Castelldefels.

Castelldefels is a city with ancient roots, epitomised by the Castle which is more than ten centuries old and where time seems to have stood still atop the hill.

Let yourself be carried away by the local festivities, they are all unique experiences which will give you an insight into the history of our city.

The wide variety of culture on offer in the city can be seen in the theatrical performances, music concerts, films in their original language, painting exhibitions, photography exhibitions, popular dances, and storytelling. All of these are activities which go on all year round.

Castelldefels Castle

The Castelldefels Castle is situated on the highest point around, in a dominating position over the coastal stretch of land between the Garraf Massif and Barcelona. It dates back to the 16th century, although the church inside existed as early as the 10th century and was built on Iberian and Roman remains. It was used for centuries to control the territory and as a defensive stronghold against Arabian invasions. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, it defended against the Barbary pirates.

In 1897, Manuel Girona bought the castle and renovated it. It was finally acquired in 1988 by the Castelldefels Town Hall, at which point it began its process of recovery which continues today.

Guided tours:
Every Sunday.
12:00 Tour in Spanish/ catalan.
Duration: 1 hour.
Price: €5

on the second Sunday of each month – Open doors.

Guided tours for groups of more than ten people by prior arrangement.

Book at:

Informational leaflet about the Castle [PDF, 1.4 Mb]


Pirate Attacks


Castelldefels is one of the edges of the Llobregat river delta, next to the mountainous terrain which makes up the Garraf Massif. This area, with very shallow waters, has been filling with sand carried down by the Llobregat river since the Roman era and, due to the particular characteristics of the Catalan coast, has been used as a natural harbour given the impossibility of constructing a normal port. The ships would approach the shore and smaller boats would then ferry the merchandise to the beach for trading.

In the 16th century the population was forced to take to the mountains due to the fear of the Barbary pirates who roamed the entire Spanish coast. The poor condition of the castle hindered its usefulness as a defence for the city’s inhabitants. This brought about the reconstruction of the castle in 1550 by those who lived in the area to offer greater protection in the event that pirates returned to the area. Also, the various stately homes in the city were fortified using free-standing exterior fortified towers, which were connected by means of small drawbridges on the first floor. These fortified towers can still be seen all around the city.

Romanesque Church in the Castle


Románica del Castillo

The first documented record that we have of the Romanesque church of Santa María is in the year 967.

Castelldefels existed on the border of the Muslim caliphate of Cordoba in the 10th century.

En aquella época, el conde Sunyer encomendó al monasterio de Sant Cugat la organización de lo que en el futuro sería Castelldefels. Bajo la dirección de aquel monasterio se empezó a construir la Iglesia de Santa María.

The Church of Santa María.


In the year 1897, a banker named Manuel Girona bought the whole architectural complex of the Castle and the old parochial church which was an annex to the castle. He bought it for personal use, which meant that he had to commission the architect Enric Sagner to construct the new Church of Santa María. It was built on the outskirts of the town between 1900 and 1901, initially constructed with a Latin cross floor plan and three semicircular apses with a facade in the Romanesque Byzantine style.

The attractiveness of the Castelldefels beach in the region boosted the number of people who spent summer in the area, which, together with the fire which broke out during the Civil War, brought about an enlargement and renovation of the church. In 1948, the architect Nilo Tusquets bestowed three new naves upon it and a new carving in wood for the roofing. Years later, the painter Serra Santa painted the frescoes in the apses and decorated the sides using the citizens of Castelldefels themselves as models for his work.

The main themes of these paintings are the Mystery of the Rosary and the most significant passages in the New Testament.

Buddhist monastery in Garraf


The Palau Novella, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park, has sheltered the first Buddhist monastery in Catalonia since 1996.

Various cultural activities are held in the Buddhist monastery in Garraf, such as guided tours around the Palau Novella, where visitors can observe both the architectural features of this building’s eclectic style as well as an exhibition of Tibetan art and culture which will bring them closer to a spiritual tradition thousands of years old and to the Buddhist philosophy.

As well as the tour, there are several experiences on offer, such as the relaxation workshops, conferences, and other activities related to inner harmony.

In the monastery’s garden the “Estupa Namgyal” can be found, a sacred monument which represents the “enlightened mind” or “awakened consciousness”. There is also a path around the Romantic lake nearby to the monastery.

For more information and to make bookings: 937 432 285 and 937 432 010


The Lookout Towers


Twelve of them are conserved in the present day. The majority of these buildings were constructed in the second half of the 16th century, when, towards the end of the century, incursions by Berber pirates were very frequent on the Mediterranean coasts of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands. Most of these towers are now private property and do not offer tours around their interior. The addresses of these lookout towers are as follows:

Barona Tower: Av. Rei en Jaume. Contained in the facilities of the Rey Don Jaime hotel.
Lookout Tower: Plaza del Castell, sin número (centre).
Moruna Tower: Pl. Torre Moruna (Urbanización Bellamar).
Gabriel Folcher Tower: Calle Arcadi Balaguer, 106.
Antoni Tower: Calle Isaac Peral.
Can Valls de la Muntanyeta Tower: Calle Santiago Rusiñol (La Muntanyeta).
Can Moliner Tower: Plaça Major, 41.
Climent Savall Tower: Calle Arcadi Balaguer, 116.
Fael i Cal Patxoca Tower: Calle 320, 18 – 22.
Can Roca de Baix Tower: Calle Bisbe Urquinaona, 17.
Can Vinyes Tower: Passeig de Can Vinyes, 49.
Can Gomar Tower: Casal de la Cultura de Castelldefels.

Las Masías

La masía es un tipo de construcción rural típica de Cataluña. El municipio de Castelldefels tiene numerosas masías de diferentes épocas.

Es posible visitar las que son de propiedad municipal:

  • Cal Ganxo: de propiedad municipal, fue reconstruida en el año 1997.
    Camí de Cal Ganxo, sin número.
    Teléfonos: 935 146 151
    Horario: De lunes a viernes, de 8.00 horas a 15.00 horas,
    Sábados y domingos, de 10.00 horas a 14.00 horas.
  • Can Vinader: situada en el inicio de la carretera de la Sentiu.
  • Can Gomar: en la plaza de la Cultura, cerca de Can Roca de Baix; actualmente es la Casa de la Cultura.

Plaza Theatre


Inaugurated on the 15th of November 2009, the facilities offer not only a theatre for Castelldefels, but also a space for rehearsal and learning for organisations, associations, and local groups.
The Plaza Theatre contains two distinct spaces: an area for performance and an area for learning and rehearsal.
The performance space is made up of the hall of ceremonies, which houses all the onstage activity which goes on in the city as well as any shows which may pass through.
This hall has:
A seating area with enough room for 403 viewers.
A 132 m2 stage (12 m wide and 11 m deep).
Four 20 m2 dressing rooms (each dressing room) spread over four floors and connected by a lift.
The lobby, public toilets, and 152 m2 warehouse finish off this space.

Con una programación variada, el Teatro Plaza ofrece una oferta cultural en la ciudad con una programación que se divide en 2 temporadas, de enero a junio y de septiembre a diciembre.


Fiestas y Ferias

  • Cabalgata de Reyes Magos de Oriente- 5 de enero.
  • Sant Jordi: 23 de abril
  • Sant Ponç: Último fin de semana de mayo.
  • Festas del Mar: 16 julio
  • Festa Major de Verano: 15 de agosto
  • Castañada: 31 de octubre
  • Fiesta Mayor de Invierno: 8 de diciembre
  • Cabalgata de Papa Noel: 22 de diciembre.