Part fishing port, part beach, Arenys de Mar is a fishing-industry epicenter; the sailing vessels and blue-and-white boat sheds were all built for hard graft rather than show. From the train station, turn left: a lovely, wild-feeling stretch dotted with pine trees stands between you and the port. Head right, instead, and facilities get barer. Quite literally—by the time you reach La Musclera, it’s nudist. It’s worth watching the afternoon fish auction on weekdays at 4 p.m., when the fleet arrives loaded with its haul; or, better yet, taste the goods at waterfront spots like the classic Els Pescadors—La Llotja, from the lively beachside terraces of El Portinyol, or atop bar stools at the casual tapas joint, Celler Synera. Wherever you land, be sure to order prawns, a town specialty. For a tasteful, non-edible souvenir, El Tinglado de l’Assum is a nautical-themed boutique stuffed with art prints, jewelry, scarves, and unique fish-motif trinkets.
