Mataró

Take a train from Barcelona airport; travelling time is 1 hour. One-way tickets are €2.25, and a T-10 Zone 3 ticket is €17.40 for 10 trips in either direction. All trains leaving the airport pass through Mataró; they depart half-hourly between 6am and 11pm.
Taxis from the train station to hotels in the center of Mataró are approximately €3.

It's small enough to walk just about anywhere in Mataro. If you're feeling particularly lazy though - the Mataro Bus network has 10 different lines and a very clearly laid out map at every bus stop (EUR 2.00 per journey or you can use a T-10 single zone card).

Some Roman ruins.
Various architectural works by Puig i Cadafalch.

• Hire a boat at the marina.
• Run or swim at the beach.
• Rock climb on the artificial wall in one of Mataró's parks.

The buzzing market at Placa de Cuba (every Saturday morning) is good to pick up fresh fruit and veg - as well as to soak up the atmosphere.

• Pizzeria Lluis, Baixada Escaletes 10, 93 796 29 68. Great food, friendly staff and quite cheap—pasta dishes for €5-6. They only have menus in Catalan, though, so you may need to ask the staff for advice.

• Nou Mundial

  phone: +34 93 789 15 97
  Camí Ral, 548. This bar and restaurant serves a variety of good food, including pizza (€8-€9), paella (€10-€15), seafood and tapas. They cope surprisingly well with large groups of foreigners with no reservations.
• La botigueta del Malambo Camí Ral 540. 93 798 80 59. Food to take away and products from Argentina. Weekend menu 11.95€.
• Cavall D'Or, Camí Ral, 624, 93 757 87 10. Cheap and tasty Chinese food, such as Sizzling Chicken Plate for €6.45.

• Xanascat the National Network of Youth Hostels for all of Catalonia. Rates from €15 to €24

• NH Ciutat de Mataró

  phone: +34 937 575 522
  Camí Ral, 648. Room rates from €57 to €125.

• Hotel Castell de MataState highway II, Km. 649. tel 937 901 044 or 937 901 045. fax 937 551 117. Room rates €72.

• Alberg Can SoleretRda. Països Catalans. tel 937 575 707 or 933 026 162. fax 937 579 015. email cansoleret@accac.es. This youth hostel is some distance from the city center. Beds from €16.