If you are looking for a holiday home with access to a fantastic city but that offers you the chance to simply sit back and relax with a beautiful view when you're not taking in the sights in the city centre, then the Costa Maresme is the perfect choice for you.

Located just north of Barcelona, it's a relaxing haven away from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. Stretching from the north of Barcelona to Blanes, taking in Mataró, Arenys de Mar and Sant Pol de Mar.

Easily accessible by car from both Barcelona and Girona airports, once you've arrived at your holiday home, we suggest you leave the car on the drive and head off to explore by train. The train from Barcelona follows the coastline for a significant part of the journey, promising fantastic views of the beaches and sea from your seat, with stops just a few kilometres apart. This was the first railway line to open on the Iberian Peninsula way back in 1848 when the rich people of Barcelona started to build houses on the Costa Maresme and their charming 19th century houses still host tourists today.

The spa town of Caldes d’Estrac has a fantastic local spa that you simply must visit. Offering a wide range of treatments for medical conditions as well as those who simply want to be pampered, prices start at just €12. For art-lovers the Fundació Palau is the result of Josep Palau i Fabre's friendship with Pablo Picasso - he saved a wealth of drawings, notes and artwork by Picasso and it is now on display at the museum which bears his name.

If you're a fan of markets the town of Arenys de Mar has a Saturday flea market with a plethora of treasures to look through. If you're looking for fresh food to take home to cook at your villa whilst staying near to Arenys de Mar, there is a daily local market held in a modernist building constructed between 1923 and 1929.

Alternatively, head to San Pol de Mar, or indeed any of the small towns along the train route and enjoy tapas and a chilled beer or local wine with the scent of sea air and the sound of crashing waves against the sandy beaches as your backdrop.

To search for a holiday home for sale on the Costa Maresme you can also use our search service to find the best home for you.