The sea is a few kilometres away, with its flat line of beach towns along the old coastal road, while here the ground rises into the Serralada de Marina, a ridge covered in pine and holm oak, with villas and vineyards scattered on its slopes. The label points to the Pyrenees and the N-260, the long road along the foot of the mountains, so this is the sea-level ending to a ride that spent its days in the high country.
Mataró, the biggest town nearby, has more than a hundred thousand people and a place in railway history. In 1848 the first railway on the Spanish peninsula opened between Barcelona and Mataró, and the line still runs along the shore. The town has a handsome old centre, a market, and a long beach promenade. Smaller towns such as Vilassar de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres are quieter, with whitewashed houses and a Catalan seaside charm. Further inland, the region around Alella produces wine, and the vineyards on the slopes behind the coast have been tended for centuries.
The roads through the hills are good for an evening ride. Narrow lanes climb through the forest with tight bends and views over the Mediterranean, and in the early evening the light turns the sea gold. Surfaces are mostly smooth, though cyclists use these roads in large numbers, particularly at weekends. Summer heat can be fierce, and fires are a risk in dry years, so heed warnings. Spring and autumn are more pleasant.
Fuel, food and rooms are plentiful along the coast, with Mataró offering everything. Local tapas and a plate of grilled sardines with a glass of cold white wine are the perfect way to end the day. Traffic on the coastal road, and on the motorway to Barcelona, can be heavy at rush hour.