The Serralada Litoral is the low coastal range that runs the length of the Maresme, a green strip of pine and holm-oak woodland rising between the towns of the shoreline and the inland plain. Much of it is protected as the Parc de la Serralada Litoral, a regional park threaded with marked walking trails that climb out of the wooded valleys to ridgelines with long views down to the Mediterranean — on a clear day you can trace the coast from Barcelona to Blanes.
The range's landmark is the Castell de Burriac, a ruined 10th-century watchtower perched on a rocky outcrop above Argentona and Cabrera de Mar. The climb to the castle is the most popular short hike in the park: roughly an hour each way from Cabrera de Mar, or longer on the signposted forest paths up from Argentona. The summit is bare rock with little shade, so carry water in summer, but the reward is one of the best panoramas on this stretch of coast.
At weekends Barcelonans drive out to walk the trails and settle in afterwards at the family-style restaurants tucked into the wooded folds of the hills — grilled meat, escudella, and long lunches under the pines. The park is easy to reach from the Maresme towns below, and a half-day on its paths pairs naturally with a morning spent in the old centre of Argentona or on the beaches at Mataró.