C-32 is a primary

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. It was created in 2004 by merging three sections of existing ''autopistas'' and ''

autovía An ''autovía'' is one of two classes of major highway in the Spanish road system similar to a British motorway or an American freeway. It is akin to the autopista, the other major highway class, but has fewer features and is never a toll road ...

s''. This re-organisation was part of a renaming of primary highways managed by the

Generalitat de Catalunya The Generalitat de Catalunya (; oc, label=Aranese, Generalitat de Catalonha; es, Generalidad de Cataluña), or the Government of Catalonia, is the institutional system by which Catalonia politically organizes its self-government. It is formed b ...

. According to this new denomination, the first number (C-32) indicates that is a southwest-northeast highway (parallel to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

coastline), while the second number (C-32) indicates that is the second-closest to the Mediterranean Sea. The Barcelona-Mataró's section of the former A-19 (now renamed to C-31 and C-32) was the first ''autopista'' ever in Spain (1969).

Southern section (El Vendrell-Sant Boi de Llobregat)

The C-32's southern section, also known as Autopista de Pau Casals (officially), named in honor of the famous cellist

Pablo Casals Pau Casals i Defilló (Catalan: ; 29 December 187622 October 1973), usually known in English by his Castilian Spanish name Pablo Casals,

, who is known as Pau Casals in Catalan, or non-officially ''Túnels del Garraf'' after the tunnels through the

Garraf Massif The Garraf Massif ( ca, Massís del Garraf, ) is a mountain range of the Catalan Coastal Range, Catalonia, Spain. Its cliffs reach the Mediterranean waters. Its highest point on the coastal side is La Morella, 593 metres above sea level and furth ...

, was previously named A-16 before the redenomination. It is a partially tolled ''autopista'' which runs parallel to the southern

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

's Mediterranean coast. It starts at the intersection with the AP-7, near

El Vendrell El Vendrell () is a town located in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, in the wine-growing region of Penedès. It is wedged between the Mediterranean and the coastal range. El Vendrell is the capital of the Baix Penedès ''comarca'' and a tou ...

, and finishes at the intersection with the Barcelona-El Prat Airport access freeway, near Sant Boi de Llobregat. It connects several relevant towns such as

Vilanova i la Geltrú Vilanova i la Geltrú () is the capital city of Garraf ''comarca'', in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Historically a fishing port, the city has a growing population of approximately 66,000, and is situated 40 km south-west of Ba ...

Sitges Sitges (, , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Spain, renowned worldwide for its Film Festival, Carnival, and LGBT Culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is known for its beaches, nightspot ...

and

Castelldefels Castelldefels () is a municipality in the Baix Llobregat comarca, in the province of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, and a suburban town of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. Its population is 65,954 ( IDESCAT, 2017). Geography and location It is ...

, as well as it passes close to the Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

Middle section (Sant Boi de Llobregat-Montgat)

The middle section should correspond to the actual ''autovía'' B-20, also known as Ronda de Dalt, which is a part of the

's ''Rondes'' (

ring road A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...

). This section has not been renamed yet because it is managed by the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

government.

Northern section (Montgat-Palafolls)

The northern section is a part of the former ''autopista'' A-19 , also known as Autopista del Maresme. It begins at the intersection of the middle section (B-20) with the C-31, at

Montgat Montgat () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Badalona (Barcelonès) and El Masnou, to the north-east of Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of nort ...

, and finishes at

Palafolls Palafolls is a municipality in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, eastern Spain. Twin towns * Poppi, Italy, since 1990 * Ax-les-Thermes, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in West ...

, where it connects with the

N-II N-II was the former name for the Route Nacional from Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million ...

, leading to the towns of

Tordera Tordera is a city in the comarca of Maresme, province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, situated 64 km from Barcelona and 36 km from Girona on the edge of the Montnegre natural park. Its population as of 2010 was 15,641. The economy use ...

and

Malgrat de Mar Malgrat de Mar is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the Costa Brava between Santa Susanna and Blanes. A local road runs from the town to the main N-II road, while t ...

. It crosses the ''comarca'' of

Maresme Maresme () is a ''comarca'' (county) located along the Catalan Mediterranean coast in Spain, between the ''comarques'' of Barcelonès (at the Southwest) and Selva (at the Northeast), and also bordering with Vallès Oriental (at the west). Its c ...

, connecting relevant towns such as

Vilassar de Mar Vilassar de Mar () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Premià de Mar and Cabrera de Mar, to the north-east of Barcelona. The town is both a tourist centre and a dormitory t ...

Mataró Mataró () is the capital and largest town of the ''comarca'' of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sa ...

Arenys de Mar Arenys de Mar (, ''arenys'' being Catalan for "sands (of a seasonal creek)", and ''de mar'' for "by the sea" as opposed to Arenys de Munt, "sands up hill") is one of the main municipalities of the comarca of Maresme, Barcelona Province, Catalonia ...

Calella Calella is a municipality in the Maresme region of Spain, located 50 km from Barcelona, 50 km from Girona and 6 km from the Montnegre-Corredor Natural Park. It is known as the tourist capital of the Costa del Maresme and is characterized by being ...

. An extension of this section from Palafolls to

Blanes Blanes () is a town and municipality in the comarca of Selva in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. During Roman rule it was named Blanda or Blandae. It is known as the "Gateway to the Costa Brava". Its coast is part of the Costa Brava, which stretches ...

is already planned and its construction recently approved, whereas a further extension from Blanes to Lloret de Mar and

Tossa de Mar Tossa de Mar () is a municipality in Catalonia, Spain, located on the coastal Costa Brava, about 103 kilometres north of Barcelona and 100 kilometres south of the French border. It is accessible through Girona Airport, some distance north. The GR ...

is a controversial issue which is still in the middle of a discussion process.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:C-32 Motorways in Catalonia