Granollers is a city in central Catalonia, about 30 kilometres north-east of Barcelona. It is the capital and most densely populated city in the comarca of Vallès Oriental. Granollers is now a bustling business centre, having grown from a town dominated by Catalonia's textile industry that was prominent during the 19th Century. However, in the southern portion of the municipality, the Palou area retains the agricultural characteristics of the past.