Sitges
A charming beach town with all kinds of vibes
Are you going to spend a few days in the wonderful city of Barcelona? The Catalan capital sure has tons of exciting things to do! However, if time isn't an issue, we strongly recommend taking a look at the many options you have nearby. One of the most visited towns in the metropolitan area of Barcelona is Sitges, a beach town located just about 40 km away from Barcelona where you can arrive with a 35-minute train trip.
Sitges offers entertainment for all sorts of travellers. It has clean and beautiful beaches, a charming old town, green routes for the hikers and a delicious typical gastronomy, as well as an exciting nightlife that could well be considered historical, due to its status as one of the top 'gay towns' in Spain. If you want to learn more about Sitges, don't miss the following lines ?we'll give you all the information you need to plan your visit from Barcelona!
Sitges, an interesting recent history
Sitges is located in the coast of Garraf, which is between Barcelona and Tarragona. Its main economic activity is tourism, as it has always enjoyed the presence of lots of visitors. However, this beach town has a long, rich history, as the first inhabitants of the area date back from the Neolithic period! In the Middle Ages, the town received the name it has today, as it was the name of the powerful family that controlled the town. One of the most interesting facts about the history of Sitges is that a colony of fishermen from there moved to Cadiz and established there a colony that is nowadays known as Isla Cristina, also a tourist beach town.
Before tourism gained ground, Sitges' main economic activity was farming, especially vineyards and carob trees and, of course, the Mediterranean dwarf palm, which is typical from Garraf. Of course, fishing was also an important activity, as was shoe making -but, whereas there still are vineyards and farming in the area, fishing and shoe making have almost disappeared.
But, as we've said, tourism is the main economic activity nowadays, and it's not only because of the beautiful and clean beaches where people can enjoy themselves in spring and summer. In the 80s, homosexuality was decriminalised in Spain and Sitges stood out as one of the main destinations for those who were seeking people with their same interests, in an atmosphere where love and sexual freedom where sprouting after decades of repression. We can't forget that Spain was under a dictatorship until 1975, which made the 80s a decade of moving forward in many areas, not just the acceptance of homosexuality. Another example of this freedom that came from a need born in decades of repression was the cinema movement known as el destape (nudity), when nude bodies started to appear in films and magazines after decades of censorship. As we've said, Sitges became a top destination for those seeking freedom. In 1980 the first gay club, Trailer, was inaugurated, and other gay-friendly places started to open as well. The Calle del Pecado (Sin Street), with many gay clubs and pubs like Parrots, Comodín and Candil (and where the club Trailer was located) became a landmark that has lived on until today.
The very same Sitges Carnival became another important landmark, as in 1980 it was forbidden for the gay organisations that had already been formed in the town. This helped give birth to a 'gay carnival', and many homophobic events took place up until the late 90s, including several violent episodes. Sitges was a place of freedom, but a threatened one. 10 years later, the Monument against homophobia was inaugurated: an inverted triangle located by the beach which constituted the first memorial for homosexuals in Spain. Once again, Sitges would make history.
What to visit in Sitges
This monument is one of the things that you can visit in Sitges, and a good homage to the history of the town, but it's not the only one! Sitges is perfect for a day trip, but, as you can see, it has an interesting history and is full of beautiful little places and corners, so if you are into discovering something new you may enjoy going there for more than one day. Still, that is for you to decide! For the moment, here you have our recommended top activities, so get your notepad ready!
- 1. Contemplate life from the beach. Sitges has 17 beautiful beaches with golden sand and deep blue waters. You can stay in the town beaches or you can explore further to find hippy and nudist beaches, as well as deserted small bays. You need to be ready to walk for a while, though, and it's better if you are in the company of a local who can guide you.
- 2. A promenade by the city centre. While you chill at the beach, you will see the beautiful church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla. To see the waves breaking against it is almost iconic! Besides, there is a hippy artisan market right behind it. The narrow, steep little streets of Sitges are also beautiful to see, and, besides, the city is full of buildings designed in Catalan Modernisme architectural style. Modernist artist and writer Santiago Rusiñol moved to Sitges and stablished an atelier there, and that opened Sitges' doors for this cultural movement. This is why there are so many beautiful buildings, many of them private.
- 3. In fact, another of the places you can visit in Sitges is Rusiñol's atelier, Cau Ferrat, which is full of wonderful details. You can also visit the Palau Maricel, a museum with Romanic and Gothic works that offers a wonderful view of the ocean. Most tourists go to Sitges just for the beaches and the museums aren't too crowded, but you can still get your Sitges online tickets with GowithOh. There are discounts for students and the elderly, and also guided visits and group visits. There is also a combined ticket for both Cau Ferrat and Palau Maricel, the two top museums in Sitges, albeit not the only ones.
- 4. Sitges has also somewhat of a bohemian spirit, which is why it is a popular headquarters among artists. There are many small galleries where you can buy and contemplate unique art, and the first Saturday of every month the city hosts a White Night (nits blanques), when said galleries are open until late at night and offer drinks and cocktails.
- 5. Food & Drinks. This town is also perfect to try some of the typical gastronomy of the area, such as the rice a la sitgetana, which combines seafood and land products, or the xató, a salad with escarole, anchovies, cod fish and olives with a sauce made with almonds and hazelnuts. At night, visiting the pubs and bars at Carrer del Pecat is a must - that area is a historical landmark by itself!
- 6. Do you like hiking? Then Sitges is a beautiful destination for you too. You can hike at the Natural Park of Garraf, where there is also a Buddhist monastery.
Sitges, party & culture town
Did you know that Sitges isn't known only for its beautiful beaches? It is also quite the party destination, as it has several well-known festivities where it stands out. We're not just referring to holidays exclusive to Sitges, but well-known holidays where this town plays a special part. You will have to choose, since they are all in different times of the year - but, as you probably know, Barcelona is perfect to visit at any time!
- Sitges Film Festival: Sitges hosts one of the most important Cinema festivals in Spain, and one of the top genre festivals in Europe and in the world. In fact, it's considered by many the best festival in the world in this genre. It specialises in fantasy and horror films, and offers 10 days full of premieres, alternative sections, horror and class B marathons, awards and its already traditional zombie walk, a parade of people dressed up as zombies that marches along the streets of Sitges. Definitely one of a kind, and a must for the fans of this genre! Usually, it takes place in October. You can get your Sitges online tickets for the festival with GowithOh.
- Carnaval de Sitges: It's probably the most famous carnival of Catalonia. It's not Tenerife or Rio de Janeiro, but it definitely offers the most impressive parade around, and it has a history of over 100 years. There are different crews with impressive group costumes that they have spend months creating, and there are several parades. The two most important ones, the Rua de la Disbauxa and the Rua de l'Extermini, gather over 2.000 participants and over 50 floats! It's celebrated in February.
- Pride Parade: Of course, a town with such recent history holds a special place for the yearly Gay Pride Parade. Together with the one celebrated in Barcelona and other LGBT-friendly events celebrated in the capital in the summer, such as the Circuit Festival, make this part of the Mediterranean coast a top destination for gay tourism. The Sitges Pride Parade is usually celebrated in June.
How to get to Sitges and other useful information
Going to Sitges is actually very easy. You just need to take a rodalies train. Rodalies means surroundings in Catalan, and it refers to the network of commuter trains that communicate Barcelona with the rest of its metropolitan area. There are several lines, and to go to Sitges you will need to take R2, which goes along the coast.
There are two trains that stop at Sitges and that leave every half an hour (each of them, separated by 5 or 10 minutes), which means that you don't have to wait for the train for longer than 20 minutes. Be careful with the destination, though, because Sitges isn't the last stop! You will need to take the train direction Sitges and Vilanova or direction Sant Vicenç de Calders. You can take them from two of the main central train stations of Barcelona, Passeig de Gràcia and Sants Station. In around 35 minutes, you will be in beautiful Sitges.
One last thing you need to take into account is that the metropolitan area of Barcelona is divided in zones. The whole city and the most immediate towns are zone 1, which is the default zone you get when you buy public transportation tickets. Usually, that's all you will need in Barcelona. However, Sitges is already zone 3, which means that it is more expensive and that you will need to get other train tickets to go there. You can't use a single train ticket in the metro, and it doesn't give you transferring rights. However, if you're travelling with more people, you can buy a 3 zone T-10 (the 10 trips ticket pass) and you'll be able to use it in the metro and the bus as well. At GowithOh, we can help you get your Sitges online tickets for the train as well!
Now you're 100% ready to visit Sitges. This beautiful town will surely make an impression, and it makes the perfect day getaway from Barcelona. Get your bathing suit and your towel and get ready to lie at the beach, watch how the waves break against the church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla and enjoy the typical seafood paella or xató de Sitges. And don't forget to tell us all about your experiences!
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