Dear travellers,
Let’s explore more my beloved country – Spain! :)
Today I am taking you with me to visit Sitges, a small town in Catalonia, close to Barcelona, called by some “the Saint-Tropez of Spain”. It is well known in the whole region for its sandy beaches and charming old town.
I must warn you, during a summer season it may get busy and crowded as it attracts many people simply because they want to escape overcrowded beaches in Barcelona. Furthermore, it hosts many cultural events like film festival and carnival that attract both locals and tourists. More about that below :)
The city became as well Spain’s most famous gay and lesbian community holiday destination.
How to get to Sitges from Barcelona?
You can choose to come to Sitges by car. The ride will take around 30 minutes from the city centre of Barcelona. This will be the most convenient way, but please remember that during summer time you may have problems with finding a parking place.
Sitges is also easily accessible by train. From the train station in “Passeig de Gràcia” in Barcelona, it will take 45 minutes to arrive at the train station (the only one, so no worries that you may miss it ;)). This alternative will cost you 4.10 euros one way.
What to know about Sitges before arriving?
Sitges is a nice little town and easy to lost yourself if you like wandering around while enjoying the vivrant atmosphere. As I have already mentioned it is referred to as “Saint-Tropez of Spain” because of its 17 picturesque beaches, some of which nudist, busy night-life and prices of properties that skyrocket and resemble those in South of France.
During the times of General Franco this town, already attracting Spanish artists since the nineteenth century, acquired the nick-name "Ibiza in miniature". This is where people tired of day-to-day oppression and vigilance were trying to rest and have a little bit of fun.
Nowadays it continues to attract visitors by offering impressive night-life. It is also a popular attraction for a day-time, thanks to its busy bars and restaurants along the main boulevard. Whatever you want – a fancy restaurant, a quick lunch or shopping in an exclusive boutique, it will all be possible to do in Sitges.
Carnaval in Sitges
The Sitges Carnival has over 100 years of tradition. It takes place around February each year and attracts the crazy amount of people! Even though it is still winter in Spain and the temperatures vary from around 5 to 15 Celsius.
What I didn’t know and it is worth highlighting is that during the time of carnival, Sitges is not only focused on people partying all over the place.
Each day of the week-long Sitges carnival will feature a full schedule of events, including folk-dancing, theatrical performances, live music, children´s activities, and more! Don’t miss out on tasting the famous xatonada of Sitges, a delicious salad made with the region’s traditional xató sauce. (…) For the younger children, there will be several children’s carnival parades in which they can also participate.
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So as you can see, the city tries to find a balance between tourists that seek crazy night-life and tourists that enjoy Sitges for its charm and perfect location.
Sitges film festival
International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is the number one fantasy film festival in the world and represents, at the same time, the cultural expression with the most media impact in Catalonia. With a solid experience, the Sitges Festival is a stimulating universe of encounters, exhibitions, presentations and screenings of fantasy films from all over the world. (…) today the Festival is an essential rendezvous for movie lovers and audiences eager to come into contact with new tendencies and technologies applied to film and the audiovisual world.
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This little coastal town has been already hosted many internationally acknowledged movie stars and directors. Among them Quentin Tarantino, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Paul Verhoeven, Ralph Fiennes, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Wim Wenders, Tony Curtis, David Cronenberg, and Darren Aronofsky. Let me be honest with you, this list goes on and is truly impressive.
As you can see, I enjoyed the sunset in a more hidden and quiet part of the city and it was totally worth the walk.
Thank you for being here with me. I hope until next time!
Pura Vida and enjoy the travel!:)
More about me here: You can travel without being wealthy aka a girl from a "struggling" family chasing her dreams!
Some of my recent recommendations for visiting Barcelona and its surroundings:
Climbing Tibidabo - the mountain overlooking Barcelona, Spain
Salvador Dalí Theatre-Museum by night (Figueres, Spain)
Visiting Castelldefels, Spain - paying Leo Messi a visit
Evening free-entrance visit in “Museu Picasso” (Barcelona, Spain)