BARCELONA: SITGES

Sitges is a lovely seaside small town located 37 km to the south of Barcelona with a long promenade, perfect for a walk in the afternoon. Its beach is crowded in summer and its beautiful old quarter is always lively. From the church, the view of the beach and the promenade, especially in the evening, is wonderful.

Palm trees along the promenade of Sitges between the beach and the church

The painter and writer Santiago Rusiñol, who fell in love with the light and the beaches, moved to Sitges in 1891. His house and studio, Cau Ferrat, which is now a museum, soon became a refuge for modernista and avant-garde artists from across Europe. Their festivals, exhibitions and performances transformed the small farming and fishing village into a bohemian tourist destination.

Beach and promenade of Sitges from the church

From the beaches, the imposing church of San Bartolomé and Santa Tecla with its bell tower stand out against the skyline. As you walk through the steep narrow streets in the colina de Baluard, in the well-known "racó de la calma" (peaceful corner), you’ll be able to visit the museu Cau Ferrat, the Palau Maricel and the museu Maricel (a former hospital).  

So, you I recommend you visit the following places of Sitges and enjoy the views from them:

- Beaches of Sitges

- Promenade of Sitges

- Church of San Bartolomé and Santa Tecla

- Old Town of Sitges

• Palau Maricel (Maricel Palace)
• Cau Ferrat museum
• Palau del Moro (Moor's Palace)

- Aerial view of Sitges
- Sunset in Sitges

Besides in Sitges the following events take place every year, which makes the city get crowded:

• Carnival
• Corpus
• International Film Festival of Catalonia

Beaches of Sitges

Promenade and beach of Sitges

 Another beach of Sitges. This one on the other side of the old town

Palms and colourful buildings on the promenade of Sitges

Children playing on the beach in Sitges

Promenade of Sitges

I really like to walk among the palm trees of the promenade of Sitges 

Nice view from the promenade of Sitges

From this bar of Sitges you can enjoy relaxing views

Another view from the promenade of Sitges

Church of San Bartolomé and Santa Tecla

Church of San Bartolomé and Sant Tecla in Sitges from its promenade

Romanesque church of Sitges. Here the old quarter begins

A closer view of the romanesque church of Sitges. In the foreground, maritime motifs engraved on a streetlamp

Old Town of Sitges

Palau Maricel in Sitges

Courtyard of Palau Maricel in Sitges

Carrer Fonollar beside Palau Maricel in the old town of Sitges  

 

Behind the church of Sant Bartomeu and Santa Tecla you can walk along the most interesting streets of the old quarter of Sitges, where you will find the Maricel Museum, the Marycel Palace and El Cau Ferrat, where the modernist writer Santiago Rusinyol lived

 Palau Maricel in the old city of Sitges

Street of the old town of Sitges near Palau del Moro

Palau del Moro in Sitges

Aerial view of Sitges

Aerial view of the old town of Sitges and its beaches

Sunset in Sitges

View of the promenade of Sitges from the church in the evening

Sunset in Sitges

I also would like to recommend you a restaurant in case you want to have lunch in Sitges:

- Restaurant-Pizzeria Galicia

Address: Carrer d'Angel Vidal, 20, 08870 Sitges, Barcelona

Phone: 938 94 00 91

Near Sitges there are two interesting places to visit: Castelldefels with its almost 5km long beach and Garraf Natural Park. From Sitges, you can get Castelldefels by train, but you will need a car to arrive at Garraf Natural Park.

How to get to Castelldefels:

• By train, Line R2 from Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia or Barcelona-Sants Stations (45min).
• By car, C-32 motorway and C-31 highway.

Tourist Office:

• Address: Plaza Eduard Maristany 2, 08870 Sitges
• Tel. (+34) 93 894 4251
• Fax. (+34) 93 894 1521
• mail: info@sitgestur.cat

The next link will show you the location of Sitges in a Map.

Besides if you like beaches, below you have other beautiful beaches in Catalonia: 

- Beaches in La Costa Brava:

• Blanes (S'Abanell and Sant Francesc beaches)
• Tossa de Mar
• Sant Feliu de Guíxols
• S'Agaró
• Platja d'Aro
• Palamós and Sant Antoni de Calonge
• Sa Tuna, Sa Riera and Aiguablava beaches in Begur
• Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell beaches
• Tamariu beach
• L'Escala, L'Estartit and Les Illes Medes
• Cadaqués, Roses and Empuriabrava

- Costa Daurada beaches

• Barra del Trabucador beach in Delta de l'Ebre
• L'Ametlla de Mar
• Salou beach
• Miami Playa
• Beach beside the Castle of Tamarit
• Beach of Roc de Sant Gaietà

- Barcelona Beaches

• Barceloneta beach

Other fantastic beaches I have visited in Spain and Portugal are:

• Mallorca
• Cádiz and Costa de la Luz
• Beaches in  Galicia
• Basque Country - Guipúzcoa and San Sebastián
• Cantabria and Santander
• Alicante

• Beaches in Algarve

Finally, clicking on the next link, you will find links to other beautiful villages and places in Catalunya. Like Sitges, Montserrat Monastery, Sant Miquel del Fai or Sant Pol de Mar are other nice places in Catalonia near the city of Barcelona I really recommend to visit.