Itchy Feet Adventures: Sitges

I have heard so much about Sitges way before we moved to Barcelona therefore when Paul’s workmate, James and his friend, Ryan, suggested a visit I was very enthusiastic.

It was raining that morning in BCN so we weren’t sure that planning a beach day was the cleverest idea. But as the train pulled closer to Sitges the clouds moved away and by the time we got off the train it was sunshine all around. We followed James who’s almost a ‘local’ here through the windy streets down to the beach.

Sitges, or ‘the St Tropez of Spain’ is only about 35 km from Barcelona therefore it is an ideal place for a weekend trip. It boasts 17 beaches (including a naturist at the end) all calling you to lie on their golden sand and have a dip in the sparkling water. The economy is based on tourism so there’s everything you might need, from an amazing variety of hotels through many different restaurants to history and culture.

Interestingly, 35% of the inhabitants are foreigners whose kids go to international schools. The population is around 25-26000 that quadruples during the summer. It is a great place for families and thought to be one of the most gay friendly place in the world.

As with many other villages on the Costa Brava, Sitges was a sleepy fishing village before tourism broke in and took over. Still, it managed to keep some of the charm of the old days. Its old town is lovely, full of white houses lined up on thin, windy little streets that all lead to the beach.

The road names are all very nicely decorated in the old town.

Some nice looking houses.

This building unfortunately was under construction so I couldn’t go inside. It also had a huge crane above it that was quite an eyesore. It was still lovely so I took some photos.

The beachfront is lined with lovely little cafes and restaurants that offer tasty seafood. There’s a long promenade that was made to stroll down on with an ice cream or a cold drink in your hand and to soak up the slow-motion atmosphere around you. There are also big trees to provide shade for a little rest on the tiled benches.