Spain: Sitges

July 2015

Sitges had been recommended to me by AFVdR as a nice seaside town south of Barcelona. I even considered staying there instead of the city (it is less than a one-hour train ride) until I saw the price of hotel rooms. Sitges is a destination in its own right and for good reason - it is beautiful and has an interesting backstory.

Sitges (Old Catalan for 'underground [grain] silos') is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, renowned worldwide for its film festival, Carnival, and LGBTQ culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is known for its beaches, nightspots, and historical sites. While the roots of Sitges' artistic reputation date back to the late 19th century, when painter Santiago Rusiñol took up residence there during the summer, the town became a centre for the 1960s counterculture in mainland Spain during the Francoist regime, and became known as "Ibiza in miniature". Today, the economy of Sitges is based on tourism and culture, offering more than 4,500 hotel beds, half of them in four-star hotels. Almost 35% of the approximately 26,000 permanent inhabitants are from the Netherlands, the UK, France, and Scandinavia, whose children attend international schools in the area. There are 17 beaches. Sitges was also the site of the annual Bilderberg conference held in June 2010. Sitges has been referred to as the Saint-Tropez of Spain, with property prices approaching those of the most expensive European cities, the main reason for this being the setting by the sea and the surrounding Garraf Park. Proximity to Barcelona-El Prat Airport is also a major advantage.

(Wikipedia)

So clearly, "no", I was not going to find a cheap hotel in (or even near) Sitges. I was, however, able to visit on a day trip.

The train station is above the city, and it is only a short walk down narrow (and lovely) streets to the sea. The beachfront is absolutely beautiful and the beach is perennially packed with people. I did not come for sunbathing, so I explored the town. Its famous church, St Sebastian (lovely position overlooking the sea), is not that old and cuts a lovely figure from the beach. In fact, there was little to dislike about Sitges except that.... it was full of people.

Of course, Sitges is also famous for having not one but THREE nudist beaches. Having experienced such places in the past, I was not up for another visit to one. Suffice it to say that nude beaches do NOT attract super-models and many things can never be "unseen". No thanks....

So, not only is Sitges expensive to stay in, it would be difficult to enjoy unless ones idea of relaxing is sharing the experience with thousands of others. The place is simply too small for the number of people who flock there. I gave up having lunch or even a coffee - every place I went to was mobbed. Finally, I decided to explore the town and then retreat to Castelldefels (where I was staying) for a calmer atmosphere. I was a little disappointed, but not really surprised.

I will not say that I disliked Sitges - in fact, it is probably one of the nicest Mediterranean resort towns I visited in Europe. Unfortunately, it is perpetually crowded. Crowds are for youthful days where one seeks the energy of others. Too bad I hadn't visited in my youth - it would have been fun!

As I age, splendid isolation becomes more attractive.