Sitges, Costa Dorada
Sitges - Overview:
Sitges, formerly a fishing village where the picturesque houses and narrow streets have attracted many artists and intellectuals for over a century, has become the most attractive resort on the Costa Dorada.
A popular weekend destination for people from Barcelona, 40km away, Sitges is a sophisticated little town with good restaurants and nightlife. The resort also has excellent beaches. Sitges is known for its carnival, its nice weather and its night life - especially famous for its gay community. The town is also family oriented. If you are staying in Sitges, you can visit Port Aventura. This fantastic theme park is located less than half an hour from Sitges, near to Salou.
Sitges - Climate:
Sitges enjoys more more than 300 sunny days per year and is a secure bet for those seeking a sun-bathing holiday. Also, thanks to its special micro-climate, summer lasts here longer than anywhere else in the area. The sea temperature at Sitges is warm enough to swim in from April to October.
The bohemian tradition of Sitges has not been wiped out by mass tourism. There are still world famous artists who spend some months, or some years, of their life here. Specially during winter. Winters in Sitges are abnormally mild. Quite milder than in Barcelona.
Sitges - Beaches:
The only conveivable problem with Sitges is that during the high season - June, and especially July and August - the town is rather overcrowded. Finding a place to lie on the main beach is not an easy task, but there are plenty of other beaches in the area to choose from.
If you are looking for the best beaches in town, do not waste your time on the main beach of Sitges. Go to the beaches beyond the church. Sant Sebastia Beach is quite nice, but if you keep walking, there is a small cove. Just keep walking a couple of minutes from Saint Sebastian Beach and you will discover a small beach that remains relatively empty. If you are open minded, there is another beach further along the coast that even beats this one. If you do not like wearing clothes while swimming, this is the beach for you. Although Sitges is well known for its gay ambience, you find all kinds of people on this beach. Couples with children are also welcome.
Sitges - Nightlife:
Sitges is not only a place to lie under the sun. Sitges is the perfect place for a crazy holiday. The offer of pubs and clubs is quite varied. The famous Sin Street is crowded all day long, but after sunset it comes truly alive. One of the most famous discos in town is Pacha. Pacha is a disco chain with venues in Ibiza, Salou, Sitges and Barcelona, among many other places. If you are a techno fan, this is the place for you.
Port d'Aiguadolc with its restaurants and cafes is a nice place to spend an evening. Before going out, it may be the time to look for a good place to eat. There are plenty of options to choose from. Sitges is a good place to taste excellent seafood. A good tip is to order a portion of seafood tapas with a local white wine - that way you can sample an array of the day's catch.
Night life starts in Sin Street between 10 and 12pm. In Summer, there is action almost every night. Bars and pubs in Carrer del Pecat are full until 3.30am. However, if you want to experience the real Sitges party, you will have to head to one of the discos in town. The two most popular clubs in Sitges are Pacha and Atlantida. This later disco is quite far from the city centre. The action starts around 4am and lasts until dawn. Techno and house is the music played. Remember that you have to dress properly to enter - this is one of the most fashionable clubs in Spain, after all.
Sitges - Out & About:
There are some nice one day excursions to consider while staying in Sitges. You can go to Sant Pere de Ribes, a town with its own samples of Americanos Modern Style houses. You can also visit one of the vineyards in the neighboring wine producing region of Penedes. If you like hiking, you can visit the Garraf Natural Park.
Sitges - History:
The first mention of Sitges dates back to the 10th century, when a small castle was built over the ruins of an old Iberian settlement. During the following years houses were built on the surroundings of the castle and Sitges was born.
A couple of centuries later, new castles and a monastery were built. But until the 15th century the different castles were not united. Sitges then became a town. In the middle ages, Sitges used to be the only port town on the coast from Barcelona to Tarragona. The town's main industries were its vineyards and the commercial activities with other ports in the Mediterranean. From one of these ports, the Greek island of Monembasia, a new variety of grape, the malvasia, was imported.
Nowadays, tourism is the main source of income for people who live in Sitges. The tourist industry began in Sitges in 1920, with the construction of some apartments in the area known as Terramar. Since then the fame of Sitges as a tourist destination has developed.
Sitges - Fiestas:
There is always something going on in Sitges. In August, the 23rd and the 24th, the Summer Festivals (Festa Major) takes place, with street concerts and cultural activities. In late September you have the Santa Tecla Festivals, with its folklore demonstrations. In late February, the Carnivals. In March there is the vintage cars Barcelona-Sitges rally. In June the Chorpus, when the streets are decorated with flower carpets.
Do not forget the Catalonia International Film Festival that takes place in Sitges during November. This very special event dates back to 1968, when a Fantasy and Horror Cinema Festival started. Although nowadays the festival displays all kinds of films, it still focuses on fantasy movies. This is Cataluna's main cinema event and if you are a movie buff then come to Sitges in November. More than 200 movies are displayed in the 7 local theatres - the two biggest are El Retiro and El Pardo.
Sitges, Costa Dorada - Our holiday accommodation and service:
Travel with secretdestinations.com holidays and enjoy delightful, privileged, sophisticated holiday destinations on the Costa Dorada including Sitges. From privately owned houses, cottages, villas, and apartments to villas with pools and hotels, in beautiful coastal and rural locations, hand-picked for an authentic taste of unspoiled secret Spain.
So, if you're looking for an activity holiday walking, cycling and trekking while exploring the Ebro Delta; discovering fascinating Mediterranean villages and rural towns; exploring Cataluna's vibrant cities such as Barcelona with sophisticated shopping in Las Ramblas; looking for family fun at the Port Aventura theme park; fancy a spot of surfing, swimming, sunbathing or relaxing on great beaches at Sitges, ALtafulla or Tarragona; or you just want to simply escape the tourist masses with a privately owned apartment, cottage or villa with a pool on the eastern Spanish coast, call our holiday team today. We can also assist you with flights to the Costa Dorada, ferry travel and holiday car hire.
