Located 35 km south of Barcelona, the beachfront town of Sitges is known for its carnival, sunny weather and, of course, its night life - especially its vibrant gay life. It is, after all, the gay capital of Spain. But there is much more to Sitges than just the gay scene.
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| Passeig de la Ribera by day |
In the summer months the main beach, de la Ribera, will be crowded with swimmers, suntanners and boat paddlers. Besides suntanning and swimming, it is also a popular spot for sand castle building. Fortunately, I was there in spring when the place was less crowded and much quieter. On the beach, one man was busy building a sand figure all by himself.
The inverterate shopper will also find Sitges' many shopping lanes interesting to explore. Narrow lanes fanning out from the beachfront, such as the Carrer de Pau Barrabel, are lined on both sides with shops selling the latest in European fashion. I bought a lovely black lace blouse for darling wife from one of these boutiques. For the younger set, there are shops that specialise in kitsch and novelties.
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| Carrer Parellades |
For visitors in pursuit of cultural interests, Sitges will not disappoint either. I enjoyed the Museo Cau Ferat which once was the residence of Santiago Russiñol, the painter who gave much of his life to the advancement of the Modernist movement in Catalan. In its heydays, it was notorious for the many 'modern style' parties hosted by Russinol, which made Sitges famous among the artistic circle.
I was impressed with the paintings, sculptures, and personal belongings of the artist, displayed exactly as they were when he stayed there. The museum, which houses a small Picasso, several el Grecos as well as other pieces by Catalan Modernists, has a very homey feel to it. The name Cau Ferat is derived from the many metal decorations found throughout the house. Even its windows are dressed in wrought iron.
Steps away from Museu Cau Ferat is Maricel Palace, bought by millionaire Charles Deering in 1912 to house his vast personal collection of paintings. One part of the building is the art museum while the other is being used as a civic center.
Not far from these 2 museums, on Placa de L'Adjutament, is the marketplace which is best visited in the morning. Although not as large as many other town markets, it takes pride in its high quality salted Atlantic cods.
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| Bacalhau on sale at the marketplace |
Whiles Sitges is good by day, it really comes alive when the sun sets. This is when the whole population - locals and visitors - gravitate to the many narrow lanes that are lined with watering holes, restaurants and clubs. Carrer del Pecat or Sin Street, is the place to be at. Here, you will find Pacha, the famous disco chain with branches in Ibiza, Salou, Barcelona and many other major Spanish cities and towns. While the clubs beckon most of Sitges visitors, it was the restaurants that caught my attention.
La Oca, a famous chicken rotisserie, serves one of the best spit-roasted chicken in town. Needless to say, that was my choice for dinner.
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| Michael enjoying spit-roasted chicken at La Oca. |
Getting There from Barcelona:
By Train - From Sants or Passeig de Gracia station, take the train that says VILANOVA G on the front. Journey time is about 30 mins and the fare is 4.3Euro one-way.
By Bus - Take Bus Nº N30 from Ronda Universitat near Plaza Catalunya or from Gran Via next to Plaza España. The bus leaves on the hour every hour up to 4am.
By Train - From Sants or Passeig de Gracia station, take the train that says VILANOVA G on the front. Journey time is about 30 mins and the fare is 4.3Euro one-way.
By Bus - Take Bus Nº N30 from Ronda Universitat near Plaza Catalunya or from Gran Via next to Plaza España. The bus leaves on the hour every hour up to 4am.
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