Discover Sitges: A Quaint LGBTQIA+ Friendly Coastal Gem Near Barcelona

Sitges, Spain

On a recent visit to Spain, we took the R2 train from Barcelona to Sitges which took about 35-40 minutes. Sitges is a coastal town in Spain’s Catalonia region. It is known for its Mediterranean beaches and seafront promenade that you could leisurely walk into and out of the many shops that line the promenade. Sitges is known for its worldwide film festival, Carnival and LGBTQIA+ culture.

Approximately 35 kilometers from Barcelona and will provide you with a sense of culture and coastal beauty that will not disappoint.

On our early November visit, the weather was perfect. The best time to visit Sitges is in the spring or autumn. Summer usually attracts larger crowds and it can be very warm.

As we strolled up to the Museu Cau Ferrat, a museum that features Santiago Rusiñol’s artwork and seasonal exhibitions. A MUST for art lovers. Moving on to the promenade we found several artisans displaying and selling their artwork. Some took the time to explain to us in English how they create their work and the history behind it. Which we appreciated greatly and purchased a few pieces before we left Sitges.

We stopped at a restaurant on the promenade that specialized in tapas and sangria, of course. It was lovely to sit out and see the beach and ocean as we enjoyed the ambiance. After lunch, we strolled further down the beach and found this amazing statue “Looking into the future” honoring Facundo Bacardi Massó. Across from the statue are benches that face the beautiful ocean and where I sat to review a book for a friend.

"Looking into the future” honoring Facundo Bacardi Massó

While this was a short-day trip for us, we knew that Sitges would be a destination stay for us in the future. There is something about Sitges that drew us in and ensured, we’d want to come back again and again.