Sitges- A coastal artist haven and home to one of the largest gay communities in SpainHaven

One of the best things about Catalonia is the variety of great coastal towns to explore.  A popular option is Sitges, which is only a thirty five minute train ride from Barcelona and has long stretches of beach and a very unique atmosphere.  The ticket costs 3 euros each way and you can catch the train from either the Sants or the Passeig de Gracia train station.

There are 17 beaches along the coast of Sitges, each of them with their own individual characteristics.  Sant Sebastià is situated in the center of town and is a family oriented beach where many locals go.  It offers many services such as lounge chairs, food and drink stands, etc.  Another nice beach in the center is Estanyol, which offers many services and where you can also listen to chill out music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 3pm to 7pm.  If the beaches are too crowded for your taste, which is becoming more and more likely during high season, head west from Passeig de la Ribera along Passeig Marítim where you´ll find beaches of the same quality without all the tourists.

With over 300 days of sunshine a year, Sitges is the ideal place to enjoy the sea and the sun, but with so much to offer culturally it´s much more than just another coastal town.  In Medieval times Sitges was a small fishing village but centuries later, thanks to the initiative of artists, cultural motivators and patrons of the arts, Sitges became an important center for the spreading of Modernisme (Catalan Modernism).   In the 19th and 20th century the town became home to painters, sculptors, musicians, and other artists, all who have left their mark there.  Today visitors can enjoy the town´s many museums and galleries.

Three of the best known museums are the Cau Ferrat Museum, the Maricel Museum, and the Romàntic Museum.  The Cau Ferrat Museum can be found in the former house and workshop of Santiago Rusiñol (1861- 1931), a well known painter and writer.  It contains a mixture of his work, including paintings, sculptures, and drawings.  It also includes work by his friends and contemporaries, El Greco, Picasso, and Ramon Casas, among others.

The Maricel Museum (Palau and Museu Maricel) is located in a mansion and houses Dr. Pérez-Rosales´ collection of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque works as well as an impressive collection of Catalan sculptures.  On the second floor you´ll find the Modern Art Gallery and the maritime collection, and in July and August the main part of the mansion is open for guided tours, a short classical music concert and drinks.

The Romantic Museum (Museu Romántic) is a bourgeois house of 1793, which was the residence of the Llopis family.  The museum aims to show the lifestyle of a rich Sitges family in the 19th century by displaying the furniture and possessions from this period.  It also houses an antique doll collection.

Probably due to its open-mindedness, Sitges has become a popular destination for gay tourism, especially in summer.  One of the predominantly gay beaches is La Platja de la Bossa Rodona, which is located in the center of town.  You can also head west to Home Mort, a nudist beach, although visitors should be aware that it can only be accessed by a steep path surrounded by cliffs.

Not surprisingly, there is no shortage of gay bars and discos.  Some popular options are Mediterráneo, located on Sant Bonaventura 6, El Candil, located on Carrer de la Carreta 9, and Bourbon´s, on Sant Bonaventura 13.  Mediterráneo is a large disco/bar in a restored 1960´s house.  Bourbon´s caters to a younger crowd while El Candil has a more varied age mix. 
Of course, there is plenty to offer for straight folks as well. 

One of the most popular spots in Sitges is Ricky´s Disco, located on Sant Pau 25, which has an international mix of both gays and straights.  For dancing, a good option is Trailer, on Angel Vidal 36, which is one of the most fashionable clubs and the best place to go if you want to dance all night as it´s open until 5:30am.

As for food and drink, the best way to take advantage of the weather is to find an outdoor terrace to enjoy it.  Many restaurants, most with outdoor seating, can be found on Passieg de la Ribera and there are plenty of bars with outdoor tables on Marquès de Montroig and Primer de Maig.  The town market, Mercat Muncipal, which is located on Avinguda Carbonell and is open every day except Sunday until 2pm is also a great place to put together a picnic for the beach.

In addition to the beaches and culture, Sitges is also known for its festivals.  The Carnaval celebration is one of the most important in Spain and the town normally receives up to 250,000 visitors from all over the world who come to enjoy the costumes, processions, concerts, and other festivities.  The festivities are known to go on until the wee hours of the morning, so make sure to bring lots of energy!  In 2010 Carnaval will be held from February 11 to 17th.  The gay Carnaval normally begins a few days before, typically on the Sunday before the official start of Carnaval.

 The Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia has also gained international recognition and is considered to be the number one fantasy film festival in the world.  It is typically held in October and it´s exhibitions, presentations and screenings have received many prestigious visitors such as Quentin Tarantino, Jodie Foster, and Viggo Mortensen.
With so much to do it´s no surprise that Sitges has become one of Spain´s most popular coastal destinations.  For more information check out http://www.sitgestur.cat/