Sitges
With over three miles (5km) of golden shoreline, Sitges is the perfect weekend break for tourists wishing to experience Spanish resorts without straying too far from Barcelona. One of the most popular holiday resort towns south of Barcelona, Sitges is 21 miles (45km) from the city. With more than 17 sand beaches, many of them with EU Blue Flag status, it is easy to see why Sitges has been called the 'Playground of Barcelona'. Renowned for its nightlife, Sitges attracts thousands of holidaymakers, including many young day trippers from Barcelona. The city is gay-friendly, expensive, and decidedly arty, said to be the town where the modernist movement began when it attracted artists such as Santiago Rusinol and Salvador Dali. Rusinol's home in the town has been turned into a museum, displaying some of his works. Beachgoers and holidaymakers in Sitges can enjoy a number of activities and sights in and around the town. It also plays host to the popular Sitges Film Festival, which specialises in fantasy and horror film genres. Most people visit Sitges primarily for the beautiful sandy beaches. Between the church at one end of the town and the Terramar Hotel at the other extremity there are nine breakwaters, each sheltering gently sloping golden beaches equipped with showers, refreshment kiosks, and sunloungers for rent.
The Basics
TIME
GMT +1, and GMT +2 during DST.
ELECTRICITY
Electrical current is 230 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.
LANGUAGE
Spanish is the official language, but English is widely understood in areas frequented by tourists. Catalan, Galician and Basque are spoken in the relevant areas.
TRAVEL HEALTH
There are no health risks associated with travel to Spain, and no vaccination certificates are required for entry. Medical facilities are good in Spain, but comprehensive travel insurance is always advised. Spain has a reciprocal health agreement with most EU countries, including the UK, providing emergency health care for EU travellers on the same terms as Spanish nationals. EU travellers should take a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Note that the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non-urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is still advised. Travellers should take any medication they require along with them, in its original packaging and accompanied by a signed and dated letter from a doctor detailing what it is and why it is needed.
TIPPING
Hotel and restaurant bills usually include service charges, but additional tips are welcomed for services rendered. In established restaurants, tips of about 10 percent are expected. In Mallorca, value added tax is usually included in restaurant bills, designated IVA, and may be mistaken for a service charge. Drivers of metered taxis expect small tips and it is customary to tip about 5 to 10 percent for most services, including guides.
SAFETY INFORMATION
Most visits to Spain are trouble-free, except for occasional street crime, which is common in the big cities; travellers are advised to take precautions to avoid theft of passports, credit cards, travel documents and money. Crime is usually petty and violent assault is rare. Be wary of strangers offering or asking for help of any kind, as it is often a distraction for accomplices. There are also scams involving letters for outstanding traffic fines or Spanish lottery winnings. If travellers exercise all the normal precautions they should have a trouble-free holiday in Spain.
LOCAL CUSTOMS
Smoking in public places is banned and stiff fines will be imposed for smoking in areas such as enclosed public spaces, areas where food is prepared and sold, public transport, non-smoking areas of bars and restaurants, and any places that cater for children. Drinking alcohol in the streets of Madrid and the streets of the Canary and Balearic Islands is illegal.
Attractions
Apart from the obvious appeal of the turquoise Mediterranean sea and stretches of golden sand, the Costa Dorada boasts a number of interesting cultural and historical sightseeing attractions for holidaymakers. Salou is a very popular resort, as are its neighbouring resorts of La Pineda and Cambrils, and Sitges is another great favourite on the Costa Dorada. All of these lovely beach destinations are conveniently close to Barcelona and the ancient Roman stronghold of Tarragona. If the myriad attractions of these coastal cities are not sufficient for day trippers, excursions should be taken a little way inland to the fortified medieval village of Montblanc, and the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Poblet Monastery. Another historic monastery nearby is the Royal Monastery of Santes Creus, which is also definitely worth a visit for culture vultures. For less culture and more physical thrills, holidaymakers can spend the day at PortAventura Theme Park, a massive, and massively popular, amusement park, very near La Pineda.
There are good local bus services connecting the main towns and resorts along the Costa Dorada, and a reliable train service connecting Salou, Tarragona, Sitges and Barcelona. Car rental is a good option for those who want to explore the interior.
Eating Out
Sitges has a fine selection of restaurant options and perhaps the most difficult part of dining out in the resort is choosing from the long list of fine dining options available. Mezzanine on Carrer de Espalter, Fragata and La Salseta have all garnered rave reviews. As with most Spanish coastal towns seafood and tapas are the dishes of choice, but diners should be wary of ordering seafood on a Monday as the catch may not always be fresh.
Nightlife
Sitges caters for all tastes but the gay community is particularly prominent and the local Gay Pages booklet publishes a monthly list of some of the most hip and happening pink parties and clubs in Sitges. Other popular nightspots include Trailer, for its weekly foam parties, Organic and Atlantida. There are numerous pubs and bars to choose from. Being so close to one of Europe's top party cities, many Sitges holidaymakers choose to party in Barcelona on weekends - particularly on Saturday nights.
Health
VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS
Details of vaccination recommendations and requirements are provided below.
All Travellers
Travellers should be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters as recommended in the UK. These vaccinations include for example measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine.
Country specific diphtheria recommendations are not provided here. Diphtheria tetanus and polio are combined in a single vaccine in the UK. Therefore, when a tetanus booster is recommended for travellers, diphtheria vaccine is also given. Should there be an outbreak of diphtheria in a country, diphtheria vaccination guidance will be provided.
Those who may be at increased risk of an infectious disease due to their work, lifestyle choice, or certain underlying health problems should be up to date with additional recommended vaccines. See the individual chapters of the ‘Green Book’ Immunisation against infectious disease for further details.
Certificate Requirements
There are no certificate requirements under International Health Regulations.
Most Travellers
The vaccines in this section are recommended for most travellers visiting this country. Information on these vaccines can be found by clicking on the blue arrow. Vaccines are listed alphabetically.
Tetanus
Some Travellers
The vaccines in this section are recommended for some travellers visiting this country. Information on when these vaccines should be considered can be found by clicking on the arrow. Vaccines are listed alphabetically.
Rabies
05 November 2021 - 3 Nights
Please enquire for alternative Departure Dates, Durations & Hotels
Barcelona promises legendary architecture, delicious Catalan cookery, a festive beach culture, and plenty for party animals
02 October 2021 - 7 Nights
Please enquire for alternative Departure Dates, Durations & Hotels
With over three miles (5km) of golden shoreline, Sitges is the perfect weekend break for tourists wishing to experience Spanish resorts without straying too far from Barcelona.