Sitges (, , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ...

, in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, renowned worldwide for its

Film Festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending up ...

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ...

, and

LGBT Culture LGBT culture is a culture shared by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. It is sometimes referred to as queer culture (indicating people who are queer), while the term gay culture may be used to mean "LGBT culture" or ...

. Located between the

Garraf Massif The Garraf Massif ( ca, Massís del Garraf, ) is a mountain range of the Catalan Coastal Range, Catalonia, Spain. Its cliffs reach the Mediterranean waters. Its highest point on the coastal side is La Morella, 593 metres above sea level and furt ...

and the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

, it is known for its beaches, nightspots, and historical sites. While the roots of Sitges' artistic reputation date back to the late 19th century, when painter

Santiago Rusiñol Santiago Rusiñol i Prats (, ; Barcelona 25 February 1861 – Aranjuez 13 June 1931) was a Spanish painter, poet, journalist, collector and playwright. He was one of the leaders of the Catalan '' modernisme'' movement. He created more than ...

took up residence there during the summer, the town became a centre for the 1960s

counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Ho ...

in mainland Spain, in

Francoist Spain Francoist Spain ( es, España franquista), or the Francoist dictatorship (), was the period of Spanish history between 1939 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title . After his death in 1975, Sp ...

, and became known as " Ibiza in miniature". Today, the economy of Sitges is based on tourism and culture, offering more than 4,500 hotel beds, half of them in four-star hotels. Sitges is a

gay-friendly Gay-friendly or LGBT-friendly places, policies, people, or institutions are those that are open and welcoming to gay or LGBT people. They typically aim to create an environment that is supportive, respectful, and non-judgmental towards the LG ...

destination with many establishments catering for the

LGBT community The LGBT community (also known as the LGBTQ+ community, GLBT community, gay community, or queer community) is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a common culture and soci ...

and popular gay beaches. Almost 35% of the approximately 26,000 permanent inhabitants are from the Netherlands, the UK, France, and Scandinavia, whose children attend international schools in the area. There are 17 beaches. Sitges was also the site of the annual

Bilderberg conference The Bilderberg meeting (also known as the Bilderberg Group) is an annual off-the-record conference established in 1954 to foster dialogue between Europe and North America. The group's agenda, originally to prevent another world war, is now defi ...

held in June 2010. Sitges has been referred to as the

Saint-Tropez , INSEE = 83119 , postal code = 83990 , image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez-A (Var).svg , image flag=Flag of Saint-Tropez.svg Saint-Tropez (; oc, Sant Tropetz, ; ) is a commune in the Var department and the region of Provence- ...

of Spain, with property prices approaching those of the most expensive

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

an cities, the main reason for this being the setting by the sea and the surrounding . Proximity to Barcelona-El Prat Airport is also a major advantage.

Toponymy

The name of the town is simply the Catalan word ''sitges'', plural of ''sitja'', meaning

silos Silos is the plural of silo, a farm structure in which fodder or forage is kept. Silos may also refer to: * Silos, Norte de Santander, Colombia * Los Silos, a municipality and town on the island Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain * The Silos, Monta ...

in English. See for more individual name origins and details.

History

Human presence in the area dates to at least the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several part ...

era, and an Iberian settlement from the 4th century. In the 1st century BC, it included two separated villages, later absorbed by the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, a castle was built in Sitges, owned by the bishopric of Barcelona, which later ceded it to count Mir Geribert (1041). In the 12th century, the town fell under the rule of the Sitges family. The latter held it until 1308, when Agnes of Sitges sold the town to Bernat de Fonollar, after whose death it went to the Pia Almoina, a charitable institution, to which it belonged until 1814. Sitges economy was mostly based on the production of wine until the economic boom of the 1960s, after which it became a tourist resort. In 1958, political leaders ( Liberals and

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

) from the country of Colombia met in Sitges and signed a peace treaty, the " Declaration of Sitges", instituting a

consociationalist Consociationalism ( ) is a form of democratic power sharing. Political scientists define a consociational state as one which has major internal divisions along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines, but which remains stable due to consultation a ...

democracy in Colombia and creating the National Front.

Geography

The municipality of Sitges is located in the

Garraf Garraf (), better known as El Garraf (), is a comarca (county) in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, northern Spain. It is named after the Garraf Massif. The GR 92 long distance footpath, which roughly follows the length of the Mediterran ...

comarca A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a " ...

. It is bordered to the north by the municipalities of

Olivella Olivella is a municipality in Catalonia, in the province of Barcelona, Spain. It is situated in the comarca of Garraf. History The first known village in the area was founded in 992 around a castle known as ''Castell vell''. The inhabitants li ...

and

Begues Begues () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Baix Llobregat in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the south-west of the ''comarca'', and its municipal territory covers most of the Garraf massif including the peaks of el Montau (658 ...

, to the west by

Sant Pere de Ribes __NOTOC__ Sant Pere de Ribes is a town in the center of the Garraf comarca, in Barcelona province, Catalonia, Spain. The remains of a 12th-century castle once ruled by the troubadour A troubadour (, ; oc, trobador ) was a composer and perform ...

and Villanova i la Geltrú, to the east by Gavá and

Castelldefels Castelldefels () is a municipality in the Baix Llobregat comarca, in the province of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, and a suburban town of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. Its population is 65,954 ( IDESCAT, 2017). Geography and location It is ...

, and to the south by the

Municipio de Sitges (Provincia de Barcelona)

Carnival

For over a century, Sitges has celebrated Carnestoltes, or

, between the months of February and March, according to the liturgical calendar. The festivities begin on Dijous Gras, or Fat Thursday, with King Carnestoltes’ arrival. They continue until the burial of the sardine — late afternoon on

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the ...

. Folk dances and xatonades (traditional local salad served with assorted omelets) are also characteristic carnival elements. The two most important moments are the Rua de la Disbauxa, or the Debauchery Parade, on Sunday night and the Rua de l'Extermini, or Extermination Parade, on Tuesday night. Around forty floats with more than 2,000 participants fill Sitges. Many people come from all around to see it, describing it as a favourite time of year because of the celebration.

Gastronomy

'' Xató'' is Sitges' most typical dish. Its first recorded mention is in local newspaper ''Eco de Sitges'' report on

Fat Thursday Fat Thursday is a Christian tradition in some countries marking the last Thursday before Lent and is associated with the celebration of Carnival. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the days leading up to Ash Wednesday provide the last opport ...

, published on 16 February 1896. The report refers to a meal that three days before had gathered together a selected group of Catalan artists and intellectuals, including

, Miquel Utrillo and Gaietà Buigas. The name "xató" comes from an expression pronounced years before by Canudas, a member of the Rusiñol's group.

Malvasia Malvasia (, also known as Malvazia) is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world. ...

is a delicate liquor wine served in Sitges, primarily with dessert. The name "malvasia" comes from the Peloponnesian port

Monemvasía Monemvasia ( el, Μονεμβασιά, Μονεμβασία, or ) is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small island off the east coast of the Peloponnese, surrounded by the Myrtoan Sea. The island is connected t ...

Museums

Cau Ferrat Museum Cau Ferrat, located in Sitges (in Catalonia in Spain), was the home and study of artist and writer Santiago Rusiñol, one of the most important figures of the Modernisme movement in Catalonia. It is one of the three museums in Sitges located on ...

* Museu Romàntic Can Llopis *

Maricel Museum The Maricel Museum is a museum located in the centre of Sitges; reopened after a major refurbishment in 2015. The Maricel Museum is part of the Barcelona Provincial Council Local Museum Network. Content In 1969, the Barcelona Provincial Corporatio ...

* Fundació Stämpfli Contemporary Art

Beaches

Sitges has 17 sand beaches. Four of them are in the east: the first one called Les Botigues at the beginning of the coast, next to the beaches of

and the other three are following the coast of Garraf (Road C-31). One of them is Garraf village beach. There are eleven beaches in the town and two to its west, which are difficult to access. All the eastern and urban beaches have flags indicating the state of the sea and most of them have quality diplomas and blue flags awarded by the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...

. There are three main nudist beaches located in Sitges. One of which is Platja dels Balmins, the second nudist beach is Platja d'Aiguadolç, both of these beaches are populated by all members of the community. The third nudist beach is Playa del Muerto, which is more populated by the gay community. Platja dels Balmins and Platja d'Aiguadolç are located on the eastern side of Sitges while Playa del Muerto is located on the western side of Sitges and is more difficult to reach.

Education

There are six public Catalan primary schools in Sitges: Escola Agnès de Sitges, Escola Esteve Barrachina, Escola Maria Ossó, Escola Miquel Utrillo, Escola Pia Sitges, and the catholic Camp Joliu. Private schools include the French ''Lycée Bel Air'', and the English ''Richmond International'' and ''The Olive Tree School''. The British School of Barcelona (BSB) also operates a campus in Sitges, providing education for primary (3-11 years), located in the upscale neighbourhood of Vallpineda. The

Institute of the Arts Barcelona An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes can ...

is an international leader in performing arts training and education collage based out of Terramar.

LGBT Culture

Sitges is one of the world's top leaders in the protection and advocating for equal rights for the

. It is often described as the gay capital of Europe, particularly in peak season of the summer months of May to September. With its spirit and vibrant urban atmosphere, Sitges has become one of the top gay holiday spots for LGBT tourists and is at the centre of gay European nightlife, including spas, shopping, and dining. A small but compact city, it contains a huge concentration of gay-friendly hotels, restaurants, shops, and over 20 gay bars. A city that sizzles with unconcealed hedonism yet manages to stay classy thanks to its art galleries, international-style architecture, gourmet dining, and upmarket hotels. The key gay events are Carnival, Sitges Pride, Bears Week, Festa Major, and Circuit Barcelona.

Sister cities

Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon (; oc, Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as just Luchon, is a commune and spa town in the Haute-Garonne department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Luchon ...

(

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

)

Motor racing

Sitges is part of the long history of motor racing in

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...

. From 1908 to 1920, events were staged over public roads from Sitges to Canyelles to

Vilanova i la Geltrú Vilanova i la Geltrú () is the capital city of Garraf ''comarca'', in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Historically a fishing port, the city has a growing population of approximately 66,000, and is situated 40 km south-west of Ba ...

, and from

Mataró Mataró () is the capital and largest town of the ''comarca'' of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar a ...

Vilassar de Mar Vilassar de Mar () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Premià de Mar and Cabrera de Mar, to the north-east of Barcelona. The town is both a tourist centre and a dormitory ...

and

Argentona Argentona is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the south-east side of the granite Litoral range, to the north-west of Mataró. The town is both a tourist centre and a notable horticultural cent ...

. In 1922 and 1923, the Real Moto Club de Catalunya ran the

Penya Rhin Grand Prix The Penya Rhin Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor racing event staged at the three different circuits in three different eras in Spain. The race was held intermittently over its history, sometimes for full-size Grand Prix cars, sometimes for sport ...

over a 9-mile circuit around the town of

Vilafranca del Penedès Vilafranca del Penedès, or simply Vilafranca (), is the capital of the ''comarca'' of the Alt Penedès in Catalonia, Spain. The Spanish spelling of the name, ''Villafranca del Panadés'', is no longer in official use since 1982 (Law 12/1982, o ...

until it was replaced by a short lived purpose built circuit, the banked Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar, which is still visible at .

Albert Divo Albert Divo (24 January 1895, in Paris – 19 September 1966, in Morsang-sur-Orge, Essonne, France) was a Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was born in Paris, France. In 1922, Divo competed in the International Tourist Trophy endurance race o ...

won the only

Spanish Grand Prix The Spanish Grand Prix ( es, Gran Premio de España, ca, Gran Premi d'Espanya) is a Formula One motor racing event currently held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The race is one of the oldest in the world still contested, celebrating it ...

held at the banked Sitges Terramar driving a

Sunbeam A sunbeam, in meteorological optics, is a beam of sunlight that appears to radiate from the position of the Sun. Shining through openings in clouds or between other objects such as mountains and buildings, these beams of particle-scattered sun ...

Notable residents

* Rafael Font Farran (1912–2003), politician and journalist *

Facundo Bacardí Don Facundo Bacardí Masso ( ca, Facund Bacardí i Massó, ; 14 October 1814 – 9 May 1886) was a Spanish businessman who, in 1862, founded the eponymous Bacardi rum distillery. Biography Bacardí was born in Sitges (province of Barcelona, Spa ...

(1814–1886), businessman * Mir Geribert (died 1060), Catalan nobleman *

(1861–1931), artist *

Arcadi Mas i Fondevila Arcadi Mas i Fondevila, or Fontdevila (12 November 1852 in Barcelona – 31 January 1934 in Sitges), was a Catalan painter and graphic artist. Biography He was the son of a tailor. His father recognized his artistic talent at an early age ...

(1852–1934), artist *

Christopher Small Christopher Neville Charles Small (17 March 1927 – 7 September 2011) was a New Zealand-born musician, educator, lecturer, and author of a number of influential books and articles in the fields of musicology, sociomusicology and ethnomusicology. ...

(1927–2011), musician and ethnomusicologist *

Miguel Condé Miguel Condé (born 1939) is a Mexican figurative painter, draughtsman, and print maker. According to ''Radio France'', he is "one of the most important contemporary masters in the field of engraving." Condé's works are in important museum ...

(1939), painter

Gallery

File:Sitges sunset.jpg, Sunset in Sitges File:Sitges, Spain - 50070080061.jpg, Aerial view of the town File:Autòdrom de Terramar, Sitges (juliol 2012) - panoramio (4).jpg, The famously steep banks of the Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar

References

* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). ''Guia de Catalunya'', Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. (Spanish). (Catalan).

External links

Official website of Sitges Council

Government data pages

Sitges – The pride of Catalonia
* https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sitges {{authority control Tourism in Spain Seaside resorts in Spain Mediterranean port cities and towns in Spain Gay villages in Spain