Sitges is a small town south of Barcelona – as well as south of Castelldefels where we are living at the moment. There is a densely populated area of houses and alleyways towards the Mediterranean Sea which opens here & there to seafront & beach.
The beach isn’t some sort of stretched sand affair like in Castelldefels, but there are some adjoining bays like the one the next photo shows.
Let’s forget the beach area for now and enjoy the part of the town bordering the sea.
I wouldn’t call it an Old Town quarter- compared to the Medieval quarter we’ve visited beforehand -, but the buildings certainly show some sort of past (estimation: about 100 … 150 years). From the beach you’ve to climb up an adjoining hillside filled with houses and shops and people … Sometimes there are even stairs leading you deep into this part of Sitges.
In short: it is nice to walk this quarter. Cars & motorbikes are strongly limited – it’s a paradise for pedestrians. All over the place there are shops & cafés & bars … It is shadowy in the alleyways – at least most of the time – so it’s fine when the heat crashes in.
Just stroll along and do some shopping or at least some foraging – maybe you’ll find a perfect outfit for your next beach day.
The central point of the area is unchallenged the church, Parròquia de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, from the 17th century. It’s on the highest point above the beach & also at the beach when approaching from the seafront. So be prepared to climb some stairs.
The buildings along the alleyways are beautiful & interesting. When strolling around I filled my iPhone with more & more photos … doors, windows, door knockers, fronts of buildings, small gardens … so many details! The alleyways are small, so I often had to shoot towards the sky.
We are in Catalonia so we are in Gaudí’s sphere of action. Just have a look at the building with the spire in one of the main alleyways … well: it is actually the main alley of Old Town Sitges!
Until now you may have got the impression that the whole of this Old Town quarter is rather empty … Well, I was just lucky when taking photos. Reality in the main alleyway is always filled with people, busy people, people enjoying coffee in a café outdoors … having a snack … shopping …
There are alleyways that lead you straight back to the seaside – so let’s have a final view of the perfect blue sky & the perfect blue sea.
Is it a spectacular small town? No & Yes. There aren’t any extraordinary monuments from the Middle Ages like cathedrals or walled-up quarters – except of the church. However, it’s so nice & quiet everywhere in spite of the busy people in the main alley – it’s perfect to got to ground & relax.
Finally it was time to return home. There is a small station where we took the suburban railway to Castelldefels – it’s only 11 min of journey time. So we decided to come back when in the mood for some seafront views, some strolling, some shopping, some coffee or wine … actually we did more than once!
