The days involving a beach trip were never taken for granted! Sitges-BCN-Cadaques
Dotted along the Catalan Coast, the beaches stretching up and down the Mediterranean sea are so special, so unique and incredibly stunning (and some, so nude).
After a few short weeks in Barcelona, David surprised me with a birthday weekend getaway to a DREAM of a town and beach setting – Sitges. A quick 20min south-heading train ride from Barcelona, we stepped off at a sleepy, beautifully tiled train station…..but this town is anything but sleepy. Just a short walk from the station and you find yourself walking winding roads lined with crisp white house after crisp white house and balconies overflowing with vibrant bougainvillea…..immediately you feel a lightness – no doubt that you are completely removed from the bustling city of Barcelona and the calm sea air sifting along draws you directly to the vast picturesque beaches. No kidding – this setting is absolutely worth the train ride.
Perhaps Santorini-esque with naturally undulating streets awash a sea of white buildings, the greater feel is of a Riveria playland waiting for the lights to go down and the party to turn up. Sitges is vibrant, colorful and ritzy…without being over-the-top ritzy – an understated setting at face value. The trademark image of Sitges is the church perched at the top of the coastal hill along the seaside path. Lit up at night, this is a sight you will never forget.
But back to the beach…..totally relaxed along exquisite endless balustrades, David’s surprise getaway was a home-run. Our hotel was half a block off from the beach and all of the accompanying seaside outdoor cafes – Italian, Spanish, French, American – and yes – even specifically, San Franciscan. Turns out, Sitges is known in Europe as the top ‘gay’ beach and people fly in from all over and line-up for the best specialty cocktail: “The San Francisco” with banana liqueur. When locals heard we were from San Francisco, it was endless complementary tapas for us! Night life here is bustling and tiny bars pack in crowds with lively music….and yes, the stores even stay open late and the fashion stores here are top top top! (I would make trips back here throughout the two years just for shopping – so unique and many hand-designed and crafted pieces.)
TIP: check out the Sitges town website to check on special events occurring – this town is host to many events and festivals throughout the year, including Carnival, Halloween extravaganzas, a renowned Film Festival and the 300+ year-old tradition of Catalan Castells human tower climbers (breath-holding, gravity-defying amazing-ness – tallest recorded was a 10-story tower!).
But if you’re staying in BCN, the beach at Barceloneta is a definite MUST for people watching, frivolity and vistas towards the new-ish beach landmark fixture, the W Hotel and port. Accessed by either the metro line, by walking from the base of Las Ramblas, OR by rented bicycle (Bicing is the service for those with residency cards) I would wind my way down to La Playa every few weeks with my flip flops, beach towel and a good book (or the latest HOLA magazine). Though the beach is man-made and the water perhaps a little questionable with all the cruise ships chugging along into port, Barceloneta is a definite must for the full BCN experience. I will never forget meeting dear friends here early on after the move for a lunch along the boardwalk. We ate the most incredible fried mini fish – heaped into a bowl and eaten like french fries – followed by amazing shakes at Makamaka Beach Cafe.
Perhaps though, most memorable are the beach peddlers roaming in full clothing on the hot sand trying to sell “Mojitos….Fresh Mojitos!” – the sales calls with thick accents are still ingrained in my head and though I never purchased a drink there, I imagine they were refreshing…..I also never purchased a massage, which was being sold by roving women -ha.
TIP: Avoid walking to the MareMagnum Mall along Port Vell – tempting to see the boats docked and the large structure along the beautiful setting, but the Mall is not worth much time – very touristy with really only one nice restaurant, though there is an Aquarium if you are interested. But DEFINITELY walk on along the beachfront to the W Hotel and stop in for a drink poolside as you sit just above the sand and water below – it’s breathtaking and often good music vibes going day and night!
Topography-wise, the most striking of all coast settings, to me, is Cadaques in the Costa Brava area just North of BCN – province of Girona. This jewel of a town is one of many little ports along the drive. Similar to Sitges, with hilly winding cobbled streets, you will pass a hilltop church (bonus points for finding the slot to deposit one Euro at night and have the church lights automatically turn on for a period of 3 minutes – illuminating a most stunning gilded church and altar). As you wind your way down to the sea, don’t miss the cat-house where a sweet older French lady takes care of 35+ gatos crawling in and out of her street level window, as she converses with passerbys.
…back to the water/beach theme of this writing — though not a beach in full form, but rather a crescent inlet of the coast, you can pick any spot along the curving walkway and soak in the day, the night and the views that inspired Salvador Dali. A dear friend makes nearly weekly trips here from Barcelona during Summer months, as her husband trains and swims in races that originate and end at the Cadaques beach front!
Stop anywhere along the coastal drive and take in more of the natural, nearly untouched beauty of Costa Brava. David and I were lucky to take a trip here with his sister and her husband. The hikes are majestic, the off-the-beaten path restaurants offering bountiful fish stews are out of this world and the tranquility of being removed from the crowded flow of Barcelona is worth the trip.
Women del Mundo 