Just along the coast from Barcelona, is the less-visited Sitges. The Catalonian town offers many similar delights to its larger neighbour, with a more relaxed pace of life. With mountains on one side and beaches on the other, it provides a beautiful backdrop for your holiday, with the option to soak up some rays (there’s an average of 300 sunny days per year here), or explore a little further inland. Museums showcase national art and the old town offers lots of excellent restaurants and watering holes. Sitges also plays host to major events and festivals, including the annual International Film Festival of Catalonia. Here are some of the most delightful places to call home while you’re in town.
Sabàtic Sitges, Autograph Collection
New to Sitges is the Sabàtic Sitges, Autograph Collection hotel. This chic hotel features 90 stylish and comfortable suites, each with a balcony or sea view terrace and interiors of neutral interiors designed by Barcelona-based interior designer, Sandra Tarruella. The hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant, Pasatempo, led by renowned Catalonian chef Rafa Peña and features an idyllic outdoor terrace. Guests can also enjoy an adults-only outdoor pool, daily wellness activities like yoga and Pilates, and stunning views of the Balearic Sea.
Melia Sitges
For some of the best views around, book a room at Melia Sitges with a terrace overlooking the Garraf Nature Park or Mediterranean sea. The four-star hotel has 307 types of accommodation, including suites and family rooms. Indeed it’s an excellent choice for those travelling with children; The Kids&Co programme provides special toiletries for younger travellers, chocolate milkshakes and cookies at bedtime on your arrival day. Breakfast is served buffet-style at Noray restaurant and caters to international tastes with over 100 different products, while Saffron Mediterranean Bistro has menus containing everything from light bites and cocktails, to main meals.
Dolce by Wyndham Sitges Barcelona
Built in a crescent shape, Dolce Sitges is an unusual landmark hotel. It’s part of the Wyndham Collection and is perched on a hill — the sea on one side, a sweeping golf course on the other. The hotel’s pool area looks out onto the latter, providing an especially sheltered spot to enjoy a swim and sunbathe, on parasol topped loungers, surrounded by palm trees. The design has been inspired by the bordering coast, with 263 rooms in soft colours, custom furnishings, statement lighting and huge windows. There are seven places to eat and drink, four outdoor pools and a spa (incorporating a piscine climatisée, Finnish sauna, steam bath, ice fountain and solarium).
ME Sitges Terramar
Another of Melia’s seafront properties, ME Sitges is found on Paseo Marítimo, beside a quiet stretch of beach, close to the town’s attractions. A kidney-shaped pool is surrounded by loungers and four-poster daybeds, swathed in muslin drapes. The decor is minimalist, with an emphasis on light, bright and flowing spaces, complemented by state of the art technology and funky black and white photographic art. Its main restaurant, Beso (meaning ‘kiss’), explores creative Spanish cooking, while three bars serve drinks and lighter meals — its Radio Rooftop Bar is on the eighth floor and specialises in multicultural street food with regular live music.