Sitges Walking Tour: From a Roman Village to a Resort Town

Sitges’ coastal location has always influenced the seaside town, but there’s much more to this historical place than amazing beaches – even if they have been enjoyed since Roman times, when soldiers came here for a break. On this walking tour, I’ll share some of Sitges’ centuries-old history, starting at the boardwalk. Here, you’ll discover how the ocean has impacted every element of the town, from the wars it’s seen, to the tourism that came later. I’ll tell you about the people who built the beautiful old mansions along the seafront, and how some of them made their fortunes.

Sitges has long been a magnet for the artistic, and was frequented by art students in the 1800s who would set up on the beaches and learn how to capture sunsets on canvas. In the early 1900s, it became a hub for the Catalan Modernist movement, in which Barcelona’s great architect Antoni Gaudi (of Sagrada Familia fame) played a big role. I’ll share a couple of stories about the hedonistic lifestyle of artist Santiago Rusinol, who was key to Catalan Modernism in Sitge.

Along the way, we’ll stop to look at some of the prominent galleries, museums and architecture, and I’ll tell you how this artistic movement and its members helped to shape the Sitges that you can see today. As we make our way through medieval Sitges and the Old Town, I’ll point out original buildings from the 1400s that still line the oldest street. You’ll find out what Sitges did to help Barcelona in the War of Succession and how the town learned to defend itself against its little pirate problem. I’ll also reveal how, in the late 1800s, the stars aligned for this seaside town to transform into a resort town that attracted gay people and liberal artists alike.

Along this 90-minute tour, you can also look forward to:

• Passing by Museu Del Cau Ferrat, the home of Catalan Modernist movement leader, Santiago Rusinol
• Finding out how the town got its name
• Marvelling at Palau De Maricel, a magnificent building set up to attract even more artists to the town
• Hearing about Baluard Plaza, the imposing structure from where the military defended the town in the 1700s
• Taking in the site of the original medieval castle that Bernardo de Fonollar bought, making him Lord of Sitges
• Seeing the most photographed site in Sitges, the Church of St Bartholomew and Saint Tecla
• Visiting El Chiringuito, the first beach bar in Spain
• Learning how Facundo Bacardi Masso, of Bacardi Rum fame and a Sitgetan, invented the first white rum in the world
• Discovering how Sitges became one of the gay capitals of Europe
• Strolling through Cap de la Vila, an area once known as “the end of the village” and now part of the town’s centre

The town’s rich history still has a visible influence on modern Sitges, from its buildings, to its people, and its culture. On this 90-minute stroll, I’ll bring Sitges’ fascinating story to life.