Just 45 minutes south of Barcelona, Sitges is a renowned resort town with more than a dozen beaches and a miles-long promenade, the Passeig Marítim, to take it all in. Its compact, walkable downtown is largely car-free. And its vibrant dining scene — from quick pinxos bars serving vermut and tapas to long, lazy lunches and late-night suppers — invite holiday decompressing.
But look: despite its Mediterranean coastal setting, where sea breeze helps moderate the hottest parts of the day, a summer in Spain can be scorching, with temperatures climbing above 32°C (90°F). So then what? Here are some ideas to enjoy Sitges in summer, and still keep your cool.
Early mornings are for fitness
Late night dining, vermut bars, and dance clubs abound: but Sitges at 7am is an entirely different place. Early morning is the coolest part of the day, just over 73°F, and the city is quiet. There are no crowds, birds sing, cats play, and morning people are out and about. This is the perfect time for a hike into the Parc Natural del Garraf, the massive, forested park behind the town with top-notch views of the city, the Balearic Sea, and the rolling mountains and valleys of the park. There are multiple entrances but you can easily park at the Mirador de Sitges in Levantina, where a rough scrabble footpath leads up to the wide, nicely maintained main trail. The Creu De Sant Isidre is a fine and shady spot for a breakfast picnic or a rest, and there’s plenty of trail leading along the coast and behind the town from there.
A morning hike in the forests offers lots of shade: but if you prefer to avoid hills, a jog along the Passeig Marítim is a joy. Between the beaches and the town, folks are walking, biking, exercising in outdoor classes, and generally enjoying the cool break. Take note that it gets sunny and hot, fast, and there are only a few water fountains along the way. Be sure to have your runner’s hat. You can always catch a break by exploring the narrow streets of town, designed to cast long shadows, with thick walls to retain the evening cool. Early in the day there’s no crush of tourists, so you’ll be able to see the town with new eyes.
Of course, with its dozens of beaches, a swim workout is natural! Most beaches have a fresh water shower available for free depending on the drought situation, as well as delightful chiringuitos, beach bars, that open around 10am.
If all this working out sounds exhausting, how about an early morning self-guided walking tour? I love VoiceMap and they have a “Sitges Walking Tour: From a Roman Village to a Resort Town” (link), where expert local knowledge and great stories guide you around using just voice and GPS. Clear directions, architectural commentary, historical insights, and lots of “stop at this café for a perfect coffee” make it my favorite way to get a feel for a new place.
Late mornings are for breakfast, the beach, and shopping
On the other hand, if you on holiday are more likely to be rolling out of bed at a far more leisurely pace, meet up with your early-worm friends for breakfast at a chiringuito. Xiringuito Mirador has breathtaking views of the ocean, fine breezes, and shady umbrellas. Don’t expect quick service here: I think this is the open bar of the Vivero Beach Club downstairs, where their attention is actually focused. The view is worth the unhurried pace. A fine late breakfast might include a Cafè amb leit — coffee with milk — fresh juice, and some of the best bread for great breakfast sandwiches in town. You’ll also find pastries and yogurts with fruit — they switch to more savory plates and seafood by lunch.
And no, it is not too early to start with a glass of cava.
From here, you have a vast choice of beaches to head to. Balmins is a pleasant stroll east just past the cemetery along the costal walkway: note that it’s the most urban located clothing optional beach I’ve ever seen. If you’re not ready to bear it all, Sant Sebastià is due west. And just past the Museu del Cau Ferrat is the full entourage of beaches to choose from, distinguished by jetties, restaurants, and beach bars.
Flip flops are a necessity, of course, and sunblock and a broad beach towel. But a personal umbrella, carried on your shoulder like a real local, will make your beach time much more pleasant. Find them at the hardware and house goods shops — Bazar Sitges along the main road has a broad choice.
If hunting around for a beach umbrella inspires your shopping itch, it’s because Sitges has some of the greatest resort wear shopping I’ve ever seen: linens in white and blue are a natural, of course, but find shops for great swim wear, sandals, summer shirts, and the like. For women the shops are literally everywhere and unmissable. For men, check out Lo Sitges, Les Garçons, and the vintage Homecoming.
Don’t miss the main market, Mercat Municipal de Sitges, either. Less about clothes and more about food, it offers stalls upon stalls of cheese, olives, beans, fish, meats, and jamon, of course. I don’t know why this market gets low ratings on Google Maps. It’s legit.
Let’s Long Lunch
As the sun starts to blaze, it’s time to dip inside for a long lunch. Pinchos and hot weather go together like coffee and cream: a vast variety of interesting toppings, whether veggie, fish, or meat, are the perfect light fare for the summer. They go down especially well with iced vermouth. Don’t pass on chilled soups or, perhaps in honor of all that morning healthy fitness, a fine salad, especially those featuring tomatoes and tuna.
Don’t miss, right on the beach, La Caleta de Sitges. Izarra Taberna Vasca offers fine basque specialties. And the options at Eguzki Lizarran seem unending.
The afternoons are for napping
In the heat of the afternoon, many shops close, and rightly so. This is peak heat. You might get by at the beach with your personal umbrella and frequent swims, but it’s really AC time and a chance to read, relax, and nap to catch up on sleep for the late night to come.
Evenings are for socializing
The town reawakens for sunset hour spritzes, window shopping, and friends. The Plaça Industria is a famous intersection of 4 gay bars with hundreds of seats all facing the street — “Judgement Corner” is the spot for catching up, stories, and gossip. You can easily pass your evening at more pinchos bars, or restaurants, or clubbing, or gelato spots. Don’t miss late-late night street food, either, which might be just what you need to get you through those final hours to bed, only to do it all again tomorrow.
What to pack
Linen and Sitges go together like wine and cheese. Don’t worry if you don’t have any, there are plenty of shops to pick some up. Avoid mid-weight or heavier cotton and jeans — you’ll just sweat it out. Shorts, obviously, are on the docket, and whites, sneakers, and flip flops. Oddly, there aren’t many good hat shops, so bring your favorites. I always pack a beach towel and sling bag for beach sundries. Toss in a good beach read, your favorite water bottle, and a few pair of sunglasses, and you’ll be more than ready for the bright, sunny fun of Sitges in the summer.
