How to Travel from Barcelona to Sitges by Train, Bus, and Car

Although there are beaches in and around Barcelona, you'll find much more beautiful ones if you head about 27 miles (43 kilometers) south along the coast to Sitges, a resort town that also happens to be home to one of the oldest LGBT communities in Spain. Sitges is a common stop on many organized tours of Catalonia, but if you want more freedom to explore and more time to enjoy this city by the sea, you might be better off getting there yourself by either train, bus, or car.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Get From Barcelona to Sitges?

To save the most money, you can take the bus to Sitges with MonBus for as little as $4 each way. Buses leave Barcelona from Ronda University, Plaza Espanya, and the Gran Via II Shopping Mall throughout the day from 7:20 a.m. to 10:20 p.m. From the furthest stop, Ronda University, the journey takes about an hour, but from Plaza Espanya, it only takes about 45 minutes. These buses also pass through Barcelona El Prat Airport, which may be useful if you are landing in Barcelona and want to travel straight to Sitges.

What Is the Fastest Way to Get From Barcelona to Sitges?

A 45-minute ride, the train is the fastest and easiest way to get to Sitges from Barcelona, especially because you don't have to worry about traffic or spend time looking for a parking spot. Using Cercanias Renfe, you can take the train from one of Barcelona's three main train stations: Sants, Franca, or Passeig de Gracia. Tickets cost about $7 each way and there are multiple departures per day offered from 5:30 a.m. to midnight. From the main train station in Sitges, the beach is just an eight-minute walk away.

How Long Does It Take to Drive?

Without traffic or delays, it takes about 45 minutes to drive from downtown Barcelona to Sitges. To leave the city, get on the B-10 Highway and drive south. You'll continue onto the C-32 for another 22 miles (36 kilometers) until you can take Exit 30, which will bring you into the town of Sitges.

If you want to see more of Barcelona's other beaches along the way, you should get off the C-32 and take the exit for the C-31, which follows the coast and passes by the beaches of Garraf and the clothing-optional Cala Morsica. It's not that drastic of a detour and should only add about 10 minutes to your trip. When you arrive in Sitges, be prepared to pay for metered parking on the street or look for a parking garage within walking distance to the beach.

When Is the Best Time to Travel to Sitges?

As a beach destination, the best time to visit Sitges is in the summer when the weather is nice enough to don your swimsuit and enjoy the sea. However, there are two separate weeks per year in which the city comes to life with joyous celebrations and flamboyant parades.

The first occurs in February when Sitges puts on one of the biggest Carnival celebrations in all of Europe with a full week of planned festivities and a huge parade. Then in June, the city decks itself out in rainbows for Gay Pride Sitges. Barcelona is famously a LGBT-friendly city, but Sitges tends to have the bigger and better party during Pride Week.

What Is There to Do in Sitges?

There are 17 beaches in Sitges, two of which, Platja del Balmins and Platja d'Aiguadolc, are clothing optional. However, if you prefer your beaches to have a dress code, you can stick to the main beaches near the center of town like Platja de la Ribera, Platja de la Fragata, and Platja de l'Estanyol.

Take a break from the beach by visiting Casa Bacardi, the museum dedicated to Facundo Bacardi. The founder of the Bacardi Rum Distillery grew up in Sitges before emigrating to Cuba and the museum is dedicated to the brand's history. Or, you could also just spend an afternoon strolling around the old town to do a little shopping.