A day trip to Sitges was one of the highlights while visiting Barcelona in May of 2018. It was the perfect break from city existence. The kids absolutely loved it! We swam, sun bathed, played at the playground, and ate a few delicious meals. While there are beaches in Barcelona, I wouldn’t waste my time there. Barcelona beaches, at least when I went several years ago (I did not go on this trip), were strewn with debris and is still rumored to harbor many pickpocketers.
But just 21 miles southwest of Barcelona is a beautiful and historic beach town called Sitges that has some 17 pristine beaches. Sitges reminded me a little of Nice, but cleaner and calmer. They have a boardwalk lined with adorable eateries and picturesque architecture, and you can rent canopies and beach chairs.
But getting to Sitges was a harry process. There are only three train stations that have trains going to Sitges. Finding one of these stations took us on a wild goose chase so hopefully by following these tips, you can avoid the hassle we endured in the heat. The quickest and cheapest mode of transportation is by train. But the bus is another alternative that’s almost as quick and just as cheap. Here’s how to get to Sitges from Barcelona.
1. Train
There are three main stations in Barcelona from which to get to Sitges: Estacio de França, Passeig de Gracia, and Estacio Sants train stations. The train rides are 46 minutes, 37 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. The earliest train departs at 6:47am. Trains leave every 20 minutes, although they travel more frequently to and from Passeig de Gracia and Estacio Sants than from Estacio de Franca. Train times are subject to change so check the Official Renfe website for more details.
Travel Tip: If you are deciding whether to travel from Passeig de Gràcia or Estació Sants it may be worth adding an extra five minutes to your train journey and getting on at Passeig de Gràcia. In general, Passeig de Gràcia is a less hectic train station – ticket queues are shorter and platforms are less packed. It is also the stop before Estació Sants on the line, so you have a better chance of getting a better seat.
The final destination of the train is either Vilanova i la Geltru or St. Vincenç de Calders – these are the names that you should be searching for on departure boards and on the front of the train rather than Sitges.
The last train ride departs at 7:30pm so plan accordingly. If you want to leave later, then the bus or a cab would be the best option.
Train tickets can be purchased either from automated machines or from ticket desks. A one-way ticket is 4 Euro; A roundtrip ticket costs roughly 7 euro. You don’t save much by purchasing a round-trip ticket so if you aren’t sure when you’re going to return, I’d purchase the one-way ticket.
Traveling by train is quite convenient. The seats are roomy and comfy and inside the train is air-conditioned.
2. Bus
Sitges is less than 55 minutes by MonBus, which is the bus network that will take you to Sitges from either Placa Espana or Ronda Universitat during the day. The buses pass through El Prat de Llobregat, the Barcelona airport.
The MonBus runs twice per hour from Monday to Friday during the day. On Saturdays the bus runs every hour. On Sundays and Holidays they run nine times per day.
Nightbuses are not called MonBus; they simply go by numbers: N30, N31 or N32. They run from Plaça de Catalunya rather than Ronda Universitat or Plaça España. The nightbus goes direct from Barcelona to Sitges and only takes 35 minutes. The night bus runs four times per hour.
Single journey bus fares are 4 Euro and can be purchased on the bus. The T10 travel ticket, which includes 10 journeys, cost 34 Euro and can’t be purchased on the bus but can be purchased at the Sitges train station.
The bus leaves from close to the train station at Parc can Robert on Passeig de Vilafranca (just under the bridge after Sitges’ main tourist information office).
3. Taxi
A taxi ride will take about 40 minutes and will cost anywhere from 75 to 85 Euro.
Upon Arrival
The beaches are just a 10 minute walk from the bus or train station. The walk is pleasant and it takes you through quaint neighborhood streets, but it’s still a slight walk so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
