Sitges

Sitges: summer home to Barcelona's chic society and gay community, hot spot for party-goers, magnet for sun and beach lovers... all in all and the place to go if you want to party 'til you drop. Since Sitges is such a popular beach resort, it can be expensive, crowded and touristy, especially during the high season and on weekends. If you don't mind braving the hordes, though, you're guaranteed a great time at night and wide, sandy beaches during the day.

Sitges is also renowned as a gay hotspot. The gay community comes out in full force during carnival time, throwing one of Spain's wildest seasonal parties (Feb-March).

Beaches in Sitges

There are 15 different beaches in Sitges along more than 3km of coast in the city center, plus 7 beaches located in the municipial district. The latter ones are quieter and more relaxed whereas the city beaches offer all types of beach activities and services, such as boat rental, sport activities, chair rental, life guards, public toilets, etc. The water and sand are of high quality and significantly nicer than beaches in Barcelona. Sitges's Passeig Marítim is a great promenade with restaurants and bars -- daytime beach action is concentrated around here, so be prepared for quite the scene.

How to reach Sitges from Barcelona

During the high season (May-October) you can catch a "rodalies" train from the Barcelona Sants station. No need to buy tickets in advance, since as many as 4 trains leave every hour. Alternatively, hop on a "rodalies" train at the Passeig de Gràcia metro station towards "Vilanova / St Vicenç." It will take you approximately 25 minutes to reach Sitges beaches by train. The last departure from Sitges to Barcelona is around 10:30 pm.

Gayxample

Gayxample is the gay area in Barcelona in the elegant neighbourhood of Eixample, one of the busiest areas in Barcelona with also an incomparable architecture.

Around the blocks between Calle Comte d'Urgell and Rambla Catalunya, Gran Via and Calle Provença, the Eixample stands out for its vibrant gay scene. It is full of fashionable clothes shop, bars, restaurants and cafés.

Gayxample also has a super selection of night clubs, hairdressers, saunas, etc., and all without having to set foot outside this diverse and cosmopolitan area.

You can rent a nice apartment with a lovely terrace just next to the Plaça Universitat where the Gayxample begins. The location of this gay welcome apartment is in a pedestrian street where there are many fashion shops and with the mix of tourists and Barcelona's own folk, gives a cosmopolitan and multicultural feeling, typical of the "old town" of Barcelona.

Interested? Book it now!

EuroGames 2008 - July 24-27

In 2008, something big is going to happen in Barcelona...

...because in July 2008 the city of Barcelona is going to play host to the EuroGames Barcelona 2008, the European championship for gay, lesbian and transsexual sportsmen/women and their friends. An amazing event which will involve more 30,000 people and which for a few days will transform Barcelona into the authentic European capital of sport and gay and lesbian culture.



EuroGames Barcelona 2008 will consist of 28 sporting events together with a range of cultural and leisure activities based in and around the city. The event will make its mark on Barcelona for a few days as more than 5,000 sporting participants descend upon the city from all corners of Europe.

EuroGames is sport, fun and culture. Are you going to miss out on such an incredible adventure? Come south, join in the fun and take part! Together we will make the EuroGames Barcelona 2008 the best games in Europe!


Do you plan to participate to the EuroGames 2008 in Barcelona? Find an accommodation here.

Gay Friendly

Barcelona has long had the reputation as a city with a vibrant and integrated gay scene. Whilst there are some areas that are frequented more by the gay community, everywhere in the city is welcoming and open-minded, making Barcelona a gay friendly popular destination for members of the gay community.

Barcelona Areas that are popular with the Gay community

Many of the gay bars, clubs and hostels are around the area called Eixample (pronounced eshaumplay) and nicknamed "gayxample". This is the heart of the gay scene, although it's not exclusively a gay area.

Eixample is a beautiful and relatively modern and trendy district in the centre of Barcelona, with all you could ever need in the form of bars, clubs and accommodation for both the gay and straight communities.

Another area that is very popular with the Gay Community is Sitges, which is just a short train journey away from Barcelona.