Travel tales: Sun, Surf, Seafood, Sculptures…

It is only half an hour away from Barcelona by a fast train but it’s a whole new world, the hustle and bustle of the city left far behind. Arriving by a double-decker train at the quaint station in Sitges set the mood for me right away. Gemma Belmonte, whose family has been living in this coastal town for generations, was waiting to show me around and she instantly confessed, “I can’t think of living anywhere else.” As we drove to the Marina side with its swanky yachts and bobbing fishing boats, it was easy to see why she would say that. Sitges enjoys a mild weather all the year round making it hugely popular with local and international tourists. The calm sea, 17 wonderful beaches, and a promenade lined with white-washed buildings make for a picture-postcard setting.

The long walk from the Port d’Aiguadolc side to the city centre skirting the sea is worth every step. Scattered along the way are some spectacular landmarks including the notable Church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, better known as La Punta or The Point, a baroque structure built in the 17th century. From this higher point one can see the town and the beach in a panoramic view. In the Canó del Baluard square just outside the church, there is a massive cannon that was used to fight English pirate galleons in 1797.

From soaking in the architecture of the 17th century to looking at a row of neat, sea-facing villas built in the 18th century one can effortlessly travel through a century in a matter of minutes. Located towards the town’s centre, according to Belmonte, these homes, locally known as the Americanos or Indianos quarters, came up “when several people who were facing hard times left Sitges to explore fortunes in the New World, Cuba, and so on, by trading in sugar, tobacco and other commodities”. Once enormously rich they returned and created this magnificent residential neighbourhood. Incidentally, one Sitges local who never came back from Cuba was Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, the man behind the famous Bacardi rum brand. Nonetheless, there is a Bacardi museum in the old market area and a monument commemorating the man and his legacy.

Besides the rather unconventional Casa Bacardi, there are several other famous museums in town. In old town, there’s Museu Cau Ferrat, a beautiful building with bright blue walls and wooden beams, which was created towards the end of 19th century by the famous Catalan artist and poet Santiago Rusiñol. On a visit to Sitges, he fell in love with the area, bought two fishermen's houses and filled them with artifacts, including collections of glass and ironwork. Soon, Sitges became a centre for artists, writers and intellectuals.

Across from Museu Cau Ferrat is Museu Maricel, which houses more than 3000 items of varying origins from Romanesque murals. American millionaire Charles Deering had bought this gothic style building and renovated it to house his private art collection. After he returned to the US, taking his collection with him, it lay vacant for years, till, in 1969, it was revived with a focus on medieval art.

Staying on the subject of art, one simply can’t overlook the striking sculptures of women that fill up the promenade. They are strong, powerful looking women, not frail beauties, because “we like our women to be real, not something out of fashion magazine pages” remarked Belmonte.

Notably, among this array of fine art works, is a sculpture, ‘Sitges contra l’homofòbia’, an inverted triangle in pink, which honours the rights and identity of the LGBT community. During the Nazi period in Germany, homosexuals in concentration camps were identified by a pink cloth triangle sewn to their clothing. From 1970 onwards, the pink triangle became a symbol of gay activism.

Sitges is often called the ‘Gay capital of Spain’. Despite strictures under dictator Francisco Franco’s ultra-conservative regime, the town retained some of the easy-going bohemian ambience, as the Spanish modernismo movement of the 1960s sprung from the artists and craftsmen living here. People were more tolerant towards the homosexual community and were even willing to rent them accommodation. In the 80s, Sitges was the first town in the country to open a gay disco. Today, it has the reputation of being one of the most LGBT friendly cities on the Continent and the annual Gay Pride carnival held in summers attracts thousands.

Walking up a steep path from the beach to the old quarter one can see a wall where pretty tiles with flowers in different designs are fixed. These are symbolic of yet another prominent festival, Corpus Christi Flower Carpet Festival held in June when the streets are laden with colourful flowering blooms with various groups vying for the coveted ‘Best Design’ prize.

Of course, walking around taking in all the sights and sounds, one does work up a furious appetite. And when that happens, just walk into one of the numerous beachside cafés or multi-cuisine restaurants that offer varied, fresh seafood delights. Xato is a signature preparation, a salad of cod, tuna, anchovies, aubergine and black olives. However, the essence of this dish is its sauce, made with scalded chillies, toasted almonds, garlic, olive oil, salt, vinegar and hot peppers. With this, sample the artichoke tempura and marinated salmon, washed down with some excellent local wine. Round off with a selection of desserts and a slug of Malvasia, a delicate liquor, picked up from one of the many patisseries around the town square.

In Sitges, fun festivals, fine food and fantastic figurines come together to create a truly memorable experience.

Ranjita Biswas