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Sitges - Resort for Alternative Lifestyles

Located on the Costa Dorada, Sitges is wildlyPicassos. The Museu Maricel holds Gothic and
popular among the southern Europe resorts,Romantic paintings and sculptures as well as
particularly with gay tourists. It gets veryceramics from Catalan. And the Museu
crowded during the summer, and most of theRomantic, you can see how a Sitges family of
tourists at this time are young swingingwealth  lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Europeans. Yet Sitges never gets tacky, as so
many  gay-oriented  resorts  do.Where  To  Stay
Instead, Sitges is a city rich with cultureSan Sebastian Playa is probably the best
and Bohemian ideals. The Spanish modernismohotel in Sitges. Located right across from
movement sprang from the artists andSan Sebastian beach, it has a wedding-cake
craftsmen here, and Sitges still is at thefacade and an Art Deco interior. Each guest
core of much of Spain's arts. Dali androom has a balcony overlooking the sea. Its
Federico Garcia Lorca both visited hereamenities include a restaurant, bar, and
during the heyday of Sitges, which endedprivate garden, as well as babysitting for
abruptly with the Spanish Civil War. Sitgesanyone  who  needs  it.
is still a city of art, but it has never
regained  its  prior  prestige.If you prefer to be inland, the Hotel El
Xalet is a ten-minute walk from the nearest
In addition to its rich heritage, Sitges isbeach. This contemporary Modernista hotel
convenient to Barcelona (a 30-minute trainalmost looks like a Gothic church. Antique
trip  or  45-minute  drive).mosaics in the lobby give the hotel a unique
atmosphere. You'll also find a small pool in
What  to  Dothe private garden and a refreshing roof
terrace to have breakfast on. The restaurant
The Carnaval of Sitges, just before Lent, isis  open  only  during  the  summer.
a kaleidoscope of fancy dress, feathers and
sequins, and vibrant floats. The King of theWhere  to  Eat
Carnestoltes starts the party on the Thursday
prior to Lent, and the carnival ends on AshEl Velero, on a beachfront promenade, is one
Wednesday with the Burial of a Sardine. Santof the best restaurants in Sitges. The glass
Bonaventura is when the gay population ofgreenhouse terrace holds the best seats. The
Sitges  hold  their  own  grand celebrations.food is excellent, with a focus on fresh
seafood.
If you're gay, this is a perfect place to
party while you vacation. Sitges has beachesWith cocina del mercado, or whatever's fresh
and bars close together, but it's not soin the market, cuisine, Els Quatre Gats is
large that you get lost in the crowd. Summernamed for an old Barcelona cafe that Picasso
and Carnival are the times to mingle with thefavored. Enjoy fresh grilled fish, lamb with
gay crowd; in the off season, Sitges getslocal herbs, veal kidneys in sherry sauce,
quiet.and garlic soup, this restaurant is sure to
please your palate. And the restaurant's only
During summer, though, one beach is primarilya  few  steps away from Passeig de la Ribera.
gay, while the other is very much a nudist
beach, further out of town between Sitges andNightlife
Vilanova. If you can't find the nude beach,
stop at the L'Atlantida disco and ask forThe nightlife in Stiges is hectic, colorful,
directions.and primarily gay, so if you're straight you
may have trouble finding a bar for you. Look
There are other beaches, of course, and waterfor the maps that are distributed to show you
sports from swimming and sunbathing towhere  the  gay  bars  are.
waterskiing and scuba diving. The beaches to
the east tend to be quieter -- Aiguadoic andThe largest gay disco bar is Mediterraneo, in
Els Balomins are examples of these. The Playaa restored 1690s house. You'll love the
San Sebastian, the Beach of the Boats, andcovered terrace, the Iberian garden, and the
Fragata Beach cater to families. The Playa decompany. Bourbon is another great gay bar for
la Ribera is where the younger crowd go. Allthe  younger  set.
beaches  here  are  top-optional  for  women.
For a mixed crowd, try Ricky's Disco. It's
For more intellectual pursuits, there arenear the beach, and has a really great dance
three excellent museums in Stiges. The Museumix.
Cau Ferrat, in a building that was once two
16th century cottages, was Santiago Rusinol'sJakob Jelling is the founder of Please visit
home, and today holds his works as well asif you're planning a trip to Spain.
paintings by El Greco and some small



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