SITGES (Spain) - Comments / Tips / Experi

I've been to Sitges many times (most recently in 2015) and have booked to go again with my partner in July 2023.

We've had a longish break in our visits after going for two week visits maybe once every two years from 1995 to 2015. It's very gay and has a mix of ages and nationalities, with plenty of Brits but also a lot of Spanish gay men, Germans, French, Italians etc, a sprinkling of lesbians and, of course, a proportion of straight people - it's not a gay ghetto. Compared with (say) the Canaries or more "downmarket" Spanish resorts, bars and restaurants are much more expensive. The plus side of this is that it's a very attractive and relatively unspoiled resort that isn't (as with many Mediterranean resorts) spoiled by rows of fish and chip restaurants and English or Irish bars.

The reason why we stopped going so often was that the once-varied nightlife was becoming dominated by the Parrots empire and northern British drag. I think there are still some bars not owned by Parrots and we're now likely to spend less time in bars/clubs and more time in restaurants than we did in our younger days.

Feel free to ask if you want to know anything more specific, but bear in mind that my knowledge is now a bit out of date.
 
Like this thread as my partner and I a planning to go this summer. Lots of hotels to choose from, where would you say is the best area to stay?
Anywhere central. Sitges isn't very big so it doesn't make a huge difference. However, the seafront is quite long and I personally wouldn't stay at the Terramar Hotel, nice as it looks, because it's quite a walk from there (a couple of miles) to most of the bars and restaurants. We'll be staying at the Platjador (where we've stayed before) next time.
 
No-one else curious about Sitges? I'll try to answer anyone's questions. Yes, my knowledge is slightly out of date but I have been researching recent changes and don't think there have been that many since I was last there in 2015.

Incidentally, in case anyone reading this is there in the first half of July, I plan to be too. If you'd like to meet for coffee, a meal or whatever :imp:, please let me know.
 
No-one else curious about Sitges? I'll try to answer anyone's questions. Yes, my knowledge is slightly out of date but I have been researching recent changes and don't think there have been that many since I was last there in 2015.

Incidentally, in case anyone reading this is there in the first half of July, I plan to be too. If you'd like to meet for coffee, a meal or whatever :imp:, please let me know.
Thinking of going next week and wanted to know which beaches are gay but also where cruising takes place. Any tips?
 
Hey!

Have been to Sitges several times between 2018 and 2023. Most recently was there for Pride in June.

The main gay beach is situated just infront of Hotels Kalma and Calipolis. This is not clothing optional.

The closest cruising and clothing optional beach is a Platja Balmins situated just past the church (if you're walking from the Passeig de la Ribera). Spent a few afternoons here recently - there is a bar, sun loungers and parasols. I personally didn't witness any cruising during my visits, but there was a lot of nudity, including myself.

If you venture south of Sitges, there is the Platja de l'homme Mort (Dead Mans Beach). This is a considerable walk from the centre of Sitges, and not fully accessible by road. It is clothing optional, and cruising does happen on the rocks. I didn't visit this beach in 2023, but I did in 2022 and witnessed and participated in a considerable amount of cruising / sexual activity.

As for cruise bars / sex clubs.... my personal favourites are XXL and Bukkake. Be careful in XXL, I heard a few horror stories this year and last year of phones being stolen in the cruising area upstairs.

Bukkake is good in that respect as it has free lockers that you can put your stuff in while you have fun.

More generally, Bears Bar and Queenz are really good.

Food wise, I highly recommend Bar Tomeu for steak, and La Picara for tapas.

Hope this helps!
 
Thinking of going next week and wanted to know which beaches are gay but also where cruising takes place. Any tips?
Hello. Just read your message and am currently here in Sitges. The central gay beach is called Playa/Platja de la Ribera and is the one directly in front of the Calipolis hotel. This has hirable sun loungers, umbrellas and canopies but they're extremely expensive - we paid 50 Euros per day for two loungers and a canopy. There's a "clothing optional" beach not far away past the church called Platja dels Balmins. It's a really nice beach but gets even more crowded - probably advisable to take your own umbrella. In the opposite direction (south west), about an hour's walk is a gay and nude beach (Platja de l'Home Mort) with fewer facilities, which is more cruisy and also has woods behind where things go on. If you go there, don't try to walk through the railway tunnel - people have been killed - and, to be safe, walk over the top of the tunnel rather than crossing the track, as some of the trains are high speed.
 
I have been several times, and it’s a Lovely town. It has an unfair reputation for being a bit sleazy and cruzy, but it’s actually a friendly and cosmopolitan place. It’s not burdened by lots of families or package holidays which is a bonus. The gay night life is great, and that’s where you can get your thing on as there are bars and clubs that range from classy to hardcore.

food is great, lots of interesting shops and plenty of bars, both gay and traditional. The beaches on the main town side of town are the best and the gay beach is clean and popular. weekends can be a bit busy as the locals come out, but it is their town so you just have to work with it and get to the beach early if you want a good spot.

I have always stayed in the medium park hotel which is about 10 mins walk from the beach. It’s a nice boutique hotel which is what I prefer over the more populist beachfront hotels.

I would definitely recommend you visit, of all the places I visit in the world it’s probably my favourite and the place I always get drawn back too.
 
However, I really don't like Sitges. I went there three times, I had a hard time having fun, I don't like village beaches by default, but I still didn't like Hombre Muerto... I'm used to more beautiful and wilder beaches... for cruising it's better Playa de Pinedo and Playa del Rebollo and Playa del Barronal... look at this link;)