:Sitges

The name of the town is simply the Catalan word sitges, plural of sitja, meaning silos in English.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Human presence in the area dates to at least the Neolithic era, and an Iberian settlement from the 4th century. In the 1st century BC, it included two separated villages, later absorbed by the Romans.

During the Middle Ages, a castle was built in Sitges, owned by the bishopric of Barcelona, which later ceded it to count Mir Geribert (1041). In the 12th century, the town fell under the rule of the Sitges family. The latter held it until 1308, when Agnes of Sitges sold the town to Bernat de Fonollar, after whose death it went to the Pia Almoina, a charitable institution, to which it belonged until 1814.

Between the late-18th century and the early-20th, the history of Sitges was dominated by its close links with Spain's overseas territories, most importantly Cuba. Thousands of youngsters from Sitges settled in Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and other areas in Eastern Cuba. Most of them were employed in commerce, usually working for relatives already established in the island. Some of them thrived and created big firms, like Facundo Bacardí, founder of Ron Bacardí, and Jaime Brugal, who later moved to the Dominican Republic and established Ron Brugal. Some others, after having amassed a certain fortune, settled back in Sitges, generally living on rent or investing in sectores like wine or shoe making. These were known as "Americanos", known for their habit of planting palm trees in their Caribbean-looking houses, smoking Cuban cigars and rum drinking. The americanos left a huge legacy in Sitges which can still be seen in its architecture and the history of most local families.

After Spain lost its overseas territories as a result of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the migration flow from Sitges to Cuba continued, but most of the trade ended. As most of Catalan economy, Sitges found its biggest market in the rest of Spain. Shoe making shaped Sitges' economy during the first third of the 20th century. Sitges economy was mostly based on the production of wine until the late 19th century, when the first mechanized shoe factory in Spanish history was established in the town in 1874, starting a powerful shoe making sector which employed ca. 80% of local workers by the mid-20th century. The tourist boom of the 1960s ended the era of shoe making and made local economy essentially depending on tourism and services.

File:Església parroquial de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla (Sitges) - 10.jpg

Due to the wave of artists settling in the town in the wake of Santiago Rusiñol, who established his studio (nowadays [https://museusdesitges.cat/en/museum/cau-ferrat/cau-ferrat-museum Museu del Cau Ferrat]) wealthy families from Barcelona built summer residences in Sitges, especially in the garden city known as Terramar. Sitges acquired an international reputation and attracted celebrities. American businessman, art collector, and philanthropist Charles Deering held an important art collection in Sitges between 1910 and 1921, where he built the impressive [https://museusdesitges.cat/en/museum/palau-de-maricel/palau-de-maricel Palau Maricel] (Maricel Palace). Intellectuals like G. K. Chesterton, who visited the town in 1926 and 1935, or the German boxer Max Schmelling, who trained for his match against Paulino Uzcudun in [https://www.melia.com/es/hoteles/espana/sitges/me-sitges-terramar?esl-k=sem-google%7Cng%7Cc622658808420%7Cme%7Ckhotel%20terramar%20sitges%7Cp%7Ct%7Cdc%7Ca134023298052%7Cg14891489977&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgLOiBhC7ARIsAIeetVDAc_gtFVrFqf_hArSxnyNFn_Jfs9ocZ5gcE_BZ9tjYMuUgJk2t-w0aAhOPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds Terramar Hotel] in 1934.

For most of the Civil War (1936-1939), Sitges was controlled by Republican forces, with the ensuing repression against members of the Catholic Church and conservatives in general, until Franco's troops seized the town in January 1939 and repressed the elites that had ruled the town during the Second Republic and the war.

File:01 Casa Manuel Planas, c. Illa de Cuba 21 - c. Sant Gaudenci (Sitges), avui Hotel Noucentista.jpg

The British war journalist Henry Buckley (author of [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16059587-the-life-and-death-of-the-spanish-republic The Life and Death of the Spanish Republic], 1940) lived for a few months in Sitges during the conflict, marrying a local woman. He would eventually retire in the mid-1960s in the town, where he purchased a house and died in 1972.

In 1958, political leaders (Liberals and Conservatives) from the country of Colombia met in Sitges and signed a peace treaty, the "Declaration of Sitges", instituting a consociationalist democracy in Colombia and creating the National Front.{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Sitges|title=Colombian history: Declaration of Sitges |website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}}

The municipality of Sitges is located in the Garraf comarca. It is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Olivella and Begues, to the west by Sant Pere de Ribes and Vilanova i la Geltrú, to the east by Gavà and Castelldefels, and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea.

File:Municipio de Sitges (Provincia de Barcelona).svg.]]

File:Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Vinyet (Sitges) - 1.jpg

File:Claustre Palau Maricel Sitges.JPG

File:113 Can Bartomeu Carbonell, o Casa del Cap de la Vila.jpg

File:080 Monument a Facundo Bacardí, de Lorenzo Quinn, pg. de la Ribera (Sitges).jpg

{{Adjacent communities|South=Mediterranean|South-east=|state=Catalonia|South-west=|Centre=Sitges|North-west=Sant Pere de Ribes|W=Vilanova i la Geltrú|WNW=Canyelles|SOUTHWEST=|North-east=Barcelona|EAST=Garraf|North=Olivella|ENE=Castelldefels|WSW=|ESE=}}

For over a century, Sitges has celebrated Carnestoltes, or Carnival, between the months of February and March, according to the liturgical calendar. The festivities begin on Dijous Gras, or Fat Thursday, with King Carnestoltes' arrival. They continue until the burial of the sardine{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} — late afternoon on Ash Wednesday.

Folk dances and xatonades (traditional local salad served with assorted omelets) are also characteristic carnival elements. The two most important moments are the Rua de la Disbauxa, or the Debauchery Parade, on Sunday night and the Rua de l'Extermini, or Extermination Parade, on Tuesday night. Around forty floats with more than 2,000 participants fill Sitges. Many people come from all around to see it, describing it as a favourite time of year because of the celebration.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Xató is Sitges' most typical dish. Its first recorded mention is in local newspaper Eco de Sitges report on Fat Thursday, published on 16 February 1896. The report refers to a meal that three days before had gathered together a selected group of Catalan artists and intellectuals, including Santiago Rusiñol, Miquel Utrillo and Gaietà Buigas. The name "xató" comes from an expression pronounced years before by Canudas, a member of the Rusiñol's group.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

Malvasia is a delicate liquor wine served in Sitges, primarily with dessert. The name "malvasia" comes from the Peloponnesian port Monemvasía.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

• Cau Ferrat Museum
• Museu Romàntic Can Llopis
• Maricel Museum
• Fundació Stämpfli Contemporary Art{{cite web |url=http://www.3cat24.cat/noticia/966886/garraf/El-Museu-dArt-Contemporani-de-Sitges-obrira-portes-el-mes-dabril-de-2011 |title=El Museu d'Art Contemporani de Sitges obrirà portes el mes d'abril de 2011 |date=3 December 2010 |website=3Cat24}}

File:Beach-Monastery-in-sitges.jpg

File:Sitges Passeig Marítim.jpg

Sitges has 17 sand beaches. Four of them are in the east: the first one called Les Botigues at the beginning of the coast, next to the beaches of Castelldefels and the other three are following the coast of Garraf (Road C-31). One of them is Garraf village beach.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

There are eleven beaches in the town and two to its west, which are difficult to access.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

All the eastern and urban beaches have flags indicating the state of the sea and most of them have quality diplomas and blue flags awarded by the European Union.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

There are three main nudist beaches located in Sitges. One of which is Platja dels Balmins, the second nudist beach is Platja d'Aiguadolç, both of these beaches are populated by all members of the community. The third nudist beach is Playa del Muerto, which is more populated by the gay community. Platja dels Balmins and Platja d'Aiguadolç are located on the eastern side of Sitges while Playa del Muerto is located on the western side of Sitges and is more difficult to reach.{{Cite web|title=Nudist Beaches of Sitges|url=http://barcelona-home.com/blog/nudist-beaches-of-sitges/|website=Barcelona-Home Blog |date=30 April 2015 |access-date=2015-10-19 |language=en}}

There are six public Catalan primary schools in Sitges: Escola Agnès de Sitges, Escola Esteve Barrachina, Escola Maria Ossó, Escola Miquel Utrillo, Escola Pia Sitges, and the catholic Camp Joliu.

Private schools include the French Lycée Bel Air, and the English Richmond International and The Olive Tree School.

The British School of Barcelona (BSB) also operates a campus in Sitges, providing education for primary (3-11 years), located in the upscale neighbourhood of Vallpineda.{{cite web |title=Contact Us |url=https://www.britishschoolbarcelona.com/contact-us/ |access-date=2020-05-25 |website=British School of Barcelona |quote=Passeig Isaac Albéniz, s/n 08870 Sitges Barcelona, Spain}} (This is visible by clicking the contact address information tabs at the footer of the page.)

The Institute of the Arts Barcelona is an international leader in performing arts training and education college based out of Terramar.{{Cite web |title=Institute of the Arts Barcelona: Performing Arts Training |url=https://www.iabarcelona.com/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Institute of the Arts Barcelona |language=en-US}}

Sitges is one of the world's top leaders in the protection and advocating for equal rights for the LGBT community. It is often described as the gay capital of Europe, particularly in peak season of the summer months of May to September.{{Cite web |title=A Gay Guide To Sitges - LGBT tailor-made travel |url=https://www.outofoffice.com/blog/a-gay-guide-to-sitges/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Out Of Office |language=en-US}}

With its spirit and vibrant urban atmosphere, Sitges has become one of the top gay holiday spots for LGBT tourists and is at the centre of gay European nightlife, including spas, shopping, and dining. A small but compact city, it contains a huge concentration of gay-friendly hotels, restaurants, shops, and over 20 gay bars.

The key gay events are Carnival, Sitges Pride,{{Cite web |date=9 April 2024 |title=Gay Sitges Pride |url=https://www.gaysitgespride.com/ |access-date=9 April 2024}} Bears Week, Festa Major, and Circuit Barcelona. (There is also a Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival.)

• {{Flag icon|FRA}} Bagnères-de-Luchon (France)

Sitges is part of the long history of motor racing in Catalonia. From 1908 to 1920, events were staged over public roads from Sitges to Canyelles to Vilanova i la Geltrú, and from Mataró to Vilassar de Mar and Argentona. In 1922 and 1923, the Real Moto Club de Catalunya ran the Penya Rhin Grand Prix over a 9-mile circuit around the town of Vilafranca del Penedès until it was replaced by a short lived purpose built circuit, the banked Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar, which is still visible at {{Coord|41|14|18.35|N|1|46|50.20|E|region:ES_type:landmark}}. Albert Divo won the only Spanish Grand Prix held at the banked Sitges Terramar driving a Sunbeam.

• Facundo Bacardí (1814–1886), businessman
• Miguel Condé (1939), painter
• Rafael Font Farran (1912–2003), politician and journalist
• Mir Geribert (died 1060), Catalan nobleman
• Arcadi Mas i Fondevila (1852–1934), artist
• Santiago Rusiñol (1861–1931), artist
• Joan Sella i Montserrat (born 1960), journalist, writer and gastronomy critic
• Christopher Small (1927–2011), musician and ethnomusicologist

File:Sitges sunset.jpg|Sunset in Sitges

File:Sitges, Spain - 50070080061.jpg|Aerial view of the town

File:Autòdrom de Terramar, Sitges (juliol 2012) - panoramio (4).jpg|The famously steep banks of the Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar

• Sitges Film Festival
• Sitges railway station

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |last1=Panareda Clopés |first1=Josep Maria |last2=Rios Calvet |first2=Jaume |last3=Rabella Vives |first3=Josep Maria |name-list-style=amp |date=1989 |title=Guia de Catalunya |location=Barcelona |publisher=Caixa de Catalunya}} {{ISBN|84-87135-01-3}} (Spanish). {{ISBN|84-87135-02-1}} (Catalan).

{{Commonscat|Sitges}}

• [http://www.sitges.cat/ Official website of Sitges Council]
• [https://www.sitgesanytime.com/en/ Official Tourism website of Sitges]
• [http://aplicacions.municat.gencat.cat/index.php?page=consulta&mostraEns=0827040003 Government data pages] {{in lang|ca}}
• [https://besidestheobvious.net/2022/05/29/sitges-the-pride-of-catalonia/?amp Sitges – The pride of Catalonia] {{in lang|en}}
• [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sitges Wiktionary]

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Sitges

|N = Begues
Olivella

|NE = Gavà

|E = Castelldefels

|SE =

|S = Balearic Sea

|SW =

|W =

|NW = Sant Pere de Ribes

}}

{{Garraf}}

{{Municipalities in Barcelona}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Tourism in Spain

Category:Seaside resorts in Spain

Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Spain

Category:Gay villages in Spain