Sitges, a gay classic for summertime play

[Tripatini]

Summer is here, and that means Sitges is in full swing for the season. Of the myriad little fishing-villages-turned-beach-resorts along Spain's Mediterranean coast, this is the one nearest and dearest to the heart of gay men and women across Europe and beyond. In Catalonia about 45 minutes south of Barcelona, Sitges (pronouced “SEAT-jess,” its fetching seaside church – pictured above -- an icon) now has a year-round population around 20,000, doesn't attract queers alone - in fact, they're greatly outnumbered by straight singles, couples, and families during the summer season. But its gay appeal reaches generations back into history that a century ago attracted the boho likes of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and other arty types. From there, not unlike Cape Cod’s Provincetown, by the 70’s and 80’s it’d morphed into a resort that’s not just hetero-popular but also one of Europe’s top gay travel favorites every June-through-September. I’ve been there a bunch of times, and it truly is a blast – not to mention generally less druggy and attitudinal than Ibiza and other European gaycation spots...

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