Eat:
To find this affordable lunch restaurant, I started my search by walking away from the beach. Like most seaside towns, the closer you are to the waterfront, the more expensive the food gets. And you are more likely to end up in tourist trap. Boccalino is located outside the bustling center but still close enough to easily reach on foot. What first drew my attention was the large terrace and then the lack of an English menu. Once seated inside, I could see that the diners were mostly local residents. This I always take as an excellent sign of good food. And to our delight they did have a menu del dia with affordable 3-course options. The food is simpler everyday fare but very good.
Boccalino Sitges Centro: Placa del Pou Vedre 1
This was also the hotel where we stayed on our second visit to Sitges. To our delight, we enjoyed fantastic breakfasts, lunch with the menu del dia and dinners at the hotel. It is a short walk from the center of Sitges and as such, the covered terrace in the front was not crowded. Having said that, we were staying there in November so I'm not sure how crowded the hotel is in high season. At breakfast, in addition to the standard well-stocked buffet, there was a list from which we could order one ala carte open sandwich per person. Our favorite was the fresh avocado and smoked salmon sandwich. For lunch, there is a menu del dia which offered a choice of 3-course lunches. Dinner was ordered ala carte. If you like to dine well, away from crowds while gazing at the sea, take a walk down the beach to Casa Vilella on Passeig Maritim 21.
Enrich - fresh baked pastries for a quick lunch
Most restaurants have surprisingly affordable and delicious menu del dias for the lunch crowd. These are often 3-course lunches and sometimes include a glass or half bottle of wine. However, we are not used to having such large servings of food for lunch and at a certain point, we found ourselves craving something simpler. That is when the bakery Enrich on one of the main shopping streets caught our attention. They have some seating in the back where you can enjoy the lovely sweet pastries and savory pies and empanadas as well as drinks. Yes, the bakery even served beer like the one my husband ordered. Another idea is have it all wrapped up to go and to picnic out on the beach.
Most restaurants have surprisingly affordable and delicious menu del dias for the lunch crowd. These are often 3-course lunches and sometimes include a glass or half bottle of wine. However, we are not used to having such large servings of food for lunch and at a certain point, we found ourselves craving something simpler. That is when the bakery Enrich on one of the main shopping streets caught our attention. They have some seating in the back where you can enjoy the lovely sweet pastries and savory pies and empanadas as well as drinks. Yes, the bakery even served beer like the one my husband ordered. Another idea is have it all wrapped up to go and to picnic out on the beach.
The walk up the hill to the iconic church of Sant Bartomeu that marks the north end of the Sitges beach is also worth it. From behind the church there you continue down winding picturesque streets to reach La Punta.
This is not the place for the ordinary patatas bravas and albondigas. Here you can indulge yourself on fine tapas with foie gras and exquisite croquettes, anchovies on a bed of perfectly grilled peppers and aubergines. Since the restaurant does not have a lot of tables, especially in high season, I think you will need a reservation. We managed to snag a table because it was the end of November and we went unfashionably early, i.e. timing our arrival to the time when the kitchen opens.
La Punta: Carrer Sant Damia 14
See:
Authentic old Spanish neighborhoods and art
The charm of Sitges is having the unadulterated old Spanish vibe without the Barcelona crowds. I would simply recommend strolling through the picturesque streets of the center both behind the main beach and behind the iconic church. Also keep an eye out for all the sculptures and art work that is displayed all over town and especially on the beach promenade.
Sitges is also renowned as the Gay capital of Spain. As such during our strolls we came across many establishments with the rainbow flag. While being openly gay in some other cities around Europe could invite harassment, here it is warmly and openly accepted. It was heart warming to see many gay cafes and shops in town and gay couples enjoying lunch together or walking hand in hand without any fear. Some of my gay friends have had great vacations here in Sitges. The subtitle above is a link to one of the many Gay Sitges Guides on the internet.
One of the sculptures adorning the waterfront is a steel sculpture of a film camera. This is symbolic of Sitges long enduring ties with the film industry. If you are a fan of fantasy and horror movies, it may be worth timing your visit to the annual film festival which held in October. The 2026 edition in October is their 59th edition! Check out the festival web site for exact dates and information on tickets.
Sleep:
In Sitges, there are plenty of beachfront accommodations with gorgeous views of the sea. However, we decided to stay at Casa Vilella despite the higher price tag. The initial reason was their gorgeous central room with the huge covered balcony overlooking the sea and their large bathtub which also had a sea view. Then, when we stayed there, we discovered how much we enjoyed the quite intimate atmosphere of smaller-scale exclusive hotel. It was like being house guests at a grand manor house. There were no disturbances from unsupervised kids or misbehaving guests, something that does happen at times in larger hotels with a massive number of rooms. The entire mansion is stately and spacious and we felt we truly were at rest and enjoyed our break, quietly starting the day gazing at the sea at dawn, taking our time at our sea view breakfast table, meditating in the bathtub while facing the palm tree tops and shimmering sea, and watching the sun set slowly as dusk deepens and the sea disappears into the dark. We still dream of the day we would go back again to stay here.
