Sitges History
Sitges is a small city about 40 kilometers south west of Barcelona renowned worldwide for its Film Festival and Carnival. Between the hills and the sea, it is known for its much-frequented beaches, nightspots, and historical sites.
While the roots of Sitges' artsy reputation date back to the late 19th century, when Catalan painter Santiago Rusinol took up residence there during the summer, the town really came into its own during the 1960s, when it was the only center for the counterculture on the mainland of Spain (then still under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco), and became known as a sort of "Ibiza in miniature".
Today, Sitges can be considered a dynamic cultural oasis, basing its economy on tourism and culture offering more than 4.500 hotel beds, half of them in four-star hotels. The firm commitment for quality infrastructures has converted Sitges into a first-class destination in terms of tourism of congresses, conferences, seminars and company meetings in the Mediterranean area.
