I’ve been to Sitges more than ten times now, always in October for the Sitges Film Festival, which one of the biggest events worldwide dedicated to horror, sci-fi, and fantasy cinema. I’m a total horror nerd (my main job is writing horror movie reference guides and working on film festival programming), so this festival is basically non-negotiable for me. It also doesn’t hurt that Sitges itself is a gorgeous little coastal town, packed with Catalan architecture and excellent restaurants.
Flights & Hotels
Every trip, I’ve booked flights and accommodation separately.
For flights, I usually go from Belgium to Barcelona (the closest airport) with Brussels Airlines. For stays, I’ve used both Airbnb and booking.com over the years, with the last few trips mostly booked via booking.com.
One thing I’ve learned the hard way: accommodation sells out incredibly fast during festival season (by July, the best places are usually already gone). So if you’re going during that period, booking early is essential. Sitges is also a very LGBTQ+-friendly destination, so Pride Week is even more in demand.
Over the years, I’ve stayed in quite a range of places, from AirBnB’s to hotels. Because we’re often going with a group of people, we're often renting an apartment in the center of town, but I prefer to stay at hotel Galeon whenever I’m traveling solo.
How to Spend Your Day
Once you land in Barcelona, getting to Sitges is easy since it’s about a half-hour by bus or taxi. The bus stops right in the center, and once you’re there, everything is walkable. No car needed at all.
You can actually see the town itself in just a few hours, which is why a lot of people treat it as a day trip from Barcelona. But if you’re there for the film festival, your time will probably be split between movies, beach time, and food.
There are 17 beaches, plenty of places to sunbathe, and some incredible restaurants (some of the best I’ve had in Spain, including solid vegetarian options). Definitely try Cinnamon and La Guineu. For that reason, I’d avoid going for an all-inclusive hotel setup, because you’d miss out on a lot of the local food scene.
One small tip: skip the main nightlife strip for dinner. It’s cheap, but quality tends to be much lower. The best spots are in the Old Town and along the beach promenade.
Weather
I’ve always gone in October, and it’s usually around 25°C. In summer, temperatures can easily climb up to 30°C.
Would I Go Again?
Even if the film festival were to disappear one day, I’d still come back now and then—just for a day or two—to wander the streets and revisit favorite restaurants. I don’t think I’d ever really get bored of Sitges.
If you want a deeper dive, here’s a complete overview of the best things to do in Sitges, including beaches, restaurants, nightlife, events, and where to stay.