Craig reports back from his adventures in Barcelona
August 12th, 2009
This weekend we were lucky enough to be going to Barcelona to experience the glorious sunshine and indulge in some great tapas. We stayed at the 4* Confortel Bel Art hotel which was situated in the modernist triangle near the La Sagrada Familia church with perfect transport links to the city.
We wanted to do something a little different on our first day, so found ourselves waiting with the locals for a train that would take us to Sitges. A bargain at 5 Euros and just 30 minutes later we arrive at the Spanish beach resort… visited by … wait for it… the Spanish. Not a British holiday rep in sight! Sounds like heaven. A town which exudes Spanish culture and fun which I have found so many popular Spanish resorts have lost.
Sitges is a maze of streets with quaint boutique shops displaying a variety of ‘unusuals’ which can keep you amused for hours. Or they could have done but come siesta time the shutters crash down and everyone promptly migrated to the beach for a snooze.
The delightful thing is the beach atmosphere couldn’t be further from the typical resort beach towns you find across Spain. No British teenagers sitting and sulking, no Uncle Al with his red speedos and matching lobster skin. Best of all no kids repeatedly running and showering you with sand and the contents of their buckets (where are the parents when this happens?!)
Fashionable Sitges is a people watching paradise yet completely unpretentious. Mussels and mojitos line the tables alongside Rayban cases. The sophisticated restaurants with unsophisticated prices are dotted along the front and all seating is strategically placed so you can continue your people watching with far reaching views.
Lazing back at ‘Parrots Bar’ I felt like I was in the centre of it all and hanging out with an old friend in town, it was the perfect time and place to catch up. Vodkas hitting the pocket at 8 Euros a go certainly aren’t the cheapest, but the atmosphere and general laid back vibe more than compensated. 6 hours later Vicky and I were still there nattering and I couldn’t have been happier. Jet lag – what jet lag?!
What struck me about Sitges is that the town is full of romance. Everywhere you look young and old are interlinked and strolling, enjoying each other’s company, enjoying the delights of the town. It can make you feel rather mistful! (or was that vodka number 7?)
To enjoy the same good stuff as I did check out these links:
August 14th, 2009
Ron Alexander says...Great job Craig! Ron Ft. Myers, FL