2026 Garraf Travel Guide: must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transport & travel experiences (updated in July)

Many people head straight to Barcelona when they come to Spain, but if you have time, I highly recommend spending a day or two in Sitges. It’s about a 40-minute train ride, drive, or private car from Barcelona. Once you get off, you’ll notice the pace here is completely different—the sea is bluer, the houses are whiter, and the whole town has a relaxed, artistic vibe. Sitges is not only a seaside resort town but also one of the world’s top three fantasy film festivals: the Sitges Film Festival is held here. During the festival, the entire town turns into a giant “screening room.” ✔ Must-visit in Sitges 📍Museu del Cau Ferrat (House of Ironwork Museum) This was originally the seaside home and studio of Catalan modernist artist Santiago Rusiñol. In the late 19th century, he transformed it into an art salon, gradually giving Sitges a “cultural depth.” The museum houses paintings, sketches, sculptures, wrought iron, ceramics, glass art, and many of Rusiñol’s personal works. You can also see early works by Picasso and two authentic paintings by El Greco. My favorite part is the atmosphere: windows facing the sea, a stained glass corridor, and hand-painted tile walls, all very cinematic. 📍Palau de Maricel (Maricel Palace) Almost connected to Cau Ferrat, it’s perfect to visit both together. The entire building blends Mediterranean, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. The most stunning feature is the sea corridor, with stone arches opening directly to the Mediterranean. ✔ Tips: Both are by the old town seaside, so plan 2-3 hours to explore slowly. ✔ This time, we also learned more about Sitges’ film culture 📍Prado Cinema & Retiro Cinema Both are historic old cinemas still used as screening venues during the film festival. We also saw very old film projectors, which gave a strong vintage movie vibe. 📍Sitges Film Office The walls are covered with posters from past fantasy film festivals. This office is responsible for film shoots, industry cooperation, and film resource coordination, showing the deep connection between the city and cinema. 📍Meliá Sitges Hotel One of the core locations during the film festival, hosting many red carpet events, premieres, and main competition screenings. 【Restaurant Recommendation】 📍Restaurante Mare Nostrum, the oldest local restaurant ✔ Sitges Travel Tips ▪ About 40 minutes from Barcelona ▪ The old town is best explored on foot at a leisurely pace ▪ Recommended to spend one or two days ▪ The seaside is especially beautiful at dawn and dusk ▪ The atmosphere is completely different during the film festival

I went to Barcelona several times, every time I had to go to the charming town of Sitges, about an hours drive from the city. Here, the air is "relax".

Sitges, a small town about half an hour's train from Barcelona, Spain, is located on the Mediterranean Sea. It is so beautiful everywhere. A rosy church is located on the outstretched cape and is surrounded by snow-white houses. The cloud is low on the small town, as if it came to a fairy tale city, the buildings in the small town are also very characteristic ~ all kinds of bright colors are gathered here, and shine with the Sunshine Coast~