SPAIN - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 488

Day Excursion to
Sitges
Jewel on the Mediterranean
Depart from Barcelona Sants Station
Distance by Train: 25 miles (40 km)
Average Train Time: 30 minutes
City Dialing Code: 93
Tourist Information Office: Plaza Eduard Maristany 2, 08870, Sitges
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
www.stigestur.cat
E-mail: [e-mail]
Hours: 1000-1400 and 1600-1830 Monday-Friday; 1000-1400 and 1600-1900
Saturday; 1000-1400 Sunday
Notes: The tourist office is on the west end of the train station, by the taxi stand.
Only 25 miles (40 km) south of Barcelona, Sitges can be accessed by train from
several stations in Barcelona, but Sants and Passeig de Gracia Stations are the
most centralized. Sitges is one of the most cosmopolitan seaside resorts in Europe
and a pleasant escape from Barcelona's summer heat.
Sitges, a member of the prestigious Jewels of European Tourism Club, boasts 17
golden beaches that stretch across 4 kilometers. It is also located in an important
wine and “cava” champagne production area known as the Penedés region. Ask the
tourist office about visiting the wine cellars in Vilafranca del Penedés and the Cava
Cellars in Sant Sadurni de Noia.
Annually, Sitges hosts the national carnation show in June, when the town is
awash with the brilliantly colored flowers. It coincides with the procession of Cor-
pus Christi in June, one of the most renowned festivals in Spain, when streets are
adorned with splendid carnation carpets, bands perform, and parades glide along
narrow streets.
Fresh seafood is Sitges's specialty, but there are excellent meat and chicken
dishes available as well at a multitude of fine restaurants. Typical Sitges dishes in-
clude xato , a salad of endive, tuna fish, salt-cod, anchovies, and olives, dressed
with nyora peppers, roasted almonds, chilis, garlic, olive oil, more anchovies, and