Best Beaches in Sitges (by People who Live Here)
Family beaches, the gay beach, the nude beach in town, and the wilder calas past Playa del Muerto: we call Sitges home, and this is our map of Sitges beaches.
Our favorite beach in Sitges: San Sebastian
We live in Sitges, Spain, right on the Garraf coast, and one thing surprises people every time they ask us for beach advice: it's not one beach, it's about eleven of them lined up along the town promenade alone, plus a string of wilder, clothing-optional coves just beyond it (and, technically, Garraf village and Port Ginesta in Castelldefels).
That range matters because Sitges gets typecast fast, mostly as either a party town or a gay beach town, and neither label really does it justice. Yes, there's a well-known gay beach and a nude beach, and we'll get into both. But there's also a calm, central family beach that's five minutes from the train station and a run of quiet coves south of town where we go ourselves, as a straight couple, just as often as anyone else does (but maybe a bit earlier in the morning than the party boys).
If you want the fuller Sitges picture beyond the sand, read our Sitges off the beaten track guide and our LGBTQ+ Sitges guide for Pride and the scene beyond the beach.
Jump to:Best beaches at a glance · Family and central beaches · The gay beaches · The nude beach in town · The wild calas · Where to stay · FAQ
Plan your trip — where to stay, how to get there, and things to do in and around Sitges:
What are the best beaches in Sitges?
Here's the short version, by what you're actually looking for:
Best central, family-friendly beach: Platja de Sant Sebastià, calm water, right below the old town (+ our secret beach).
Best gay beach: Platja de la Bassa Rodona, lively, social, great sunsets.
Best beach for LGBTQ+ history: Platja del Home Mort (Playa del Muerto), the world's first gay beach, dating back to 1930.
Best nude beach in town, no hike required: Balmins, clothing-optional and inclusive of everyone, not just one crowd.
Best for a quiet escape: the smaller calas past Home Mort, heading toward Vilanova, clothing-optional and genuinely mixed (our favorites).
Keep reading for the details on each, including how to get there and what to expect.
The central and family beaches
Will you find our secret cove near San Sebastian beach?
Most of Sitges's beaches sit along one continuous promenade, the Passeig Marítim, so you can walk the whole stretch and pick whichever one matches your mood that day.
Platja de Sant Sebastià
Ok, we used to live right there, so we might be a bit biased, but this is the beach we send most first-time visitors to. It's calm (outside of peak summer season), central, backed by the old town and the Sant Bartomeu church (a wonderful view at sunset and sunrise, especially if you swim away from the shore), and an easy walk from the train station. Good sand, gentle water, some fish early in the morning, and plenty of nearby cafés for when you've had enough sun.
Have a fideuà or paella at Costa Dorada restaurant, and stay at the URH hotel Sitges Playa (across from our old place) if you want to enjoy the beach at our favorite time, that is, first thing in the morning.
If you keep exploring, you’ll find our secret cave :-)
Platja de la Ribera and the town beaches
Between Sant Sebastià and Terramar, the promenade strings together several smaller named beaches that blend into one long stretch of sand. This is where most hotels sit, including places we've recommended ourselves in our guide to beach hotels near Barcelona, and it's the easiest option if you don't want to walk far or plan anything.
Terramar
At the quieter end of the promenade, near the golf, away from the old town crowd. Good option if Sant Sebastià feels too busy but you still want full amenities nearby. That’s a also a great base if you want to walk to the calas (more on this below).
The gay beaches in Sitges
A historical beach
Sitges has a real, almost century-long LGBTQ+ history, and it shows up on the sand as much as anywhere else in town.
Platja de la Bassa Rodona
The go-to gay beach and the social hub during Sitges Pride. Expect a fun, friendly atmosphere, flashy banana hammocks and some of the best sunset views in town. It sits within the main run of town beaches, so it's easy to reach on foot.
Platja del Home Mort (Playa del Muerto)
This one has history. Platja del Home Mort became the world's first gay beach back in 1930, and its seclusion behind cliffs made it a safe space for nudity and openness at a time when that wasn't the norm anywhere. It's still a beloved symbol of LGBTQ+ liberation today, and it's also genuinely one of the prettiest spots on this stretch of coast, gay or not.
You won't find much in the way of facilities beyond a single chiringuito, so bring water and (sun?) protection. Ok, bad joke!
For the full history and more on Sitges's LGBTQ+ scene beyond the beach, read our LGBTQ+ Sitges guide.
Penguin tip:
Spaniards, and party lovers especially, are not morning people. If you want to beat the summer crowds and have the town and beach to yourself, get up at sunrise. Walk along El Baluarte while the church catches the first light, listen to the waves and the swallows, and see if you can feel why we call this place magic.
Nude beaches in Sitges
Balmins nude beach
There’s a nude beach in Sitges called Balmins, and it's unusual for a good reason: unlike most clothing-optional spots in the area, it sits right in town, not out on a cala you have to hike to reach.
Balmins has long been an LGBTQ+ hotspot, but it's genuinely inclusive: swimsuits are just as welcome as no swimsuit at all. Nobody's checking, and nobody's judging either way. It's one of the more relaxed beaches in Sitges precisely because there's no single crowd it belongs to. If you go in the morning, you’ll see people doing yoga and family. If you go on a summer late afternoon, there will be many boys in the water.
The other nude beaches sit outside of town, towards Vilanova.
Nude beaches in Spain & etiquette
Nudity is legal and normalized on Spain's designated naturist beaches, including Home Mort, Balmins, and the calas further south, but it's not the norm on the main town beaches like Sant Sebastià or Terramar. Follow the crowd on each specific beach rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere in Sitges.
The wild calas past Home Mort
Our go-to cala (we shouldn’t have shared this…)
Head south past Platja del Home Mort, following the coastal path toward Vilanova, and the beaches get smaller, wilder, and considerably quieter, especially in the morning. This stretch, sometimes called the ruta de las calas, is backed by cliffs and scrub rather than a promenade, and it's clothing-optional the whole way.
But despite their reputation, these calas aren't only a gay beach hotspot. We're a straight couple, and one of the smaller coves along this path, just before Home Mort, is a regular spot for us too, especially early morning in spring, fall and winter. The clothing-optional, LGBTQ+-friendly reputation of this stretch is real, but in practice it's a mixed crowd enjoying quiet coves and nature.
Getting there
On foot from Sitges center, it takes around an hour. Quicker options include a taxi to the end of the promenade (near Hotel Me Sitges Terramar or Sunway Playa Golf & Spa), or a city bus to the Eurostars Hotel followed by a 15-minute walk through pine forest. If you'd rather not walk at all, a kayak tour between Sitges and Vilanova gets you there by water and lets you poke into sea caves along the way, which is one of our favorite ways to see this coastline.
There are no facilities (nor shade) beyond the one chiringuito at Home Mort itself, so bring water, snacks, and proper shoes for the walk.
Sitges beach etiquette and practical tips
Where to stay near the beach in Sitges
If you want to wake up close to the sand, Sitges makes it easy. Hotels right on Platja de Sant Sebastià, like URH Sitges Playa, are a great base. Calipolis, one of our favorites, is right by Bassa Rodona. Away from the main beach circuit, Hotel Port Sitges sits in the Aiguadolç marina, quieter and with harbor views instead of crowds. And if you plan to spend real time on the calas past Home Mort, staying near Terramar, at somewhere like Hotel Me Sitges Terramar, cuts that walk down considerably.
For the full rundown, including our own wedding night stay, read our guide to beach hotels near Barcelona.
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FAQ — Beaches in Sitges
Sunset on San Sebastian beach
What are the best beaches in Sitges? Platja de Sant Sebastià for a calm, central, family-friendly day. Platja de la Bassa Rodona for the gay beach scene. Platja del Home Mort for history and views. Balmins for a nude beach without leaving town. And the calas south of Home Mort for a quieter, wilder escape.
Which is the gay beach in Sitges? Platja de la Bassa Rodona is the main social gay beach. Platja del Home Mort has more historical significance, since it's considered the world's first gay beach, dating to 1930.
Is there a nude beach in Sitges? Yes. Balmins is the main one in town, and it's clothing-optional and inclusive rather than exclusive. The calas south of Home Mort are also clothing-optional.
Do you have to be part of the LGBTQ+ community to go to Home Mort, Bassa Rodona, or the calas? No. These beaches have a strong LGBTQ+ history and remain popular with that community, but they're open to everyone. We're a straight couple and visit the calas past Home Mort regularly ourselves.
How many beaches does Sitges have? Around eleven named beaches sit along the main town promenade, with several more clothing-optional coves further south toward Vilanova. Depending on how the smaller calas are counted, people often cite around seventeen beaches in total.
Do you need a car to reach the Sitges beaches? No. The town beaches are all walkable from the train station. The wilder calas past Home Mort take a 45 to 60-minute walk, a short taxi ride, or a kayak tour, so a car isn't necessary, though it makes the trip faster.
Sitges gets reduced to a label pretty often, party town, gay town, beach town, and it's a little of all three without being defined by any single one. Walk the promenade for an easy family day, head to Bassa Rodona or Home Mort for the scene and the history, or keep walking past Home Mort for the quiet coves we go back to ourselves. However you spend the day, you'll have more sand to choose from than most people expect from a town this size.
Finally, explore all our Spain Travel Guides here.
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Want to discover more awesome locations in Catalonia? Read our articles below:
🐟 8 Hidden Beaches Near Barcelona You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of
🌈 LGBTQ+ Sitges – Celebrate Pride in a Postcard Town
🏖️ Costa Dorada’s Hidden Gems: Beaches, Tuna Dives, and Nature Escapes
🏛️ Kyra’s Guide to Sitges Off the Beaten Track
🏨 Beach Hotels near Barcelona – by People who Live Here
🏝️ Off the Beaten Path: Formentera, Sardinia & Costa Brava
🌋 5 Things to Do in La Garrotxa – The Unknown Catalonia
⛰️ 6 Things to Do in Espot – The Best of the Spanish Pyrenees
