The World famous Sitges Carnival – hedonism at its very best!!!
If you are in Barcelona right now, or are planning on arriving in the next couple of days, take note: the Sitges Carnival is starting tonight and will be on until Wednesday Feb. 13th. Basically a non-stop party of hedonism, flesh and colorful costumes that consumes the normally quiet beach town of Sitges, just 40 minutes south of Barcelona, the Sitges Carnival is one of the best events in all of Europe.
What to Expect from the Sitges Carnival
Expect the streets of Sitges to be filled with over 300,000 partiers and participants, colorful eye-candy, and a fun-loving energetic crowd from around the world. There are parades, parties, traditional ceremonies, parades and more parties that span the course of about a week.
A few highlights of the Sitges Carnival are the Presenting of the Queen of the Carnival, the Arrival of his Majesty Carnestoltes, the Parade of Debauchery, The Parade of Extermination, the Kings Funeral Procession, and the Burial of the Sardines. The best parties are during the weekend nights. The real event not to be missed is the Parade of Debauchery on Sunday the 10th of February starting at around 7:30 pm at the Cap de la Vila. This is the grand Sitges carnival parade extravaganza, with colorful costumes, beautiful dancing goddesses and a little something for everyone.
Another important thing to note is that Sitges has a thriving gay community and the Sitges Carnival does feature some drag queens and other gay-fun and friendly events. This is not to discourage anyone from visiting the event. The entire Sitges atmosphere is very open and welcoming and offers something for everyone, regardless of your sexual orientation.
Schedule of Important Events at the 2013 Sitges Carnival
*This is just a short list of what, when and where to check out at the Sitges Carnival, 2013:
What – Presenting of the Queen of the Carnival (Presntacio de la Reina del Carnaval)
When – Thursday, Feb. 7th at 7:00pm
Where – a La Fragata (Plaza de la Fragata)
What – Arrival of His Majesty Carnestoltes (Arribo de Sa Majestat Carnestoltes)
When – Thursday, Feb 7th at 7:30 pm
Where – a La Fragata (Plaza de la Fragata)
What – Parade of the Debauchery (Rua de la Disbauxa)
When – Sunday, Feb. 10th at 7:30 pm
Where – The Parade Circuit starts and ends at Cap de la Vila
What – Parade of the Extermination (Rua de L’Extermini)
When – Tuesday, Feb. 12th at 7:30 pm
Where – The Parade Circuit starts and ends at Cap de la Vila
What – Parade of the Victory (Rua de la Victoria)
When – Wednesday, Feb. 13th at 7:00 pm
Where – Cap de la Vila
What – Farewell to His Majesty Carnestoltes (Comiat de S.M. Carnestoltes)
When – Wednesday, Feb. 13th at 7:30 pm
Where – a La Fragata (Plaza de la Fragata)
How to get to the Sitges Carnival
It is actually pretty easy to get to Sitges Carnival from Barcelona. Just take the Renfe train R2 (dark green) in the direction Tarragon/Tortosa until the Sitges stop. When you arrive in Sitges just head East (toward the sea) following the crowd until you find the beach, promenade or the party. There are trains from Barcelona every 20 – 30 minutes leaving from the stops Clot-Arago, Passeig de Gracia and Sants Estacio. The only problem might be how to get home. The trains coming back to Barcelona from Sitges are also frequent and leave regularly. The only problem is that if you are not planning on partying all night, that means catching the first train home in the morning, you might have to leave just when the party is getting started – The last train leaves Sitges at 10:26 pm and the first one the following morning is at 4:08 am. Personally, I would recommend partying all night and catching the train home the morning.
Where to Stay during the Sitges Carnival
The best and most economical way to do it is to stay in Barcelona and take the train in to Sitges for the party. Accommodation in Sitges can be very expensive, especially during the Sitges Carnival. That’s why we recommend you stay with us at Sant Jordi Hostels Barcelona. With 6 award winning Barcelona hostel locations, our hostels in Barcelona are affordable, high-quality hostels that provide a fun, friendly environment with outstanding facilities.
