This September is shaping up to be one of the hottest yet.. As you know we’ve got great weather and some hot bears..but thats not all..
First of all, its a long weekend in Sitges.. tomorrow is Catalunya Day…so expect Thursday night to be crazy everywhere!
Then, shop till you drop this weekend, as the Sitges Annual Stock Fair takes place at La Fragata from 10am in the morning ’till alate in the evening on Sunday the 13th of September. Great bargains to be had!
Then finish off Sitges with the Santa Tecla Festival. Think of it as a sort of mini Fiesta Mayor! Complete with fireworks, fire processions, dancing giants and more! Not to be missed and a great way to finish the Summer Season!
Its that time of year again. Monroes have just launched their Autumn Menu and also announced the return of their popular Sunday Lunch. Book early to ensure you get a table. Check out Monroes listing on Gay Sitges Guide for further details.
The Sitges Gourmet Food Festival takes place on the 9th of October. Tickets cost EUR 35 and entitle you to experience true Catalan cuisine in participating restaurants.
For the 13th and 14th of September, the 47th Sitges Wine Festival takes place on Psg de la Ribera. But this is not just about wine. There will be gourmet food stalls selling everything from honey, pils, marmalades, chees and breads.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to taste Sitges Malvasian Wine, or “Malvasia de Sitges”.
Wines will be available for tasting from 12pm to 3pm and from 6pm to 10pm. You can try out a gourmet place and 2 wine tatsings for EUR 4… push the boat out and for EUR 6 you can try 4 tastings and a gourmet place. With over 14 different wineries taking part from across the region, there will be something for every palatte.
Assuming you have the perfect apartment or Guest Room, take breakfast in one of the many cafes facing the sea. Then pop on the train to Barcelona and head for CatheHelicopters. Barcelona is a beautiful city and its architecture looks even more amazing from the Sky. It really is romantic as you take in the breataking views over the mountains and down into the city itself.
Do some shopping when you finish… we recommend something expensive with a diamond or two… or for those looking for something more unique, try the Encants Vells or “Old Gems” market whch is a cross between a jumble sale and an antiques market. Great fun!
On your return to Sitges, stop off at the Hotel Romantic for a nice cool crisp glass of Cava.
Then after your little Siesta, head out for a nice dinner. Want something traditionally delicious, then try Monroe's. Want something different and exotic, they try Siithai. Want to blow your budget, then try La Fragata. A full list of restaurants is available here.
After dinner, the entire of Sitges will be at your feet. As its Carnival every bar, club and late night cafe will be open and packed with people out to partry!
If you want to get to know many of the expat boys in Sitges, then there's no better bar to visit than El Horno during the winter months. Owned by Rome, the proprietor of XXL and Man Bar, El Horno is a well know Sitges pub with a cosy atmosphere and friendly barmen.
One of the most popular times in EL Horno is the daily happy hour, which takes place every day from 5.30 – 7pm.
If you are spending New Year's Even in Spain and are planning on a glass of bubbly to see in the new year, then may we offer some advice? Cava, cava, cava! Yes, those of you familiar with traveling to Catalunya will know Cava well. Cheaper than its pretensious French sister and far less self-effected than its Californian cousins, Cava is one of the most versitile of Wines and has been produced in the Penedès region since the Greeks settled here in antiquity.
Bottles start at EUR 1.50, but we recommend, Segura Viudas' Reserva Heredad, which is sold in a bottle with a highly decorative metal ring around the bottom of the bottle and a metal crest on the side. Cava should be served very cold to really enjoy it. Serve in chilled flute champagne glasses so that the bubbles last longer, since they must travel farther before they break the surface. Place the glasses in the freezer for at least a half-hour before you will use them. Chilled glasses help to keep the cava cold.
Of course you could always wait until later on in the night and pour yourself a galss of Tequila or two… or even a whole bottle full… It is the New Year after all. Just ask these boys celebrating a birthday in Trailer last August when 2 bottles were consumed. Ouch!
Our post yesterday on Beaujolais Nouveau had us thinking about one of our favourite topics… alcohol! A real hot trend in Spain now, and especially in Barcelona and Sitges is Tuaca.
Legend has it that Lorenzo De Medici created an exquisite amber liqueur that became a favourite among 16th century Italian nobility. The recipe was lost for may centuries until Tuscan Brothers-in-law Geatano Tuoni and Giorgio Canepa re-discovered it and improved it even further in the 1940's.
The liquor has a brandy base with a delicious blend of vanilla and orange and has a beautiful amber glow. It can be enjoyed as a straight shot or a slammer (very popular in Sitges at the moment) or try it in your coffee or savour it on the rocks after a good meal!
