The Carnaval de Sitges takes place every winter in this charming seaside town just outside Barcelona, in a week of celebration and excess. Over seven days, the streets, seafront and old town fill with activity. Floats, elaborate costumes and loud music turn the town into one long street celebration with few limits or inhibitions. Sitges becomes a shared spectacle where irony, beauty, celebration and tradition sit side by side. Here, carnival is not just an event. It is how the town lives for a week.
This is good to know
It is an internationally known festival with popular origins and a strong link to the LGTBIQ+ community, where all identities are welcome.
The “Burial of the Sardine” on Wednesday brings the festival to a close in a mix of smoke, satire and Mediterranean theatre.
The most anticipated parades are the “Rua de la Disbauxa” (Sunday) and the “Rua de l’Extermini” (Tuesday), both high-energy night-time parades.
Local tip: in Sitges, subtle doesn’t stand out. The bolder and more surreal, the better.
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