Vilanova I La Geltrú
Originally made up of 2 towns, La Geltrú and Vila Nova, the town is a major working fishing port and the base for one of the largest fishing fleets in the Mediterranean. Industrialisation began at the turn of the 20th century when Pirelli opened a factory in Vilanova and the town has grown to a population of 55,000. With its extensive and well kept beaches, Vilanova draws a number of visitors in the summer and today, the service industry is becoming as important as the port itself whilst industrial activities have become less important.
Carnaval is celebrated enthusiastically in Vilanova in February. The other main celebrations are the Festa Major de Sant Antoni in January and the Festa Major de la Mare de Déu de les Neus, in August.
Vilanova is well linked by road and rail. It is 45km south of Barcelona and 45km north of Tarragona. Barcelona’s El Prat airport is 20 minutes from the town.

Sitges
Established in the 60s as a destination for young Europeans with liberal attitudes, Sitges is now a weekend resort and a gay centre with a thriving nightlife to match. The town attracts a mixed crowd from weekend party people to beach lovers and arty hippies and has become a cultural centre of sorts. There are festivals here all year round as well as a wide selection of restaurants, bars and clubs.
In the summer months, Sitges is packed and it is impossible to find a quiet spot on the beaches but the night life ups the pace to match and if you want to dance all night, you’ll have more than ample choice of discos and bars.
A former fishing village with narrow streets and picturesque houses, Sitges became popular in the 18th century with wealthy Spaniards returning from America who built mansions here to use as summer homes.
The town has spread out along the coast, from the winding streets of the old town centre. The seafront is dominated by Sitges’ elaborate 17th century church, Sant Bartomeu I Santa Tecla, which was built on top of a rocky cliff next to the sea.
There are over twelve beaches of sand curving into the land and everyone has their favourite. Near the church, Platja de la Fragata and Platja de la Ribera tend to be fairly busy and popular for watersports. Further south, the beaches are slightly quieter and at the end of a track towards the southern end of town is a nudist beach.
It was the artists who came to Sitges that gave the town the character it has today and many artists still live in and near to Sitges, there are plenty of galleries, jewelry shops and outlets for ceramics and woodwork sculptures.
With a population of 17,000, Sitges has plenty of amenities such as shops, restaurants and other services.
In February, Carnaval erupts in the streets of Sitges with elaborate parades and frenetic parties.
Sitges is easily reached from Barcelona, 40km away. The main C-32 highway runs parallel to the coast and the scenic train journey from Barcelona to Sitges that runs right next to the sea takes 30 minutes. There is also a bus from Barcelona airport to the town. Traffic in Sitges can be a nightmare, the easiest way to travel round the town is by foot or by bike.
There are 2 golf courses just outside Sitges.

Cubelles
At the southern tip of the Garraf, Cubelles is a seaside town with a population of 9000. Quiet in comparison to Sitges, the old town has retained its charm and development has been relatively low key. Among Cubelles’ treasures are the Santa María de Cubelles Church with its interesting stone façade and the 17th century Marquesos d'Alfarràs Castle. Just outside the town, the River Foix Estuary, which is separated from the sea by a sand barrier, has been redeveloped as a nature area. It is Cubelles 3km of quality seafront, however, that attracts most people to the town.
Cubelles has a range of services including a local sports centre and a modern health centre with a 24 hour emergency room.
The town is well linked by road to Vilanova and Barcelona (50km away) and there is a train station a kilometre from the town centre.

Inland there are several towns in the Garraf, somewhat quieter than the coastal areas. Canyelles is situated between Vilanova y Geltrú and Vilafranca del Penedés, 10km from Sitges. It is a peaceful village of 1200 inhabitants with shops, restaurants and services, located in countryside amongst mountains, forests and vineyards. Near Canyelles is Sant Pere De Ribes, a town of 20,000 inhabitants with easy access to the highway and the coast. There is a casino in Sant Pere. Just north of Sant Pere is the village of Olivella with a population of 1000.