# Info about Sitges/ Castelldefels?



## kew

Hello all, just joined the forum to try and pick your brains about moving to Spain - in about 3 years. I know this seems a long way away but I'm working it round kids and school (oldest one will have just finished his A levels) and i'm thinking it'll probably take me that long at least to learn Spanish!!! 

At the end of July I'm going to the Sitges/ Cestelldefels area for about 5 days to have a nosey to see if its possibly the area for us - I'll need to find an International school for my youngest so thats why the area appeals, and being close to Barcelona at the same time....but i don't know much else about the area...can anyone help?

I'd like to try and buy without a mortgage if possible so is there affordable housing that isn't completely run down? Is it too touristy/ too quiet? Are the locals welcoming to the British? You get the idea!

Thank you if you can help


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## Pesky Wesky

kew said:


> Hello all, just joined the forum to try and pick your brains about moving to Spain - in about 3 years. I know this seems a long way away but I'm working it round kids and school (oldest one will have just finished his A levels) and i'm thinking it'll probably take me that long at least to learn Spanish!!!
> 
> At the end of July I'm going to the Sitges/ Cestelldefels area for about 5 days to have a nosey to see if its possibly the area for us - I'll need to find an International school for my youngest so thats why the area appeals, and being close to Barcelona at the same time....but i don't know much else about the area...can anyone help?
> 
> I'd like to try and buy without a mortgage if possible so is there affordable housing that isn't completely run down? Is it too touristy/ too quiet? Are the locals welcoming to the British? You get the idea!
> 
> Thank you if you can help


Don't know too much about Sitges other than it's a big gay centre. Also there's an important film festival, which I think is based around horror films and it's also an important tourist centre for both foreign (British) and Spanish tourism.

Casteldelfels I think is smaller and not so touristy. Unfortunately it's been in the news recently for a horrible train accident which killed 12 people, all of which were south American, so it seems there's not only European immigration in the area.

You are absolutely right to start tackling the language. It will take years and years to learn Spanish and in that area of Spain the first language is Catalan.

Irishgirl is a woman who occasionally posts on here and she has been living in Sitges for a couple of years. After 5 posts you can send her a PM directly, so think of some more questions!!


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## geez

When I lived in Barcelona I spent a great deal of time in Sitges and a bit in
Casteldelfels. Some of my partner's work colleagues lived in Casteldefels and worked in the industrial zone of Barcelona.

Casteldefels is a local beach resort: it's where you'll find half of the teenagers from Barcelona on a sunny weekend. It's very lively in summer, very deserted in the winter. I suspect that property prices are cheaper here and know of a couple of people who have houses here, tiny flats in Barcelona. Although it has a vast beach perfect for wind surfing, it's not as ritzy as some towns along the coast. Basically, it is unpretentious and working class. You'd learn Spanish really quickly here as I'm not sure I've ever come across an expat who lives there. I couldn't live there as its covered in pines which make my life hell for three months a year.

Sitges is definitely more international. Properties seem to be more expensive than Barcelona itself. I have no doubt that you will be charmed by it. Yes, it's home to one of the biggest gay populations anywhere but what that means is great shops, lovely bars and good-quality restaurants. You need deep pockets, though. Parts of Sitges are on the coastal range and while you might get a great view, you'll have to drive everywhere which kind of defeats the purpose of coastal living. It has a couple of lovely marinas if that's your thing.

Both are well connected by train (I think every 15 mins) to Barcelona but the service can be hellishly crowded. There are two roads leading into the city but both get horribly conjested in peaks and I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to drive anyway when the train is as quick. The coast road from Sitges is spectacular and not for the vertiginous.

PeskyWesky is right: most of the locals in both places will be Catalan speakers in the first instance but everyone will speak Castellano too. English is widely spoken in Sitges and you are also likely to have professionals there who can communicate to you in English (doctors, lawyers, etc).

Can't think of anything else at the moment. You'll have loads of choice for places to buy but I'd be renting somewhere first to see if you like the neighbourhood.


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## kew

Thanks for those replies - gets me a little more prepared for when we visit. I need to find somewhere affordable so I might end up having to look elsewhere but thats what long week-ends are for!...and expat forums!!


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## Irishgirl

Hi there,
Im living in Sitges and yes it is lovely and a bit more international but the rent here is very high and to buy is very expensive!! Its also expensive to eat out etc here in Sitges. We moved here because we had an apartment here but if we buy somewhere bigger it wont be here in Sitges..... unless we win the euro millions!! Casteldefels is cheaper to live and there is an international school there. Also if you live in Sitges and you want to take the motorway you will have to pay €5.35 each way or you can take the costas but its very winding and will add 20 mins or more onto your journey, if you live in Casteldefels you wont have to pay a toll for the motorway into Barcelona. The beaches in both places are really lovely. 
As for the language Castellano will be sufficent, even though most people speak Catalan, if you speak Castellano they will speak back to you in Castellano.
I hope this info was helpful. 
Ni


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## gerrit

I live in BCN and sometimes make a day trip to those resorts.

While most people would disagree with me, I'd take Casteldefells over Sitges. It's the scenery that makes Casteldefells, in my opinion, the very best coastal town in the area of Barcelona. A very wide beach, an idyllic bay, colourful little houses along the promenade (as opposed to concrete blocks), a very relaxed atmosphere because it's not so crowded, and the cherry on the pie: the bay is surrounded by mountains which gives a very very idyllic sight. 

I wanted to live in Casteldefells when I was offered my job near Barcelona. In the end I ended up living in BCN proper, because Casteldefells was too expensive. The flats will be wider and more modern so if your budget allows it I would go for it, however it is expensive. Over 1000 € per month rent is not exceptional there, although sometimes it's cheaper if you sign your rental contract (even when it's long term) outside of summer season. In my opinion it's a fantastic place to be, if it wasn't for the pricing I'd have chose Casteldefells to live in. 

Sitges is more vibrant, if you compare the promenades alone you'll see more flats, more restaurants, more bars and clubs. The beach isn't as wide but still very good. The cosy alleys with their cobbled streets are quite idyllic. I didn't notice much of the gay presence but that's probably because it doesn't bother me at all when the place is popular amongst gays. Like Casteldefells, prices tend to be higher than in some areas of Barcelona itself.

Keep in mind that Casteldefells and Sitges are two of the towns where some of the FC Barcelona players live. Lionel Messi has been spotted on a terrace in Sitges frequently. Now do you think very well paid football stars would opt for a small flat or squat in the Raval?  The fact that such people live in places like Casteldefells and Sitges indicates they're very nice places to be, but also quite expensive. I guess it's up to your budget.

Both have excellent bus and train connections with BCN, so this is definitely no issue. And in popular tourist spots, I doubt anyone would object to expats since they're used to foreigners being around.

If your budget allows it, both have a lot to offer in their own way. If your budget is a bit less high, you may wanna check Gava. Right next to Casteldefells and Sitges and more calm, more residential, but still the beach is next door and the train ride to BCN is short. The only downside of Gava is that the beach area is a long walk from the train station, but the prices tend to be lower.


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## kew

Lots to think about - I'm hoping to find somewhere that has an extra room/ facilities so I can set up a small B&B/ self catering unit as part of the house to supplement my self-employed-ness (!), so I can't really rent and I'm thinking perhaps from what people have said above that I'll have to look slightly further out to find something affordable. Still, thats the point of coming out to Spain and having a look around. 
Can anyone recommend any good estate agents (real estate agents?) in the area who can guide me on this?
(thanks for contd help)


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## gerrit

If you leave the train at Casteldefells-Playa and walk to the seaside boulevard (a walk of less then 3 minutes) you pass an estate agent on your right hand side. Both the street left and the promenade to the right have another estate agent within walking distance. The best thing is walk inside and ask what they have within your price range. Be prepared that, even in a touristic area like Casteldefells or Sitges, estate agents often know very little English. Also, better come in July or early September because in August lot of businesses (including estate agents) are closed for summer holidays.


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## geez

kew said:


> Lots to think about - I'm hoping to find somewhere that has an extra room/ facilities so I can set up a small B&B/ self catering unit as part of the house to supplement my self-employed-ness (!), so I can't really rent and I'm thinking perhaps from what people have said above that I'll have to look slightly further out to find something affordable. Still, thats the point of coming out to Spain and having a look around.
> Can anyone recommend any good estate agents (real estate agents?) in the area who can guide me on this?
> (thanks for contd help)



Hi again Kew, Sorry can't recommend any agents to you. I'd be doing quite a bit of market research to see if the B&B idea would work in Casteldelfels. It's not an international resort and is very local. I'd also be considering before you take the plunge whether you could get a permit to do this legally. In Barcelona itself the council has been waging a mini war against tourist renters operating without permits. This is likely to be stepped up as they are talking about introducing a NYC-style bed tax. Not sure how this translates to areas like Sitges and Casteldedels. 

Most of my partner's colleagues who lived in Casteldefels when we were in town paid the same rents as us. Some complained that it was too busy in summer, too deserted in winter. Having said that, like anywhere in Catalonia, there is some quality housing stock if you have the dosh. If you are able to offer something unique, especially appealing to the international windsurfing crowd then you might be onto something. Good luck with the research.


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## gerrit

Casteldefells is touristic. Maybe not to the extent of Salou, but nonetheless there's enough tourists (both Spaniards and foreigners). So for sure any business catering tourists (restaurants, hotels etc) will have enough clients in the tourism season. Mind that obviously ALL these seaside towns turn into local villages without many visitors once winter arrives. The proximity of Barcelona which attracts tourists all year round doesn't make that much difference. In summer, all of these coastal towns are very busy, the one more than the other obviously, but none of those towns are free of tourists.

Mind that Casteldefells consists of two parts (just like Gava): the pueblo (village - inland) and the coastal strip. In the pueblo it will be calm year round, in the beach area it will be lively in tourism seasons.


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## vuvuzeela

Hi Kew

Are you already back from Spain? What are your impressions about moving to Sitges ?


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