New Carnival Cruise Terminal Opens at Port of Barcelona
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New Carnival cruise terminal has opened at the Port of Barcelona in Spain. Named the Helix Center this new facility will be able to cater for the new mega LNG ships ordered by Carnival across many cruise brands.
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All Photos By: Russell Otway
Carnival Corporation has opened its new cruise terminal at Port of Barcelona. A ceremony was held for the new Helix cruise center opening and now cruise ships across the Carnival brands will begin using the new facility.
We usually post about investments in the U.S and upgrades to cruise terminal there but for a change, the leading cruise company in the world has celebrated opening its second cruise terminal at Port of Barcelona in Spain.
The new terminal facility is 12,500 square feet and overall along with Carnival’s other terminal the cruise company has invested over 46 million Euros. This is a huge commitment to the major cruise hub in Europe and brings a state of the art building to cater for thousands of cruise ship passengers not just for Carnival Cruise Line but sister lines too.
The Helix Center will be able to manage those super large 180,000 gross ton new LNG ships which Carnival has ordered for several cruise brands. There will be the port’s first public parking facility which will have 300 parking spaces and it’s opening shortly.
Giora Israel, senior vice president of global ports and destination development for Carnival Corporation, said:
“After years of working closely with our extraordinary partners in Barcelona, including the port, its support network of local businesses and the city, we are absolutely thrilled to introduce our world-class Helix cruise center to welcome guests from around the world to Europe’s best-loved cruise port and to Barcelona, one of the world’s greatest cities and regions,”
“As the world’s largest cruise company with more than 100 ships that sail to over 700 destinations across the globe, our goal is to provide our guests with extraordinary vacations, and we are confident that our new terminal will help us enhance the overall experience for our guests.
The terminal stands as a tribute to the remarkable appeal of Barcelona and the entire country as one of the world’s most beautiful, vibrant and compelling destinations. We are proud of the work that has been accomplished together with the port, city, government, business and community. We now look forward to working with the port of Barcelona and its community partners to make the cruise terminal a highly efficient and customer-friendly operation.”
The terminal stands as a tribute to the remarkable appeal of Barcelona and the entire country as one of the world’s most beautiful, vibrant and compelling destinations. We are proud of the work that has been accomplished together with the port, city, government, business and community. We now look forward to working with the port of Barcelona and its community partners to make the cruise terminal a highly efficient and customer-friendly operation.”The Helix cruise center, located on the port’s Adossat wharf, is a tribute to extraordinary local expertise, talent, and vision, as Carnival Corporation teamed with local officials and companies to design and build one of the world’s most spectacular and functional cruise terminals.
Exclusive Carnival helix Cruise Center Photos
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Also Read: Carnival Expanding on West Coast with New Development and Cruise Ship
Eight brands from Carnival Corporation – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises (UK) – visit Barcelona throughout the year, with six of those eight brands operating full or partial homeporting in Barcelona in 2018.
Carnival Corporation is expecting to accommodate over one million passenger movements at the port in 2018, with 289 calls by 38 different ships.
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Barcelona 2023 – Map Barcelona cruise ship terminals and Moll Adossat pier at Barcelona port
Map Barcelona cruise ship terminals & Moll Adossat pier at Barcelona port
updated December 2022
Guide and Map to Barcelona’s cruise ship terminals and Map of Barcelona Moll D’Adossat cruise ship pier which has 5 terminals, A, B, C, D and E
Where do big cruise ships dock in Barcelona?
All the biggest cruise lines dock at terminals on the pier called Moll Adossat.
There are 5 terminals, A, B, C, D and E
Companies that dock here include:
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
MSC Cruises
among others…
Getting to and from Moll Adossat
How to get to and from Barcelona’s cruise ship terminals to downtown city center and how to get to Moll de Adossat pier.
Barcelona is the world’s fourth largest cruise ship port surpassed only by three bigger cruise ports which are all in Florida USA.
Many big cruise ships dock in Barcelona port at one of the SEVEN cruise ship terminals which are on several piers in the Barcelona port area
The Barcelona port area is close to the city center and to the Barcelona train stations and Barcelona airport.
How far is Barcelona airport from the cruise ship port?
Barcelona airport is about 20 km/12 miles from Barcelona cruise ship port Moll Adossat.
There is no direct bus connection or shuttle service. Take a taxi or private transfer.
How far is Barcelona cruise port from the Barcelona city center?
Barcelona cruise port is 5 km / 3 miles from the city center of Barcelona and 2 km / 1 mile from the old medieval are of Barcelona. All Barcelona’s cruise ship terminals are very close to Barcelona’s city center.
Most cruise ships dock on the biggest pier called Moll D’Adossat pier where there are 4 cruise terminals called A, B, C and D
On this page you can find a map of locations of Barcelona cruise ship docks and terminals – and how to get to and from the downtown Barcelona city centre to the cruise ship terminals.
You can also find information about getting from the cruise ships to Barcelona airport and information about luggage services and luggage lockers at Barcelona cruise ship port for cruise ship passengers.
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MAP Barcelona hotels near cruise ships
PDF map Barcelona cruise ship terminals
Location cruise terminals A, B, C, D & E – Moll Adossat
Moll Adossat Barcelona – also called Moll D’Adossat (in Catalan) or Muelle Adosado (in Spanish) is the name of the cruise ship wharf or dock, where the biggest cruise ships dock in Barcelona.
This is a new cruise ship terminal on a long pier in the old industrial port which now has cruise ship terminals and room for up to 7 large cruise ships.
Getting from Moll Adossat to Barcelona center
On Foot
This is not really an option for passenger with cases. From the Moll Adossat cruise ship terminals (A, B, C & D) in Barcelona port, it is about a 35 minutes walk to the edge of the Cuitat Vella (Barcelona’s old city) Map walking distance
It is a 45-60 minute walk to the center of modern Barcelona at Plaza Catalunyal. Map walking
By Taxi
Most cruise ship passengers choose to take a taxi from Moll Adossat terminals to the Barcelona city centre.
Taxis in Barcelona are reliable and taxi fares are charged using taxi-meters, so you will not be cheated. Taxi prices
T3 Cruisebus
(previously called Portbús) The T3 Cruisebus is a cruise port shuttle bus service that goes from the cruise ship terminals on Moll Adossat (A, B, C & D) to the Portal de la Pau plaza, which is by the harbour end of the walking street ‘La Rambla’ where the Christopher Columbus monument is. Expect some lines and delays, both for taxis and the port bus in peak periods. T3 Cruisebus info
Private Transfer
Book a private transfer from your hotel to your cruise ships. Links below
Taxi prices Barcelona
T3 Port Bus route maps & stops
Port to hotel transfer service
Barcelona cruise ship arrivals schedule
Getting from Moll Adossat to Barcelona airport
The El Prat Barcelona airport is located 20 km / 12.4 miles south of the Barcelona harbour. The driving time is 20-30 minute drive from any of the Barcelona cruise ship terminals to the airport – depending on traffic conditions.
There are public transport options available to get to the airport, but the easiest option is to take a taxi cab or pre-book an airport transfer taxi.
Airport transfer Barcelona
How to get to Barcelona Airport
Please note that the name Moll Adossat name does not appear on Google maps, but the road on the pier of Moll Adossat itself is called “Passeig Escullera” and this road is on Google Maps, so use that road name, if you want to find directions to and from the cruise ship terminals A, B, C & D on Moll Adossat in Barcelona harbour.
Moll Adossat on Google Maps
Route from Moll Adossat to Barcelona airport
Cruise Terminals N (North) + S (South)
Barcelona Cruise Terminals N (North) + S (South). The cruise ships terminals N & S are for smaller cruise ships. They are located on the pier, by Barcelona’s World Trade Center (which also has cruise ship parking) and the Eurostars Grand Marina hotel is located.
The Grand Marina hotel is convenient for cruise ships docked on terminals N & S.
From terminals N & S, it is a short 10 minute walk to Barcelona’s old gothic area and the famous pedestrian street La Rambla. All the hop-on/hop-off Barcelona tour bus have bus stops at Portal de la Pau which is at the harbour end of Las Ramblas walking street and the tall Christopher Columbus column. Bus tours of Barcelona
Cruise terminal M (Maremagnum)
Barcelona Cruise terminal M (Maremagnum). This cruise ship terminal is also called the “Port Vell terminal” and is the smallest of all Barcelona cruise ship docks and the most central. This terminal is next to Maremagnum mall, which is open daily all year, and from Cruise terminal M, it is a short walk to the old city of Barcelona
Top 10 Barcelona attractions
Tours of Barcelona
Where to stay in Barcelona
Getting to Barcelona city center from cruise terminals N (North) + S (South) and M
From these three terminals it is a short walk to Barcelona’s old city centre, where you can catch Barcelona taxis, or the Barcelona hop-on-hop-off buses.
Hotels near cruise ships & Moll Adossat Barcelona
Cruise ship terminals in Barcelona are all within 30 minutes from most hotel locations in the center of Barcelona. Many Barcelona cruise ship passengers prefer to stay in hotels near the Barcelona cruise ship port area and close to the medieval city center of Barcelona.
On the map below you can see a selection of the best reviewed hotels in Barcelona in the medium to expensive price range that are within a 15-20 minute radius by taxi cab from the cruise ship terminals in Barcelona.
Red tags are seven Barcelona cruise ship terminals, A, B, C, D, S, N, & M
Blue h2-H5 tags are 1 to 5 star hotels. Click for hotel information and to book
FULLSCREEN map Barcelona hotels near cruise ships
Search hotels
The hotel searches below are for hotels near to metro stations near cruise ships in Barcelona
Hotels near Drassanes metro
Hotels near Parallel metro station
Hotels near Barceloneta metro station
Taxi from Barcelona Airport to/from cruise ships
Registered black/yellow Barcelona taxi have a fixed price including luggage of €39 for the transfer from Barcelona Airport to or from Cruise ships terminals.
Check with your taxi first before leaving.
Barcelona cruise ship/airport transfers
Book Barcelona airport transfer. Read more about how to get to Barcelona Airport
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Sitges. Spain, Barcelona.
GlobEx > With Your Own Eyes > Sitges, Spain > Sitges, Spain, Barcelona
Page Content:
- Why is Sitges called “Sitges”?
- Sitges now.
- Carnival and other celebrations in Sitges.
- Carnival in Sitges (Carnestoltes).
- Vintage car rally.
- Gay parade in Sitges.
- Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.
- Big holiday – Festa Major.
- International Fantastic Film Festival.
- Sitges International Tango Festival.
- Port in Sitges.
- Dogs vs gays. A few personal impressions of Sitges.
Sitges (aka Sitges, aka Sitges, be afraid to make a mistake – then Sitges) is located about 36 kilometers from the center of Barcelona, Spain. The population of the city for 2018 was about 29000 people. Of these, approximately 35% are from the Scandinavian countries, England, France and the Netherlands.
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Why is Sitges called “Sitges”?
There are two versions of the origin of the city’s name:
- In these places there were large pits for storing grain, which are called sitja in Catalan. This name, as the family name of Sitges, was adopted by the family that owned the castle and town from the 12th century to 1308. Hence the name of the city.
- According to the second version, the name of the city also came from the surname of the owners, but it is believed that they already had the surname Sitges before taking possession.
Anyway, now we have the city of Sitges and this city many years ago had rulers by the name of Sitges. Sitges held the city until 1308, when it was sold to Bernat de Fonollar. In 1326 he died and left the city in his will to the charitable institution Pia Almoina. After 1814, the owners of the city are no longer mentioned.
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Sitges now.
The hallmark of Sitges at all times has been and is the medieval church of the Apostle Bartholomew and St. Theclae (Bartholomae I Theclae) , the patron saints of the city. The photo shows that the church was repeatedly completed, built on and added to in later times.
The church was built in the 14th century, but it is possible that another church already existed on this site, which was demolished or rebuilt. The temple does not shine with architectural delights, but thanks to the special harmony with its location, it leaves, I’m not afraid of this word, an indelible impression.
Being in Sitges you will be pulled here every day.
In 1699, an organ was installed in the temple, which is still in working condition.
Now, like hundreds of years ago, the church functions in full, services are held here, rituals and sacraments are performed. It’s nice to see that life goes on despite all the tragic vicissitudes of Spanish history in the 20th century.
Since the 1960s, Sitges has become the center of Spain’s counterculture and is known as “Ibiza in miniature”. As a result, tourism began to develop and an economic boom began in the city. At 19In the 1990s, Sitges developed into one of Europe’s most popular gay tourism destinations and remains so to this day.
As a result, real estate in Sitges has become worth more than 5,000 euros per square meter! Of course, the local population, which is mainly engaged in serving tourists, can no longer buy housing in their hometown, and young people are forced to migrate.
However, Sitges does not lose its special charm.
And the point here is not only the beauty of nature or the architectural quirks of the Middle Ages. No! All this is enough in other places in Spain. The main charm of Sitges lies in the warm atmosphere of a kind of peace reigning in its narrow old streets. Something like what is called incomprehensible word “aura”.
I love Turkey, but the evening at a Turkish resort is too busy and hectic. Here, no one is in a hurry, shop windows are nothing more than a brilliant decoration, and dinner is not a banal intake of calories, but above all a pleasant pastime.
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Carnival and other festivals in Sitges.
A tour to Sitges, in addition to the sea and the beach, can also bring you very vivid impressions of various holidays and all sorts of other events of which are held here in abundance – more than twenty a year. You just need to choose the right time to go there.
And here comes the first nuance – the dates of most holidays and events in Sitges are connected with the church calendar, which, as you know, depends on the lunar calendar.
Moreover, the Catholic calendar is not always clear for Orthodox Russia. A simple example: carnival starts on Fat Thursday and ends on Ash Wednesday!? Have you figured out what dates you need to book a tour to the carnival?
The second nuance is more understandable – the celebrations in Sitges are very popular and attract a lot of visitors. This is largely due to the fact that Sitges is the gay capital of Europe. The number of people who come to see and participate in the festivals of Sitges sometimes reaches several hundred thousand people. Accordingly, there are not enough rooms in the hotels of the town and their prices are noticeably increasing. Therefore, you need to book a hotel very early.
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Carnival in Sitges (Carnestoltes).
Globex travel agency would like to thank visitsitges.com for the provided photos.
Muchas Gracias!
What is carnival.
Carnival is a religious holiday Catholics preceding Lent.
An approximate analogue of it among Russian Orthodox Christians is Maslenitsa. The history of the modern carnival as a Catholic holiday began around the 13th century. But most likely it existed long before Christian times – it is very similar to the Roman Saturnalia.
On November 20, 1975, the caudillo of Spain, General Franco, died in Madrid (caudillo is “leader” in Spanish). Like all dictators, Fuhrers and other pretenders to the “fathers of the peoples”, he was suspicious of the people’s fun and especially the carnival, because during it it is traditional to criticize the government in a satirical form . Caudillo simply banned carnivals out of harm’s way. Naive! Three months after his death, in February 1976, the first revived carnival took place in Sitges! But!
The Catalans call their carnival not a carnival, but Carnestoltes . Legend has it that 700 years ago, a certain Carles de Can Torres lived in these places, who died exactly on Ash Wednesday.
It is not known exactly what else this husband was remarkable for, but his name remained in the memory of the people, only from centuries of use it was slightly reduced to Carnestoltes. Well, since carnivals end on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday or directly on Ash Wednesday, the Catalan people associated this holiday with the name Carnestoltes. Such is the legend.
By tradition, carnival is not just a holiday, but, like many other ancient traditions, it is also a competition. Now Sitges the main rivals at the carnival are two teams:
Societat Recreativa el Retiro
Casino Prado Suburense (Casino Prado is a society of culture and recreation, not roulette or other gambling!)
A hundred years ago, the main rivals were the society supporting industrialization and the opponents of industrialization.
In addition to the main rivals, there are also newer and not very promoted teams. Each of them strives to outperform the other teams in the ability to organize events, perform more original in parades and just show off costumes and fun.
When the carnival is held.
Sitges Carnival lasts seven days and six nights. It starts on Dijous Gras and ends on Ash Wednesday (Dies Cinerum) . If such a definition of dates tells you almost nothing, like me, then you can do the following:
- Find the date of the Catholic Easter on the Internet.
- Determine the date of Ash Wednesday, the last day of the carnival and the beginning of Lent. To do this, subtract 46 days from the date of Catholic Easter, the duration of the Catholic fast. Why do Catholics fast for 46 days and not 40? Because Catholics do not fast on Sundays and their number during fasting is exactly 6 days.
- Ash Wednesday date – 7 days = Fat Thursday date. On this day, the carnival begins.
The table of Ash Wednesday dates for the next 10 years can somewhat simplify the task:
| 7 2020 | 02/26/2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 02/17/2021 | |
| 2022 | 03/02/2022 | |
| 2023 | 02/14/2024 | |
| 2025 | 05. 03.2025 |
|
| 2026 | .2027 | |
| 2028 | 03/01/2028 | |
| 2029 | 02/14/2029 | |
| 2030 | 03/06/2030 |
In addition, the exact date of the Carnival in Sitges and the program of events are published at the end of December on visitsitges.com. True, it can be difficult to find it there, use the search on the site for the word “carnaval”.
But long before the official start of the carnival, preparatory events are held, at which the King and Queen of the carnival and other characters participating in it are chosen.
Carnival program in Sitges.
To an uninitiated person, which we are, the carnival seems to be one big disgrace. But in fact, he is subject to long-term and very stable traditions and customs. The main events of the carnival and their sequence are strictly defined. Changes can be in details and in secondary events.
Since it is not always possible to visit all the events of the carnival, I will give an example of a holiday program, according to which you can roughly choose the most interesting days for you.
| Day | Time | Location | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | 19:15 | Fragata | Colla145 |
| Arrival of His Majesty Carnestoltes, King of Carnival. The king, like the carnival in general, is called Carnestoltes – Carnestoltes. The king is accompanied by his retinue. Then Carnestoltes and his entourage march through the streets of Sitges to Cap de la Vila (Cap de la Vila – literally “head of the city”) where the King meets the Carnival Queen (Reina del Carnaval) with her retinue. All walk together along Calle Major to Plaza del Ayuntamiento (square in front of City Hall). Here the king takes over the city for the duration of the carnival and delivers the traditional Predicot speech. |
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| 21:30 | Teatre Casino Prado | Carrusel del Casino Prado | |
Xatonada is organized in honor of Their Majesties the King and Queen of the carnival. What is xatonada (transcription of shatonada, pronounced shatunade)? Chateau is a traditional salad of the Catalan peasants, which they prepared for the feast of the aging of young wine. The salad goes with olives, salted cod, anchovies, escarole (endive) and some other vegetables that are at hand. The main thing is to fill it with a special chateau sauce and serve with wine. Entrance fee – 40€, child 20€. |
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| 22:00 | Palau del Rei Moro | Agrupació de Balls Populars de Sitges | |
|
Folk chatonade. Distribution of the uncensored satirical magazine Gallofa. Visit to the Palau del Rey Moro by the King and Queen of Carnival. |
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| 22:00 | Teatro Societat Recreativa El Retiro | Societat Recreativa El Retiro | |
|
El Retiro dance chateau. With the participation of Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Carnival.  Entrance fee – 35€. |
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| Friday | 19:15 | Sitges | colla Bon Rotllo and colla Smile |
|
During the day of Their Majesties, the King and Queen of the Carnival visit schools, hospitals, charities, so that there is a carnival everywhere. |
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| 19:30 | Cap de la Vila | ||
| PREVIA D’ANTES Provisional – preparation for the preliminary procession. Those who came without a suit are given masks and hats. | |||
| 22:00 | Cap de la Vila | ||
| RUA D’ANTES is a small preliminary parade. The parade will be led by the Carnival King. | |||
| Saturday | 10:00 | City market | |
Their Majesties the King and Queen of Carnival with their retinues will visit the city market.
|
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| 10:00 | Cap de la Vila | Casino Prado Suburense | |
|
Carrera de Camas Disfrazadas. Bed racing. Race preparation. At 11:00 am the Queen and the Children’s Carnival Queen start the races. Race winners are awarded by Their Majesties. |
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| 13:30 | garden Sociedad Recreativa El Retiro | Barraques de Sitges, Sociedad Recreativa El Retiro | |
| VERMUT DEL FARDO. | |||
| 16:00 | gardens of the Recreativa El Retiro | Barraques de Sitges, Sociedad Recreativa El Retiro | |
|
CONCIERTO DEL FARDO. Fardo concert. |
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| 16:30 | Paseo de la Ribera | JAMM | |
|
TU FARDES, JO FARDO! Big Fardo Party with Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Carnival |
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| 10:00 – 22:00 | Plaza del Ayuntamiento | Markatú Batucada | |
TEQUEREQUE FESTA. Festival and parade of drummers. Celebration begins in the square in front of City Hall, then parade through the streets of Sitges. |
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| 21:00 | Teatre Casino Prado | Carrusel del Casino Prado | |
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Chatonade with the participation of Their Majesties the King and Queen of the carnival with retinues. |
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| Sunday | 12:00 | Sitges streets | |
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Rua Infantil. Children’s carnival parade. |
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| 14:30 – 18:00 | Paseo de la Ribera | ||
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Family events. Dancing, karaoke, sometimes live music. |
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| 19:30 | Sitges streets | ||
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RUA DE LA DISBAUXA Parade of debauchery. One of the most spectacular moments of the carnival.  Only for adults.
|
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| Monday | 10:30 – 14:00 | Parc de Can Bota | |
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QUITXALLA FEST. Children’s holiday. With the participation of Their Majesties the King, Queen and Children’s Carnival Queen. |
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| 17:00 | Teatro Casino Prado Suburense | ||
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MERIENDA CARNAVALESCA. Carnival treat for children. With the participation of Their Majesties the King, Queen and Children’s Carnival Queen. |
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| Tuesday | 15:00 | Sitges streets | |
|
Rua Infantil. Children’s carnival parade. At the end of the parade in the Theater Hall of the Retiro Recreational Society, a children’s costume ball. |
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| 21:00 | Sitges streets | ||
RUA DEL EXTERMINI. Extermination parade.
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| Ash Wednesday | 12:30 | Hort de Can Falç | |
| VERMUT DE LOS VIVOS. Vermouth live. | |||
| 16:00 – 17:00 | La Cantina d’El Retiro | Societat Recreativa El Retiro | |
| CAFÈ, COPA I PURO. Traditional coffee. | |||
| 18:30 | Sitges streets | ||
|
RUA DE SM CARNESTOLTES Parade of His Majesty the King of Carnival (Carnestoltes). Starts in the square in front of the City Hall with the King’s thanks to the carnival participants and runs through the streets to the Paseo de la Ribera promenade. There are surprises throughout the parade. |
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| 19:15 | Paseo de la Ribera | ||
|
ENTIERRO DE SM CARNESTOLTES. The funeral of His Majesty the Carnival King.  As a sign of the end of the carnival, His Majesty the Carnival King is buried and his will is read at the El Greco monument. LLEGADA DE LA SRA. CUARESMA. Meeting of Madam Great Lent. Then a small parade through the streets of the city. |
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| 21:00 | Teatro de la Societat Recreativa El Retiro | Societat Recreativa El Retiro | |
| XATONADA DE CLAUSURA. Closing Chatonade. | |||
| 21:00 | Teatro del Casino Prado | Casino Prado Suburense | |
| CENA DE CLAUSURA. Final dinner. | |||
Well, it is worth noting that the local gay diaspora and numerous guests of this orientation are very actively involved in carnival events. Thanks to this, the carnival in Sitges has grown from a local holiday to an international level.
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Vintage car rally.
Vintage Car Rally (Vintage Car Rally) Barcelona – Sitges held annually since 1959 . Until 1988, the rally was held during the carnival, but with its growing popularity, it has gone beyond it and is now held separately in March, usually from Saturday to Monday. On Saturday, the rally participants exhibit their cars in Barcelona, and on Sunday the race itself and the car show are held in Sitges.
Cars made before 1929 and motorcycles before 1939 take part in the rally. Car crews are dressed in early twentieth century outfits, which is a prerequisite for the crew’s admission to the run and gives the race an additional charm. The race itself lasts only 2-3 hours. The rest of the time is devoted to demonstrating cars, taking pictures and awarding the winners.
Winners are determined by “age” groups. The awards are given taking into account the safety of the car and the content of original parts.
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Sitges Gay Parade.
Gay Parade (Sitges Pride) in Sitges is a colorful event rivaling carnival in importance and crowds. Held annually for 5 days at the end of May beginning of June. The exact date is determined by the organizers of the parade and published on the Internet about six months before the start.
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Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.
In Spanish, the holiday is called Corpus Christi . The date of the holiday is the first Thursday after Trinity (Catholic), the 60th day after Easter. The celebration lasts for 4 days, during which the Flower Carpet Festival is held in Siges. The streets of the city are decorated with flower carpets, and the balconies and facades of houses are decorated with flowers. The tradition of this festival was started in 1918 by Mariano Carbonell and Antoni Clara, amateur gardeners who cultivated carnations. Since 1991, lovers of bonsai art (Els amics del Bonsai) have been participating in the festival, who also exhibit their works.
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Festa Major.
The patron saints of Sitges are the Apostle Saint Bartholomew (Sant Bartomeu) and Saint Thecla (Santa Tecla). The days of remembrance (name day) of these saints are August 24 and September 23, and they are celebrated in Sitges as City Day. Such a double holiday turned out, which is united by the single name Festa Majorenc, since they are not far from each other. Each holiday separately is called Festa Major and is celebrated on a large scale during the week according to approximately the same scenario – parades, dances, processions with huge puppets, castellers (pyramids of people), deafening fireworks.
St. Bartholomew’s Day has been documented since 1358! So this tradition is deeply rooted in Sitges and in terms of the degree of fun it quite competes with the carnival. But unlike the carnival, at this time in Sitges you can also swim and sunbathe.
The exact dates of the festival are published on the website sitgesfestamajor.
cat in Catalan. Yandex translator copes with it quite tolerably.
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International Fantastic Film Festival.
The official name of the festival is Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantastic de Catalunya and it takes place every year in early October. The festival is part of the European Federation of Fantastic Film Festivals, which, in addition to Sitges, unites similar festivals in Rome, Brussels, Porto, Luxembourg, Espoo and Amsterdam.
The festival began in 1968 with the International Week of Horror and Fantasy Films (Semana Internacional de Cine Fantastico y de Terror). The competition program appeared at the festival at 1971 years. The festival is held annually in October. All the attributes of such events – the red carpet, crowds of fans and autograph signing – are present. The official site of the festival is sitgesfilmfestival.com. Tickets can be purchased on the same site. The ticket price depends on the event and ranges from 6 to 40 euros.
Film festival venues.
Hotel Melia Sitges.
The headquarters of the festival, press conference rooms, offices of the organizers and the Tramuntana cinema with 400 seats are located here.
Auditori.
One of the largest and most modern cinemas in the Mediterranean. 1384 places.
Cine el Retiro.
Cinema in the center of Sitges with 600 seats.
Cine Prado.
Cinema in the old cultural center of Sitges with 450 seats.
Brigadoon – l’Escorxador (in the Noucentista building).
This building is a former slaughterhouse built in 1920. After renovation and reconstruction at 19In 1991, a multidisciplinary cultural center was opened here. During the festival, the work of the center is sharpened by festival screenings and takes the name of the Brigadoon cinema.
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Sitges International Tango Festival.
Every summer in Sitges the International Tango Festival was held.
This went on for 25 years. But… has now moved to and is now called “Barselona Tango Amigo”. The time of the event is September. The venue is the resort suburb of Barcelona Castelldefels. Festival website barselotangoamigo.com.
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Port in Sitges.
Strictly speaking, port in Sitges is not a port, but a marina, i.e. parking for yachts and other small boats (boats). But on the sign and in everyday life it is called the port – Port de Sitges “Aiquadolç”. (I don’t risk giving the Russian transcription of the name, because I don’t speak Catalan.) About 300 yachts and boats can be accommodated in the port-marina. Unlike the marina in neighboring Garraf, I have not seen the Blue Flag here, but it is possible that it happens here, as it is present on some stands and promotional materials.
You can rent a crewed yacht from the port of Sitges. If you have a license to sail a yacht, you can rent a motor boat with an engine from 70 hp here.
Prices start from 250 euros for 4 hours for 6 people.
If you don’t have a license, you can rent just such a small boat for 4-6 people with an engine up to 15 hp. Price for 4 hours from 120 euros. You can take 2 hours for 80 euros.
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Dogs vs gays. A few personal impressions of Sitges.
Impressions as the strength of the impression increases. (I apologize for some tautology.)
- The first thing you notice in Sitges is the huge garbage containers for separate waste collection. They cost batteries of 3 or 4 pieces and … smell. It is comforting that there are none in the old city, as the streets there are too narrow for these monsters.
- Lotteries are very popular in Sitges. They are sold both in stationary kiosks and right on the street. Sometimes there are even queues.
I confess when I saw what was at stake 90 000 000 (ninety million!!!) euros, I also had all sorts of stupid thoughts.
Saved only by the well-known phrase – “The lottery is a tax on fools”, the author, it seems, Francis Bacon.
- Gays – yes, they are. But as it turns out, they don’t bite.
- Dogs. This is perhaps the most vivid impression of Sitges. And you probably thought gay? Nope! Firstly, there are more dogs, and secondly, they are treated very tenderly, almost like children. One thing is alarming – all the dogs are somehow lethargic, they don’t bark, they don’t pull their owners towards oncoming dogs, they don’t lift their legs at the corners. There is a suspicion that they are castrated. But they do “big” things, everything is fine with that.
The owners immediately pull out the plastic bag and remove the product. If the product is liquid, then it cannot be completely removed and it is slightly smeared on the asphalt. Yes, there are spots…
Saved only by the well-known phrase – “The lottery is a tax on fools”, the author, it seems, Francis Bacon.
Tours in Sitges.
Russian tour operators do not currently offer package tours to Sitges. But we can make an individual tour for you.
Call!
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Publish date: January 17, 2020
New Year cruises
Meet New Year on the cruise ship is a great idea for an unforgettable holiday. After all, they say how you celebrate the New Year is how you will spend it. So if you, believing in this simple sign, want to fill the upcoming 2015 with travel and adventure, a cruise for the beginning of the year is the perfect solution.
Routes
By and large, going on a New Year’s cruise, you can celebrate the New Year literally anywhere in the world – of course, if there is a sea and a port for cruise ships. Cruise companies offer a wide variety of routes – across the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, around South America, Australia and New Zealand, Southeast Asia, etc. The list of destinations and route options is so wide that everyone will choose a cruise to their taste.
Istanbul. Bosphorus. Cruise ship “Costa Fascinosa”. Photo by: © Alexxx1979, commons.wikimedia.org
Someone will want to bask on December 31 in the warm tropical sun, and someone will be sorry to plunge into the magical winter atmosphere of European cities. A separate option is river cruises along the main waterways of Europe – the Danube, the Rhine. This is a great opportunity to explore old Europe, take a look at Budapest , Dresden or Paris from a completely different angle. Stops in major ports, visits to abbeys, castle ruins and wineries, cocktails and dancing on board become part of the cruise passenger’s daily schedule.
In any case, whichever cruise you choose, you can be sure that it will be a super-comfortable vessel, where many entertainments and ways to have a great time are thought out. Meals – full board (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, buffet for night owls).
Cabin of the cruise ship Carnival Valor.
Photo by: © ckramer, commons.wikimedia.org
If you are not afraid of cold weather, you can choose a winter Europe cruise with a visit to Italy , Spain , France . Modern cruise liners are ideally designed for any sailing region.
Entertainment on board
The main point of the New Year’s cruise program is, of course, the festive New Year’s banquet. The ship’s crew is preparing a New Year’s Eve dinner and a special show. Guests will certainly find a sea of champagne, gifts and surprises. Often there are fireworks at the end of the evening. The fun lasts until the morning (or until the last guest).
In the Pinnacle Grill seating area on the Eurodam cruise ship. Photo by: © Autopilot, commons.wikimedia.org
You can’t do without the traditional attributes of the New Year – a dressed up sparkling Christmas tree and Santa Claus with the Snow Maiden, especially if Russian tourists gather on the liner.
The liner’s chefs often use this technique: they serve dishes from the country or region where the New Year is celebrated. And the cruise unobtrusively takes on the features of a culinary show, which is especially appreciated by some gourmets. Sometimes guests are invited to take part in a masquerade, to wear carnival costumes corresponding to the theme of the party. Somewhere they arrange an incendiary disco, somewhere – an enchanting ball. Concerts, theatrical performances and competitions with prizes are held, live music is played. It has already become a tradition on cruise liners to make a solemn welcome speech by the captain of the ship. On behalf of the team, he congratulates the guests on the New Year and conveys his best wishes.
Explorer’s Bar on the Eurodam cruise ship. Photo by: © Autopilot, commons.wikimedia.org
For children, the New Year will definitely become the most beloved and long-awaited holiday if they spend it on the liner. A costumed ball with gifts, performances and musicals, a huge decorated Christmas tree – a holiday for boys and girls is guaranteed.
Cruise destinations
Popular Exotic Destinations – Caribbean & Bahamas , French Polynesia . The most interesting cruises in United Arab Emirates – this is the case when you become the hero of 1001 nights. Good cruises visiting Egypt , Jordan , Israel .
A cruise is not limited to permanent stay on board. Depending on the direction, cruises also include excursion programs on the coast, at the request of tourists.
Disney Dream cruise ship. Photo by: © Nozzleman75, commons.wikimedia.org
For example, the New Year’s big Western Mediterranean cruise runs along the route Civitavecchia / Rome , La Spezia / Pisa / Florence , Monte Carlo 055 Barcelona , Valencia , Cagliari , Palermo , Naples .
Duration – 12 days. How can you do without excursions to such cities, which acquire a special flavor in the post-Christmas period.
New Year cruises on the Baltic Sea from St. Petersburg are in demand. In addition to the festive program, guests can walk around the New Year’s Eve Helsinki , Stockholm , Tallinn .
Duration
The duration of a New Year’s cruise can range from 8 days (for example, in the Persian Gulf, UAE and Oman ) to three weeks (say, a cruise around South America, from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires , visiting the southernmost city in the world Ushuaia and calling at Falkland Islands and Antarctica). Cruises to Canary Islands depart from Barcelona .
15-day New Year’s Eve cruise to Australia and New Zealand includes visits to Sydney , Milford Sound, Dunedin , Christchurch , Wellington , Tauranga , Auckland .
Traveling in the Caribbean can take up to 12 days. One example route: Fort Lauderdale , Georgetown ( Cayman Island ), Cartagena , Colón , Lemon , Belize City , Cozumel 9006.
Carnival Cruise off the coast of Belize. Photo by: © Mikefairbanks, commons.wikimedia.org
Sea cruise in Southeast Asia is Singapore – Malaysia – Myanmar – Thailand . The route is: Yangon , Singapore , Malacca , Penang , Phuket , Porto Malai, Port Klang / Kuala Lumpur .
Helpful Hints
If you decide to go on a New Year’s cruise, we recommend that you choose a route and a long trip in advance. Firstly, the number of places on the liners is limited, and the later you start booking, the less likely it is to find a suitable cabin category.