Sitges,
30km south of Barcelona, is definitely the highlight of the Costa Daurada - the great weekend escape for young Barcelonans, who have created a resort very much in their own image. It's also a noted gay holiday destination, with a nightlife to match; indeed, if you don't like vigorous action of all kinds, you'd be wise to avoid Sitges in the summer: staid it isn't. As well as a certain style, the Barcelona trippers have brought with them the high prices from the Catalan capital, while finding anywhere to stay (at any price) can be a problem in summer unless you book well in advance. None of this deters the varied and generally well-heeled visitors, however, and nor should it, since Sitges as a sort of Barcelona-on-Sea is definitely worth experiencing.

It's the beach that brings most people to Sitges, and it's not hard to find, with two strands right in town, to the west of the church. From here, a succession of beaches of varying quality and crowdedness stretches west as far as the Hotel Terramar , a couple of kilometres down the coast. The Passeig Marítim runs all the way there, with beach bars, restaurants, showers and water-sports facilities along its length. Beyond the Terramar , following the rail line, you eventually reach the more notorious nudist beaches, a couple of which are exclusively gay.