Platja de la Bassa Rodona (Gay Beach)

About this place Platja de la Bassa Rodona (Gay Beach)

Platja de la Bassa Rodona is the gay beach of Sitges and by extension one of the most celebrated gay beaches in the Mediterranean. The beach sits between the old town promenade and the dramatic promontory topped by the church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla — the postcard image of Sitges — and occupies a central, visible, entirely unapologetic position in the town's geography. There is no hiding the gay beach in Sitges and no reason to try: the town's identity and economy are built on its gay visitors, and the beach is where that community assembles in the most public and celebratory way. From May through September the beach is reliably packed with gay sunbathers — a dense, sociable mix of day-trippers from Barcelona, week-long holidaymakers from Northern Europe, Spanish visitors, and the international contingent that makes Sitges one of the most linguistically diverse small towns in Spain. The promenade alongside the beach provides cafés, bars, and the continuous social activity of a beach scene that begins around 11am and runs until the first bars of Carrer del Pecat open in the evening. Sunbeds and parasols are available for hire. The beach is not officially designated as a gay beach but its character is so firmly established that the designation is unnecessary.