The Sitges Carnival is, without a doubt, the queen of Carnival in Catalonia. Faced with the centrality of the carnival of Barcelona, the Sitges Carnival claims to be one of the most festive and fun in the country. Perhaps because of its marine spirit, perhaps because of the city’s love of fun? There is no clear reason, but the truth is that the costume party in the town of Garraf is one of the most entertaining.
One of the graces of this coastal carnival is that its festivities are extended, and where in most cities the big days (and nights) are celebrated on the weekend, in Sitges the big celebration comes just two days before Ash Wednesday, as if the Sitgetans were looking to squeeze the last hours before the end of the disbauxa.
Since always, those who know the Sitges Carnival have ignored the weekend, and have gone on Tuesday night towards the seaside town to celebrate the Rua del Extermini ( the name already advances events), to go on Wednesday to their duties shaking off the last remnants of the costume makeup, with tired eyes but with a smile on their mouths.
If you’ve already soaked up the carnival spirit and can’t wait for the best week of the year to arrive, we bring you the highlights of the Sitges Carnival program, so that you can enjoy the best days of the craziest party of the year to the fullest and in front of the sea.
The first carnival without glitter
Last year the Sitges carnival said goodbye to one of its most distinctive elements: glitter. This was due to new European Union regulations. The news came with the ban on the sale of glitter and exfoliating microbeads as an environmental measure to reduce microplastics.
Faced with this new situation Sitges was forced to reinvent itself, resigning itself to losing one of its most characteristic features: the brilli-brilli. One of the first measures was the use of biodegradable glitter, which is somewhat expensive. However, the party’s glitter will remain and other elements that will guarantee the glow of this town’s carnival will be feathers, glittery clothing and make-up with more vivid and colorful paints.
Proclamation of the Carnival Queens
After the Queens’ Evening held last Saturday, February 22, the identities of the two queens of Sitges Carnival 2025 are already known. The Carnival Queen will be Cansina Fardo and the children’s queen will be Clàudia Gaspà Marín.
The election of the children’s queen took place at the Casino Prado Suburense, in keeping with a tradition that this year celebrates its 31st anniversary and that once again took place accompanied by a great show of lights, dance and color.
For its part, the carnival queen was proclaimed in the Town Hall Square in a show that had a huge expectation. After the presentation of the queen, the float accompanied by his entourage starred in a first parade through the center of town.
Sitges Carnival 2025: The rúas not to be missed
As we said, after the weekend one of the most intense acts comes on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, when the Sitgetans sign up for the Rua de l’Extermini, with floats and groups of costumes strolling through the city and filling it with partying.
During the whole night of Tuesday the whole city is a party where all the streets are filled with dancing until dawn. The survivors can come on Wednesday afternoon to mourn and mourn the death of King Carnestoltes, say goodbye in his Burning Chapel and bury him in La Fragata Beach.
Then they can welcome, with a pout of sadness, Queen Lent, who will arrive to bring sanity and who, to ease the harshness of her arrival, will tour the town handing out sugary wind fritters.
Sitges Carnival Program: Outstanding Activities
From the arrival of ses majestats Carnestoltes and his entourage to the xatonadas workshops and the most important rúas. We leave you a selection of the most important activities of the Sitges Carnival so you don’t miss anything. You can consult the complete program of the festival on the Sitges tourism website.
Thursday 27th February
- 19:15h. ARRIVAL of His Majesty Carnestoltes I and his entourage. One hour before the countdown will begin at the Fragata. At the end, His Majesty Carnestoltes and his entourage will go to the Town Hall to take power, declaim the Proclamation and rule Sitges throughout the week. Route: Fragata, Paseo de la Ribera, Bonaire, Parellades, Cap de la Vila, Major and Town Hall.
- 21 h. Traditional XATONADAS: Xatonada El Retiro (21 h.), Xatonada-show at the Casino Prado(21:00h) and Xatonada Popular Agrupació de Balls Populars de Sitges (21:30h.)
Friday, February 28th
- 19:30 h. RUA D’ANTES, for the most nostalgic of the Sitges Carnival. Route: Cap de la Vila, Parellades, Bonaire, Paseo de la Ribera, La Fragata, Nou Street, Major and Cap de la Vila.
Saturday, March 1st
- 15 h. BUDDLE DANCE. Bale Saturday is one of the most distinctive days of the Sitges Carnival. Place: Paseo de la Ribera, swing area.
- 17:00 h – Festa Tequereque. Carnival percussion party through the streets of downtown Sitges.
Sunday, March 2nd
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12 h. CHILDREN’S STREET PARADE. Route: departure from the end of Avenida Sofia, Paseo de la Ribera (sea side), La Fragata and return along the Paseo de la Ribera (mountain side), Bassa Rodona, Plaza del Pou Vedre, Espalter, Sant Francesc and Cap de la Vila.
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19:30 h. RUA DE LA DISBAUXA of Sitges. Route: departure from the end of Avenida Sofia, Paseo de la Ribera (sea side), La Fragata, Paseo de la Ribera (mountain side), Bassa Rodona, Plaza del Pou Vedre, Espalter, Sant Francesc and Cap de la Vila.
- From 23 h. to 3:30 h. SITGES CARNIVAL PARTY. Capacity limited to 400 people. Place: Hort de Can Falç. Organized by: Sitges Town Hall.
Monday January 3rd
- 17 h. CHILDREN’S PARTY Snack for the children of the Casino Prado children’s groups and party with entertainment group. With the performance of the Children’s Queen. Place: Casino Prado
Tuesday, March 4th
- 12 h. Children’s RUA of the Sitges Carnival. Children’s parade of floats and children’s carnival groups. Route: Avenida Sofia, Paseo de la Ribera (sea side) to the height of the Plaza de la Fragata and back along the Paseo de la Ribera (mountain side), Bassa Rodona, Plaza del Pou Vedre, Espalter, Sant Francesc and Cap de la Vila.
- 21 h. RUA DEL EXTERMINI of Sitges. Parade of floats and adult carnival groups. Route: departure from the end of Avenida Sofia, Paseo de la Ribera (sea side), the frigate, Paseo de la Ribera (mountain side), Bassa Rodona, Plaza del Pou Vedre, Espalter, Sant Francesc and Cap de la Vila.
- From 11:00 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. SITGES CARNIVAL PARTY. Capacity limited to 400 people. Place: Hort de Can Falç. Organized by: Sitges Town Hall.
Ash Wednesday, March 5th
- From 16 h. to 17 h. COFFEE, DRINK AND CIGAR. Place: La Cantina de El Retiro. Organized by: Sociedad Recreativa El Retiro.
- 17.59 h. FORMATION OF THE MOURNING TO HIS MAJESTY CARNESTOLTES I. Master class of weeping, desolation and funeral liturgy. It is expected the attendance of all mourners Sitgetanes. Place: Societat Recreativa El Retiro
- 18:30 h. BURNING CHAPEL of His Majesty CARNESTOLTES I. Place: Casino Prado.
- 19 h. BURIAL of His Majesty Carnestoltes I. The procession will leave the street Francesc Gumà accompanied by his entourage and mourners who want to show their respect to our King of Carnival. With the participation of the Vella Cuaresma. Route: Francesc Gumà, Jesus, Cap de la Vila, Parellades, Bonaire, Paseo de la Ribera to the height of the monument to El Greco and the beach of the Frigate.
- ARRIVAL OF MRS. LENT At the end of the farewell of Her Majesty Carnestoltes, arrival of Mrs. Lent putting an end and sanity in the magnificent week of excesses and sins. Route: Paseo de la Ribera, Bonaire, Parellades and Cap de la Vila, where she will read her peculiar Manifesto of the Vegetable and sugared wind fritters will be distributed.
The best restaurants in Sitges for a gastronomic Carnival
If you haven’t been to Sitges, you’re already late. Whether you go for the Sitges Festival, for Carnival or just because, the Garraf town is one of the most beautiful in Catalonia. And for that reason, any occasion is perfect to visit it again, make a getaway and enjoy, obviously, a good meal.
And although Sitges is known for being a town that can be complicated gastronomically (high prices, tourist traps …) there are still a handful of places to eat amazing and enjoy the food as much as the walks through the city.