Sitges to Vilanova Walk: Scenic Coastal Trail near Barcelona

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The Sitges to Vilanova walk was one of my favorite coastal walks near Barcelona, but there’s one thing I wish I’d known before starting: give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.

The walk itself took us around three hours at a relaxed pace, including plenty of photo stops. But we started too late in the day, and I regretted not having enough time to stop at some of the little beaches and coves for a swim along the way.

The roughly 7 km trail follows the Mediterranean coast from Sitges to Vilanova i la Geltrú, with beautiful sea views almost the entire way. It’s not particularly well signposted, though, and there were a few points where the route wasn’t obvious.

In this guide, I’ll show you how we followed the Sitges to Vilanova coastal trail, what to expect along the way, and what I’d do differently next time.

Table of Contents

What to Know Before You Go

Before setting off, here are the main things I think you should know about the walk:

Distance: Around 7 km
Walking time: About 3 hours at a relaxed pace with photo stops. If you want to stop for swims or spend time at the beaches, I’d allow considerably longer.
Difficulty: Fairly easy, but the trail is uneven and rocky in places
Trail: A mix of coastal paths, pebbles, stones, and beach sections
Signage: Limited, so the route isn’t always obvious
Shoes: I recommend sneakers or hiking sandals, don’t go in flip-flops
Water: Bring enough with you, there’s no place to buy water along the trail
Swimming: There are several small beaches and coves along the way, so bring a swimsuit if the weather is warm

Scenic Coastal Walk from Sitges to Vilanova i la Geltrú near Barcelona

Watch this video on YouTube

How to Follow the Sitges to Vilanova Coastal Walk

The trail isn’t always well signposted, so there were a few moments when we weren’t completely sure we were going the right way. The most useful thing to remember is to stay on the ocean side of the train tracks as you make your way toward Vilanova.

1. Start Along the Sitges Promenade

From Sitges, head south along the waterfront with the sea on your left. You can walk along the promenade or directly on the beach.

Continue until you reach the end of the promenade near Hotel Sunway Playa Golf & Spa and the golf course.

2. Continue Along the Beach

Once the promenade ends, head down onto the beach and continue following the coastline.

This is where the walk starts to feel more like a coastal trail rather than a stroll along the Sitges waterfront.

3. Follow the Coastal Paths

As you continue, you’ll come across a few different paths. We found that some climbed slightly higher while others stayed closer to the water, but they eventually joined together again.

This was also one of my favorite parts of the walk, with beautiful views along the coast and little beaches and coves along the way.

View of the coast on the Sitges to Vilanova walk

4. Stay on the Ocean Side of the Train Tracks

This is the most important thing I’d remember when navigating the trail: don’t cross to the inland side of the railway tracks.

There are sections where the path runs surprisingly close to the railway, so pay attention to your surroundings and be careful as you walk.

5. Continue Into Vilanova i la Geltrú

Eventually, the trail brings you into Vilanova. From here, you can continue into town if you want to explore or head to the train station for the journey back to Sitges or Barcelona.

We took the train back to Sitges after finishing the walk, which made the whole hike really easy to do without needing to retrace our steps.

Beach in Vilanova, the end point of the beach walk near Barcelona

Beaches and Swimming Along the Walk

One thing I’d definitely do differently next time is start earlier and leave more time for swimming.

There are several small beaches and coves along the Sitges to Vilanova walk, and we kept passing places where I would have loved to stop. Unfortunately, we started too late and didn’t really have enough time.

If you’re walking in warm weather, pack a swimsuit and towel and plan for the hike to take longer than three hours. I’d treat the beaches as part of the experience rather than rushing past them just to finish the trail.

View of the hike from Sitges to Vilanova

Should You Walk From Sitges to Vilanova or Vilanova to Sitges?

I walked the trail from Sitges to Vilanova, and there’s nothing wrong with doing it in that direction. If you’re staying in Sitges, that’s probably how I’d do it again: start walking from town and simply take the train back from Vilanova afterward.

However, if you’re coming from Barcelona for the day, I’d actually reverse the route. I’d take the train to Vilanova in the morning, walk the coastal trail to Sitges, and then spend the rest of the day having lunch, exploring the Old Town, or relaxing at the beach.

I explain exactly how I’d plan it in my Barcelona to Sitges day trip itinerary.

Barcelona beach walk, View of the hike from Sitges to Vilanova

Doing the Coastal Walk as a Day Trip From Barcelona?

The Sitges to Vilanova walk is easy to turn into a full day trip from Barcelona since both towns are connected by train.

If I were planning the day again, I’d actually do the hike in reverse: take the train from Barcelona to Vilanova, walk the coastal trail to Sitges, and spend the rest of the day exploring the Old Town, having lunch, or relaxing at the beach before taking the train back to Barcelona.

That way, the hike becomes part of the day rather than the whole day.

If you want to follow this route, check out my Barcelona to Sitges day trip itinerary for exactly how I’d plan it.

Tina Riegelnegg

Tina Riegelnegg is the founder of Veganderlust. She's a vegan with wanderlust, who shares tips and stories from her travels to 31 countries as a vegan minimalist. After 2.5 years of full-time travel with just a personal item-sized bag, she’s now based in Vienna, helping fellow travelers explore the world with ease and compassion.