zarpeaPlanning · 6 min read
Barcelona to Sitges by boat: is there a ferry, and what's the best way by sea?
In short
Search for a ferry from Barcelona to Sitges and you'll find timetables, prices and booking pages. The catch: the ferry isn't running. Here's what happened to it, and the best ways to get to Sitges by sea today.
Is there a ferry from Barcelona to Sitges?
Not right now. In April 2016, BlueMar Ferries launched a line between Barcelona's Drassanes maritime station and Port d'Aiguadolç, Sitges marina, with a 300-passenger catamaran. The crossing took a little under an hour. Today the service is cancelled until further notice, and the ferry booking sites themselves say no ferries are sailing between the two.
| What | Source and date |
|---|---|
| The line opens between Drassanes and Sitges marina | Visit Sitges, April 2016 |
| “Cancelled until further notice” | Barcelona travel guide, July 2023 |
| “No ferries sailing between Barcelona and Sitges” | Ferry booking site, October 2026 |
As of October 2026, no ferry is running between Barcelona and Sitges.
What those “Barcelona–Sitges ferry” listings really are
Some activity websites still show a “high speed ferry” from Barcelona to Sitges. Look closer and it's a private boat trip lasting several hours, priced per group. Nothing wrong with that, but it's a charter, not a ferry. If you're comparing, check the total price for your group and which marina it actually leaves from.
How to get to Sitges by sea today
Go private: a boat with a skipper, only for your group, along one of the most beautiful stretches of coast near Barcelona.
From Port Ginesta, the marina closest to Barcelona
Port Ginesta sits where Castelldefels beach ends and the Garraf cliffs begin, 25 km from Barcelona on the C-32 (exit 42) and 10 km from the airport. According to the marina, it's 15 minutes south of the city. From there, Sitges is 4.8 nautical miles away by sea: about 15 minutes by motorboat, or around an hour under sail, with the wind in your face and the cliffs alongside.
On the way you pass Garraf beach, Cala Morisca and the hidden coves of the massif: every one, with its distance, is in our guide to the beaches near Sitges. For every trip from the marina, see boat hire from Port Ginesta.
Those crossing times are our own estimate, based on the straight-line distance. On the day, the skipper picks the route that suits the wind and the sea.
Or take the train and sail from Sitges
Prefer to start in Sitges? Take the R2 Sud from Barcelona and walk from the station to Port d'Aiguadolç, 10 minutes from the centre. Your boat is waiting, with the Garraf cliffs just outside the harbour: here's boat hire in Sitges.
What about a one-way trip?
Fancy being dropped off in Sitges and heading back to Barcelona by train? Trips start and end at the same marina, so ask us: tell us your date and group and we'll check it with the skipper.
Ferry, train, car or private boat: how they compare
| Option | Time |
|---|---|
| Ferry | Not running |
| Train, R2 Sud | Under an hour |
| Bus | 45–55 min |
| Car, C-32 | About 45 min, 38 km |
| Private boat from Port Ginesta | About 15 min by motorboat, around an hour under sail |
Bus and car times according to Visit Sitges, consulted in October 2026; boat times are our own estimate for the crossing alone.
- The train if you just want to get there, with no changes.
- The car if you're carrying luggage or heading on afterwards.
- The private boat if you want the journey to be the plan.
In a word: the train for getting there, the boat for the day you'll talk about.
Getting to Port Ginesta from Barcelona
- By car: C-32 motorway, exit 42. The quickest way from Barcelona and from the airport.
- By taxi: the easiest option with bags, door to door.
- By bus: the marina's website links a bus between Port Ginesta and Barcelona.
The train isn't the handiest option here: the nearest stations, Garraf and Platja de Castelldefels, are 1.9 and 2.9 km from the marina in a straight line. Car, taxi or bus, and you're at the pontoon.
More about the marina and where you meet the skipper on boat hire in Castelldefels. And on board, nobody needs a licence: every boat trip comes with a skipper, as our guide to boat licences in Spain explains.
Our pick
Half a day under sail from Port Ginesta to Sitges bay. You glide along the Garraf cliffs, stop for a swim in a cove, see Sitges rise from the water and sail back to the marina. Up to 7 of you on board, from €300 for the whole boat with the skipper.
Prefer the full picture first? See what a boat costs from Port Ginesta, or go straight to the sailing trips from Port Ginesta. Coming over for a hen or stag weekend? Here's how to plan a Sitges hen do.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a ferry from Barcelona to Sitges?
No. The line that linked Barcelona with Sitges marina from 2016 is cancelled until further notice, and as of October 2026 no ferry is running. To arrive by sea, the way to do it is a private boat with a skipper.
How long does it take to get from Barcelona to Sitges by boat?
The old ferry took a little under an hour. Today, from Port Ginesta, the marina closest to Barcelona, the 4.8 nautical miles to Sitges take about 15 minutes by motorboat or around an hour under sail, by our reckoning.
What's the best way to get from Barcelona to Sitges?
To simply get there, the R2 Sud train: under an hour, with no changes. If you want the journey to be the best part of the day, a private boat from Port Ginesta along the Garraf cliffs.
Can we sail from Barcelona city?
The trips we arrange leave from Port Ginesta, Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú. Port Ginesta is the closest to Barcelona: 25 km from the city and 10 km from the airport.
Can we do a one-way trip to Sitges?
Ask us. Trips start and end at the same marina, so tell us your date and group and we'll check a drop-off in Sitges with the skipper.
Do we need a boat licence?
No. The skipper sails the boat, so nobody in your group needs a licence.
How do I get back from Sitges to Barcelona?
On the R2 Sud train, from Sitges to Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or Estació de França, with no changes. By car, it's about 45 minutes on the C-32.
Sources and method
The facts in this guide come from public, official sources. Each one is linked so you can check it.
- Ferry launched on 16 April 2016 between the Drassanes maritime station in Barcelona and Port de Sitges–Aiguadolç, with a 300-passenger catamaran (Visit Sitges, article of 6 April 2016). Consulted 20 October 2026. visitsitges.com
- “El servicio del trayecto en Ferry entre Barcelona y Sitges está cancelado hasta nuevo aviso”; the crossing took “algo menos de una hora” (update of 1 July 2023). Consulted 20 October 2026. irbarcelona.com
- “There are currently no ferries sailing between Barcelona and Sitges”. Consulted 20 October 2026. directferries.co.uk
- Port Ginesta: “A 25 kms de Barcelona”, “situada a 15 minutos al sur de Barcelona”, “A 10 kms del Aeropuerto Internacional de Barcelona”, C-32 motorway exit 42, and a Port Ginesta–Barcelona bus. Consulted 20 October 2026. portginesta.com
- Straight-line distances measured on OpenStreetMap: Port Ginesta to Port d'Aiguadolç 4.8 nautical miles; Garraf station to Port Ginesta 1.9 km and Platja de Castelldefels station to Port Ginesta 2.9 km. Crossing times are our own estimate at 20 knots by motorboat and 5–6 knots under sail. openstreetmap.org
- Visit Sitges, the town's tourist board: by car, “a 38 km journey with an average duration of 45 minutes” on the C-32 (exit 30); by bus, “between 45 and 55 minutes depending on stops”; by train, the R2 Sud from Estació de França, Passeig de Gràcia and Sants (the page gives no journey time). Consulted 20 October 2026. visitsitges.com
- Port d'Aiguadolç: “a solo 10 minutos caminando del centro de Sitges”, a 10-minute walk from the town centre. Consulted 19 October 2026. portdesitges.com
- Real Decreto 1188/2025: a licence is needed to hire a boat and drive it yourself; with a skipper, nobody on board needs one. boe.es
Keep reading
Fancy arriving in Sitges by sea?
Tell us your date and how many of you there are. We'll find a boat with a skipper from Port Ginesta, next to Barcelona, and send you the options with their price.
- No commitment: you see the options first
- Professional skipper, no licence needed
- The whole boat for your group