Port Ginesta (Sitges, Castelldefels)

Port Ginesta is a large marina on the coast just south of Barcelona, at the end of Castelldefels beach and the foot of the Garraf massif, in the municipality of Sitges. By car it is 25 km from Barcelona and 10 km from the airport, off exit 42 of the C-32 motorway; by train you take the R2 Sud to Castelldefels and finish by taxi or bike. The operator gives it 1,180 berths, 75 businesses and about ten restaurants, plus a small beach, Cala Ginesta, inside the port. It suits sailors, catamaran owners and anyone after a seafront lunch near Barcelona. Skip it if you want an old harbour town: this is a modern marina with a large car park.

Quick facts

• Names: Port Ginesta, also written Port de la Ginesta (Catalan) or Puerto Ginesta in Spanish.
• Where: Les Botigues de Sitges, 08860, on the Passeig Marítim between Castelldefels and Garraf (Barcelona province).
• Coordinates: 41.2591, 1.9238. Harbour mouth, as the operator gives it: 41°15’40” N, 1°55’20” E.
• Opened: 1986, enlarged in 2007, according to the Catalan tourist board.
• Berths: 1,180, according to the operator, for boats of 8 to 30 m, in 60,000 m² of water; 6,000 m² of that is set aside for catamarans.
• Harbour office: VHF channel 9, tel. +34 936 643 661 (operator).
• Entry: the quays, shops and restaurants are open to the public; parking is paid.

Access and parking

By car: take the C-32 motorway to exit 42. The operator puts the marina 25 km from Barcelona, 10 km from Barcelona airport and 150 km from the French border, and says the drive from Barcelona takes about 20 minutes on the C-32 or C-31 (Port Ginesta, restaurants page). It publishes a separate access sheet for long vehicles.

Parking: the operator runs a paid car park, open 24 hours, with more than 1,000 spaces, and sells annual passes to berth holders (general services). OpenStreetMap shows paid parking strips along the quays and some free street parking on the Passeig Marítim towards Castelldefels.

By train and bus: the operator points to the R2 Sud commuter line to Castelldefels, then a taxi or bike. On OpenStreetMap, Garraf station is 1.8 km and Platja de Castelldefels station 2.9 km away in a straight line, and the nearest bus stops, Pg. Marítim – Port Ginesta (line L94) and Pg. Marítim – Les Botigues (CF2), are about 0.7 km from the middle of the marina.

What to expect

A big, modern leisure port rather than a fishing harbour. The operator calls it a leading catamaran marina in Europe and the largest in Spain for berth rental and nautical services; those are its own claims. On the quays you find yacht brokers, charter firms, repair shops, sailmakers, a surf school and a sailing school among the businesses it lists (nautical services).

The port is also a place to eat. The operator’s restaurant guide lists places such as A Huevo (breakfast and Mediterranean food), Django (street food), Marisquería Santos (seafood and rice dishes), El Baobab (Italian-Senegalese), Abrasa Berri (grill and Basque food), Frankfurt Dima’s, Leggenda di Napoli, La Recalada and Palo Seco (leisure). The Catalan tourist board notes that the port is usually very lively in summer, at all hours (Catalunya.com).

Cala Ginesta: a small beach sits inside the port at the base of the Garraf natural park. Public access is through the port, along a path and dunes laid out by the landscape architect Bet Figueres (Port Ginesta, surroundings). Spain’s tourist board gives it as 100 m long and 45 m wide, golden sand and pebbles, calm water and busy (Spain.info).

For visiting boats

• Berths: 8 to 30 m; ask the office for longer boats. The tourist board warns that the port is usually full in summer, so visitors may struggle to find a place. Book through the operator’s form (rates and bookings).
• Boatyard: 10,000 m² of open hard standing and 1,500 m² under cover, two paint booths (200 m² and 300 m²), a 75-tonne travel lift, a 45-tonne amphibious hydraulic trailer for beams up to 12 m (for catamarans), and a 6-tonne crane.
• Fuel: diesel and unleaded petrol, self-service 24 hours.
• Also: showers and changing rooms, laundry, Wi-Fi across the port, waste collection and a diving service.
• Approach: from the north, the port is at the end of the long sandbank that starts at the mouth of the Llobregat; from the south, it appears after the white limestone cliffs of the Garraf massif. The transit quay is just before the quay with the harbour office and fuel station (Catalunya.com).

Harbour office hours (operator, checked November 2026): 15 April to 15 September, Monday to Saturday 9:00–14:00 and 15:30–18:00, Sundays and holidays 9:00–14:00. 16 September to 14 April, Monday to Friday 9:00–14:00 and 15:30–18:00, weekends and holidays 9:00–14:00. Rates are on the operator’s rate sheets; we do not repeat them here because they change.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

The tourist board describes the port as very lively in summer, at all hours, and Spain’s tourist board rates Cala Ginesta as busy, so come outside high summer or early in the day if you want calm. For sailors, book early for summer, when the tourist board says the marina is usually full. The harbour office keeps longer hours from mid-April to mid-September.

Nearby alternatives

• Castelldefels Castle, 5.3 km away: the castle above Castelldefels.
• Garraf Massif, 5.4 km away: the limestone natural park behind the marina.
• Gavà Mines, 8.5 km away: prehistoric mines and a museum park.
• Sitges, 9.7 km away: the seaside town south-west along the coast.
• Port Vell, 25.5 km away: Barcelona’s old harbour at the bottom of La Rambla.
• Port Olímpic, 27.1 km away: Barcelona’s 1992 Olympic marina, between two city beaches.

Distances are in a straight line from the middle of the marina.

FAQ

How do I get to Port Ginesta from Barcelona?

By car, take the C-32 to exit 42; the operator puts it about 20 minutes from Barcelona. By public transport, take the R2 Sud train to Castelldefels and a taxi, or a bus along the Passeig Marítim.

Is there parking at Port Ginesta?

Yes. The operator runs a paid car park with more than 1,000 spaces, open 24 hours.

Is there a beach at Port Ginesta?

Yes, Cala Ginesta, a small beach of sand and pebbles inside the port, about 100 m long. Access is free on foot through the port.

How many berths does Port Ginesta have?

1,180, according to the operator, for boats of 8 to 30 m, with water set aside for catamarans.

Are there restaurants at Port Ginesta?

Yes, about ten, from breakfast cafés to seafood restaurants, plus a supermarket.

Sources and freshness