When telling Sitges people that you live in Olivella, you mostly hear back: ‘Olive … what? Where is that?’
Oh guys, you don’t know what you’re missing, if you only know the crowded beach side and haven’t seen the beautiful nature behind your doorstep.
Olivella is a village about 10 to 20 minutes from Sitges, 30-40 from the airport and 40-50 from Barcelona centre, located in the Garraf nature park amongst pine trees and vineyards. Olivella has a beautiful, picturesque little old village on the top of a hill, where you can find the church, the old town hall, a few houses, as well the increasingly famous food truck, Sendero.
During the weekend many people go hiking or biking and use the food truck as a start or finish point, or just stop by when needing a break during their tour.
Spreading out through the hills of Olivella, we find different urbanisations:
MAS MESTRE – The closest to Sant Pere de Ribes and Sitges. Therefore it’s the most famous part and I’ve even had requests for people searching for houses ‘in Mas Mestre, but please not Olivella’. Mas Mestre IS Olivella, I swear. Obviously the closest to the coast. The one with the public swimming pool and the fab restaurant-hotel called Masia Sumidors run by lovely English people – and they also offer a delicious, homemade Sunday roast.
LAS COLINAS – The urbanisation in the middle, with great houses and nice views. An archery field and lovely kids playgrounds can be found there.
MAS MILA – A kind of centre for the village. There is a great school called El Morsell, and which has excellent methods of teaching and learning [more info on it can be found by clicking here], as it is project based, with teamwork and ‘learning by doing’. Next door is a pharmacy, nursery, hairdressers, little supermarket, the post office, OAC and the DIY shop called Coferse Ferreteria.
CAN SURIA – The highest urbanisation and closest to the vineyards and Vilafranca del Penedès, where I have lived happily myself for more than 10 years. In Can Suria we meet regularly for a drink on the terrace of the restaurant Pa Torrat or we go for a walk or a bike ride starting at the water towers up the hill, where you have beautiful views over the Penedès wine region and the Montserrat mountain.
PLANA NOVELLA – high up in the hills. It’s so calm and peaceful there, that even the Buddhists decided to live there. Courses for meditation can be found here: Buddhist Monastery. Plana Novella is also the closest to Castelldefels, which can be reached in about 15 minutes by car, just crossing the hills. This area also offers great biking and hiking tours as well as a stop for good food and drinks at El Parador restaurant.
Also, let’s not forget the wild horses and donkeys we have in the Garraf park. Occasionally when we hike or bike through the hills we see wild horses or donkeys – and be warned, the donkeys love to join you during your walk! The Fundació Miranda takes good care of them.
You see, we have loads of variety and a good and healthy life in Olivella. Why would you not want to live up here in the Sitges hills? To sum it up:
- Great houses with gardens, views and pools, still at affordable prices.
- Tranquillity and nature around you, with a healthy micro-climate, no pollution.
- In just 20 minutes you are everywhere: Sitges, Vilanova, airport, Vilafranca, beaches, mountains
- The educationally advanced school.
- Sport in nature all year around, just on your doorstep.
- Going out in Sitges? Sure, it’s around the corner, but please let me have a rest the next day in my garden!
- Another pandemic lockdown? Honestly, being confined in Olivella was not too bad!
Marion Kuba runs Happy Expat, offering property sales, rentals and relocation services in the Garraf area (specifically Sitges, Sant Pere de Ribes, Olivella, Canyelles, Vilanova i la Geltru).
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