A Visit to Casa Bacardí in Sitges

I bet the coastal town of Sitges is a familiar place to many of you. When I moved to Barcelona three years ago, it was also my first day trip destination and after that I have been there numerous times. Sitges is mainly known because of its beautiful beach and old town as well as for its many cheerful happenings like the Carnival of Sitges, that is probably the best in Catalonia, and for the Sitges Gay Pride. 

A few weeks ago when I was there, instead of lying all day on the gorgeous beach, I decided to visit the Casa Bacardí. I have actually studied History in Universitat de Barcelona, so places like this with some old stories to tell always get me curious! As many of you know, Bacardí is the largest private and family owned spirits brand in the world. It was founded in 1862 in Santiago de Cuba as a rum distillery and today it owns more than 200 brands and labels. Actually the story of Bacardí starts in Sitges long before that. So, let me tell you a bit about my visit to the Bacardí House and what I have learned there!

So, Sitges is the hometown of Don Facundo Bacardí, the founder of one of the world´s most prestigious rum companies: Bacardí. This is of course also the reason why Casa Bacardí is located in Sitges. There is actually another Casa Bacardí in Puerto Rico, Bacardi Corporation was established there in 1936, but that's maybe too far for us to visit at the moment! Don Facundo Bacardí immigrated to Santiago de Cuba in 1830 and he set up business as a wine merchant and importer. The following years, he started to experiment with the distillation of rum. After years of experimentation with various ingredients, aging methods and blends, he achieved a breakthrough that revolutionized the manufacture of rum and eventually transformed it from a local Caribbean beverage into an internationally consumed premium rum! So, that´s a bit of a background.

The visit to Casa Bacardí starts with a guided tour inside the installations and you get to learn about Don Facundo and his family, the process of rum making as well as the different ways the master of Bacardí tried to improve his rum. You also get to taste the spirit, 3 different varieties, and compare the flavors.

It is only a small tour but interesting and easy to walk through. For me the historical perspective was the one that made me thin the most, how many Catalans moved to the Caribbean islands like Cuba and Puerto Rico to establish their companies and what made them leave. The main focus was still of course on the Bacardí family that managed to have a breakthrough whereas many others didn't. After the success of their company, the family wanted to give something back to their native town of Sitges and that's how Casa Bacardí was born in the first place.

After the tour you are lead to a chilling out Lounge Bar where you are shown how to make different cocktails: mojito, cubalibre and a new speciality of Bacardí that is released every month. After that comes the best part and you can make a cocktail yourself! I picked mojito, after a few hot hours on the beach it seemed the best idea. The class was very relaxed and fun and after preparing your own mojito with step by step instructions you can of course enjoy it in the bar or in the beautiful terrace. 

For me it was generally a very recommendable experience and a fun thing to include in your Sitges day trip. The price is 10 euros and you have to buy your tickets online in advance on their website. I think it's a good deal for making your own premium mojito, drinking it and learning the history behind it!

Love,

Sofi in Barcelona