Nothing quite beats the thrill of cruising along the open road in a vintage classic with the fresh coastal breeze in your face. John Hillman discovers a rally in the Catalan capital, Barcelona, where like minded enthusiasts from across Europe converge.

If you are a genuine vintage car lover then the chances are you’ve already heard of the annual Sitges Vintage Car Rally.

Each March, as winter disappears and spring approaches, huge crowds flock to the Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona to admire this wonderful collection of cars, nearly all of which pre-date 1924.

Around 150 cars take part in the rally, many driven by enthusiasts who have come from the farthest corners of Europe to join in.

The 52nd Sitges Car Rally will begin the day after the Parc de la Ciutadella exhibition. The race starts at Plaza St. Juame in Barcelona at 11 a.m. on Sunday 21st March and ends 45 kilometres later at Sitges, a small town on the coast just south of Barcelona.

This really is one of the best events in Europe for anyone with a passion for these vintage classics, you’d have to go a long way to find such a rich and varied collection of 1920s automobiles anywhere else in the world.

Motoring enthusiasts can get to Barcelona with P&O Ferries either by catching the Portsmouth to Bilbao route and driving along the A68 to Zaragoza then catching the A2 to Barcelona. It’s a fantastic route through some of Spain’s most beautiful rural scenery.

A cheaper alternative – and more of an adventure – would be to catch the ferry from Dover to Calais and tour your way down through France, reliving the classic touring journeys of a bygone age.

Image credit: rallye sitges

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