Costa Dorada Tourism Guide - Costa Dorada

Salou Costa Dorada Resort & Cap Salou, PortAventura & La Pineda Around Salou

Salou is the central resort hub on the Costa Dorada. Absolutely packed in peak season (which runs into the beginning of October here in bustling Salou), this resort is one of the liveliest family holiday resorts on the Costas! Holiday attractions Salou is certainly not short of, from a selection of great beaches, 8 in all with fine golden sands, offering a choice of watersports, several holiday districts, a long paseo maritim lined with bars and restaurants. Great for budget family beach holidays, Salou is popular with the British - there's a fair few British bars with satellite football to your hearts content here. Many of the larger Salou hotels and apartment complexes offer in-house entertainment and all-inclusive kids clubs. Just to the north of Salou sits the Costa Dorada's big adventure park - Port Aventura easily reached via excursion or local bus.

Just to the north of Salou, and essentially tagged onto it is attractive Cap Salou headland. You've a different holiday feel based here, as the Cap Salou headland is distinctive for its covering of pine woods and for its rocky coves. Further north of Salou are two of the most popular holiday attractions on the Cost Dorada - the PortAventura Amuseument & Leisure complex (including amusement park, golf courses, shows and more) and Aquopolis Waterpark. The family holiday resort of La Pineda, with indland old town Vila-Seca, is fast becoming as popular as Salou with its fine beach area and excellent tourist resort facilities.

Tarragona Spain Roman History, Tarragona's Medieval Old Town & Cathedral

Tarragona manages to be both a stylish contemporary and historic centre. You can combine both cultural and leisure pursuits here, touring Tarragona's many Roman and Medieval sights - its spectacular Medieval Gothic/Romanesque cathedral is particularly striking. Tarragona has a chic side too, with a devine choice of quality restaurants (seafood is particularly good here) and a choice of superb specialist and clothes shops along and off Rambla Nova. Tarragona's city beaches are pretty good too, as is its waterfront and excellent choice of museums including the Harbour Museum and Museum of Modern Art. Pick up one of the Tarragona Tourist Cards from tourist offices/kioks and hotels to enjoy discounts on entrance to museums and archaeological Roman sites as well as free use of urban transport, discounts on airport transfers and some discounts on leisure and in shops, bars and restaurants.

Tarragona's Roman period began when Cnaeus Cornelius Scipio landed here during the Second Punic War in 218BC. Initially he set up a garrison here at Tarragona, then proceeded from this Hispanic base to dominate the entire Iberian Peninsula. Tarragona then under the Romans became the centre of Spain through the second and first centuries BC. During the Second Century BC the Romans constructed walls, roads, a theatre and other buildings in Tarraco/Tarragona.

A visit to Tarragona's Archaeological Museum (alongside a tour of the adjacent Praetorium and Roman Circus) is highly recommended to get to grips with Tarragona's Roman roots and history. Most of the collections displayed inside are Roman, and this museum really does form the centre for the history of Roman life, architecture, art, food, circus, theatre and more once prevalent on the Iberian peninsula.

Cambrils Costa Dorada Resort

Cambrils is Salou's quieter Costa Dorada resort neighbour, but things are still pretty lively here in picturesque Cambrils in peak season especially. Renowned for its excellent seafood restaurants - Cambrils has a thriving fishing industry and heritage, this resort also has a delightful harbour area and borders the Parc de Sama just inland. Cambrils has 9 glorious km of beach space with adjoining beach promenade popular for both strolling and cycling. Blue flag beaches all the way here at Cambrils, combined with a pretty marina area and a selection of Roman and Medieval remains. Cambrils serves as a better out of summer season base, with its fine restaurants, historic sites and easy access south towards the Ebro Delta, and north to Tarragona. During the summer season Cambrils, alongside Salou and La Pineda, is one of the Costa Dorada's most popular resorts. Bus Plana run a regular bus route from Cambrils to Salou, La Pineda and Port Aventura Adventure Park as well as Acropolis Waterpark, plus further excursions north to Tarragona, Barcelona and Sitges.

Inland Costa Dorada - Reus Modernisme & Gaudi Centre & Lleida

The historic medieval architecture of Girona and the Roman remains at Tarragona are well known to visitors holidaying on the Costa Dorada. There's more however - have you heard about Lleida's spectacular Romanesque Gothic Cathedral, not to mention its great arts and shopping scene.

Inland Reus, north west of Tarragona claims the main Costa Dorada airport - Reus Airport has seen passenger numbers more than double in the last 10 years, serving both the Costa Dorada resorts and main cities Reus itself alongside Lleida and Tarragona. Reus in the late 19th/early 20th centuries was Catalonia's second big Modernista centre to Barcelona, and birthplace of the master Gaudi himself. A huge selection of Modernista architecture is here to see in Reus, both municipal and private residences. It's all nicely packaged now under the heading of the Reus Modernista Route - not to be missed for Gaudia and Modernista fans!

Peniscola, Alcossebre, Castellon & the Costa Del Azahar

Peniscola is a Spanish resort which blends history and culture with stunning beaches and a superb choice of leisure facilities and quality tourist services. Situated at the northern end of the Costa del Azahar north of Valencia and growing Castellon, the medieval fortifications, old town and castle at Peniscola give this resort a unique historical edge.

Visitors to Peniscola can access the sublime Sierra de Irta Nature Reserve running for 15km parallel to the Peniscola coastal stretch. Both mountain biking and hiking are popular in this protected area which is home to the hermitages of Saint Antoni Abad and Saint Lucia, dating from the 17th century. The choice of outdoor leisure activities here on the Costa del Azahar is excellent (sailing is particularly popular here), with both spectacular natural park and coastal territory close to hand. Peniscola also benefits from a good choice of family holiday attractions including a mini waterpark, tourist train and more, plus plenty of restaurants bars and shops lining its long and wide beach promenade. Peniscola's central location between Valencia and Tarragona and the Costa Dorada means you've easy access to attractions in both including Valencia's huge aquarium within the City of Arts and Sciences complex and the Waterparks and tourist attractions around Salou and indeed south in the Costa Blanca.

Alcossebre (or Alcoceber English) is a booming resort on the Costa del Azahar, situated just to the south of Peniscola. With its five glorious beaches of fine sands, a bustling pretty marina at Las Fuentes urbanization, a selection of surrounding historical monuments such as Xivert Castle and the Sierra de Irta right on its doorstep, Alcossebre is attracting much interest from increasing numbers of visitors.

The Costa Del Azahar stretch of coast from Vinaros in the north down to Chilches and Almenara sits within the Valencia region. The area includes resort hotspots such as Peniscola, Alcossebre and stunning Benicassim. Outside of these lively resorts the area remains for the moment still relatively undiscovered. Castellon's Airport is set to open in 2008 so the area is expected to get a lot busier in the near future. Costa Azahar capital Castellon has a heritage in textiles and tiles/ceramics. Find out more at the Museu Belles Artes in Castellon where a huge display of the city's ceramics form part of the exhibits, which also include some impressive fine art. The Costa del Azahar is renowned for its stunning beaches, particularly at Benicassim which is as popular with the Spanish as increasingly international visitors.

Costa Dorada South Tortosa & the Ebro Delta, East Dorada El Vendrell

South of Salou towards Peniscola and the Costa del Azahar stretches one of the most beautiful areas of coast on the Costas. The shores just south of Tortosa are home to the Ebro River Delta. To explore the area head first to the visitor centre and ecomuseum at Deltebre. The Ebro Delta is now a protected park south of Tortosa, and home to numerous migratory birds. Tortosa's historic castle overlooks Spain's longest river the Ebro - the only river in Spain to empty into the Mediterranean. Beautiful Tortosa has long been prized as a strategic stronghold, situated as it is on the banks of the Ebro. Between Tortosa and Cambrils, peaceful L'Hospitalet de l'Infant makes for a superb quiet resort base, with stunning beaches and mountain backdrop. Naturism is also rather popular here in Hospitalet.

If you're preference is for a distinctly chic Spanish seaside location with a cultural edge then the Costa Dorada East locations of Calafell, El Vendrell and Coma Ruga will suit you well. Alongside fine beaches and distinctly Spanish bases with Modernist twists - you'll find plenty of modernist architecture along Coma-Ruga's maritim, El Vendrell is a centre for arts and specifically classical music festivals and events. El Vendrell boats a particularly famous son - the Spanish cellist and conductor Pablo Casals, famous especially for his recordings of Bach Cello Suites recorded between 1936 and 1939. You're close to Barcelona here too, with easy access into the city for Barcelona daytrips.

Sitges & the Costa del Garraf

Sitges has long been a favourite with the art world. Modernista artist Santiago Rusinol set up shop here with house and studio in the 1890s. His house is now the Museu Cau Ferrat with work by El Greco, Picasso and Ramon Casas as well as some of Rusinol's work on display. Close to Barcelona to the north, Sitges is home to numerous Modernista buildings and has three Museums.

Alongside a cultural and artistic edge, Sitges attracts a great mix of visitors. A popular gay scene hub, Sitges has a pumping nightlife, a selection of superb restaurants, chic shops and off the wall boutiques, a fine long esplanade stretching for 3km parallel to Sitges beaches and 17 beautiful beach areas, 11 of which cluster around the urban centre. You've easy access into Barcelona too from Sitges Renfe station for Barcelona sightseeing and tours. To reach Sitges from Barcelona Airport, change at El Prat de Llobregat Barcelona Station to pick-up direct trains to Sitges.