Costa Dorada Tourism Guide - Around Salou

La Pineda/Vila-Seca Tourist Guide

The blending of oldtown interior - in this case Vila-Seca and more tourist coastal base - La Pineda always works well. La Pineda is picking up speed as a Costa Dorada resort of choice for families. With 2.4km long beach promenade and stunning flat level sandy beach area, plus the Costa Dorada's two top holiday attractions Aquopolis Waterpark and PorAventura Amusement and Leisure Park are on La Pineda's doorstep.

Vila-seca has become somewhat of an archaeological centre on the Costa Daurada. There's a selection of Roman remains and sights in the area including thermal Roman baths, Roman villas and the ruins of Callipolis. Being so close to Roman Tarragona, it's not surprising that Vila Seca has revealed further Roman remains and artefacts (some of which are now held in Tarragona's National Archaeological museum).

La Pineda has grown fast in the last decade, with tourism booming here especially on the Costa Dorada family holiday front! La Pineda's beach area consists of three sections - Els Prats, La Pineda and El Raco beach, forming together one long beach strip of nearly 3.5km. Hotels, bars and restaurants back onto the beach area. See the La Pineda Tourist webguide right for more details on beach services including services for visitors with disabilities).

Vila Seca/La Pineda Tourist Information, Pg. Pau Casals, 118-43481 La Pineda. Tel. 977371712.

Around Salou - Port Aventura Amusement Leisure Complex & Aquopolis Waterpark

PortAventura is pretty much a Costa Dorada resort in its own right. Hotels, adjacent beach and numerous restaurants and bars sit on the site of this entertainment and leisure complex (see listings here on Iknow Spain in Around Salou for hotel choice within PortAventura). More like a Disney styled resort than just an amusement park, PortAventura has all inclusive hotels, a beach club, an Aquatic park and amusement park with fun rides all on-site. Its got a real edge this amusement park complex, split as it is into several themed areas including China, Mexico, Polynesi, the Wild West and a Catalan fishing village thrown in. Demanding probably more than a one day visit (the kids' will want to go back!) there' much to cram in. Some of the rides here are guaranteed adrenalin rushes - take the Furius Baco for example which thrusts you from 0 to 135km/h in 3 sections on a loop! The shows and rides carry on into night-time too - PortAventura is a 24/7 fun park. Pre-buy tickets online via the PortAventura weblink right.

See the PortAventura webguide right for more details on rides and attractions. Visitors come to this amusement park from the resorts of both the Costa Dorada and Costa Brava in peak season, so as you can imagine it gets busy. If you're based on-site though, you can dip into PortAventura when you like! Each themed area has its own restaurants and facilities. PortAventura also has three excellent golf courses on-site.

Costa Dorada's main waterpark is in the La Pineda area near Salou (buses run regularly from Salou and Costa Dorada resorts to it). Great waterslides and attractions are here with old favourites - Splash and Kamikazes, plus mini golf, water pool areas for the tots, the triple slide Aquamania and river rapids and a wave pool.

Aquopolis Waterpark Costa Daurada, Passeig Pau Casals, 65 La Pineda, Vila Seca. Tel. 977 37 1640-41. (weblink right for more details).