SALOU

Ready for fun

If entertainment is what you want from your holiday, Salou has it in spades. Set on Spain’s Costa Dorada, it’s got Europe’s biggest theme park on the doorstep and a waterpark just up the road. The place also sets a lively pace at night, with a big choice of bars and clubs. There’s plenty of relaxation to be had, too, though, on the town’s golden beaches.

A duo of beaches

You’ve got a choice of 2 main beaches here. On the west side of the port, the kilometre-long Playa Ponent is a spacious sandy stretch dotted with cafés. On the east side is the slightly longer Playa Llevant, which tops things off with a gym, volleyball and children’s playground. Watersports come as standard on either side.

Waterparks and theme parks

Salou is home to Adrenaline Park, where you can bungee rocket from 0 to 180km an hour in 1.3 seconds or race around the go-kart track. Over at Aquapolis, on the way to neighbouring La Pineda, there are water slides, along with some very interactive dolphins and sealions. And the mega PortAventura theme park is just 20 minutes away.

Daytrips to Tarragona and Barcelona

Ten minutes’ drive takes you to Tarragona, where there’s a Medieval citadel, an amphitheatre and a 12th-century cathedral to see. And for even more sights, there’s Barcelona – just 90 minutes away by train. Here, you’ll get a big hit of Gaudi with his La Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell, plus a chic marina and the famous Las Ramblas.