Costa Dorada Holidays

The Costa Dorada (sometimes spelt Daurada) is to the south of Barcelona with the regional capital being Tarragona. The Costa Dorada name means golden coast which aptly describes its sandy beaches and it is far less rugged than the Costa Brava to the north. There are traditionally a number of small fishing villages in the region and some have become holiday resorts.

The most popular resort is Salou which has a large selection of hotels, restaurants shops and bars. It has a fantastic sandy beach and has a vibrant night life that make it a firm favourite. Salou has a long history and was used as a port as far back as the Roman times. It was also used to launch the invasion of the Balearic islands in the 13th century.

The impressive house pictured below is on the main sea front and was influenced by the Barcelona architect Gaudi

The PortAventura theme park which combines exciting rides like roller coasters with different themed settings including a Wild West town and other world themes including China.

There are also some water park complexes with pools and exciting water slides in the area

Further along the coast are quieter towns such as L Ametlla de Mar where the authentic fishing village atmosphere still pervades. It has that traditional town atmosphere yet it has that holiday atmosphere that is so appealing. The harbour area has the working boats and there are a number of alfresco restaurants to enjoy the locally caught fresh fish and sea food.

A lot of the Costa Dorada are new developments with a large number of hotels and apartments offering good value holidays with good facilities.