Costa Dorada Holidays

  • Image
Play Video

Spain’s aptly-named Golden Coast is famous for its beaches, but they’re only a brief snapshot of holidays to the Costa Dorada.

The Golden Coast

Costa Dorada means ‘Golden Coast’ in Spanish, which is pretty fitting for a coastline that turns out 92 kilometres of caramel-hued sands along Catalonia. Running south from Barcelona, they’re warmed by 300 days of sunshine a year, and laced with every type of resort going.

Holiday resorts

Salou is a big hit with families, thanks to its Blue Flag beach and seafront fairground. Then you’ve got the quieter resorts of Cambrils and La Pineda. The former is home to a 9-kilometre stretch of white sand, and the latter has a waterpark, where little ones can play with sea lions. The town of Sitges takes a different approach to holidays. Known as the Brighton of Spain, it serves up great nightlife and hosts an annual film festival.

PortAventura, Tarragona and Barcelona

One of the Costa Dorada’s key attractions is PortAventura. Just outside Salou, Spain’s biggest theme park lines up sky-high rollercoasters, water rides and themed ‘worlds’. This part of Spain also puts you within easy reach of two of the country’s big cities. There’s Tarragona, with its impressive Roman ruins, and Barcelona, where Gaudi’s wacky architecture tops the bill.

Scenic countryside

The countryside here is ripe for exploring. Its mountains and green hills are home to must-sees like the Monastery of Montserrat, and the birdwatchers’ paradise of Ebre Delta – one of Europe’s best wetland reserves.

Places To Stay In Costa Dorada View all places to stay »

Cap de Salou

Cap de Salou sits pretty on a pine-fringed headland between Salou and La Pineda on Spain’s Costa Dorada, famous for its golden beaches. It’s a small, away-from-it-all kind of place with a compact portfolio of restaurants and friendly bars. You’ve got a best-of-both-worlds scenario here, with lively waterparks and buzzing nightlife on standby just along the coast.

Salou

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.

Cambrils

The Catalonian town of Cambrils is up in northeastern Spain, along the glamorous Costa Dorada. It’s a polished fishing village that’s retained its old town charm, which means a great mix – markets in the old town, nightlife on the promenade and Michelin-starred restaurants on tucked-away side streets. All this with fantastic Blue Flag beaches, and just a 80-minute drive to Catalonia’s capital, Barcelona.

PortAventura

Three million visitors flock to PortAventura, on the Costa Dorada, each year. The giant theme park – the most popular in Spain – is what brings most of them, but the town also boasts an expansive sandy beach, and lively bars and restaurants. For more excitement, Salou is just five minutes’ drive away and Barcelona's an hour on the train.

La Pineda

The Spanish have been flocking to La Pineda on the Costa Dorada for their holidays since the Fifties, and now the international set is discovering its charms. A vast stretch of golden sand is the town’s biggest draw, with the high-octane Aquapolis waterpark coming a close second. As for tempo, La Pineda is still fairly quiet compared to its lively neighbour Salou, though it’s more vibrant than its little sister village of Cambrils.

AT A GLANCE

  • Brave the rollercoasters at PortAventura
  • Relax on the Blue Flag sands of Salou Beach
  • Splash out in the boutiques of Barcelona
View full size images
 

View full size images
Map of Costa Dorada See places to go »

Weather

Average monthly temperature and rainfall for

TEMPERATURE (°C)RAINFALL (mm)

WHEN TO GO

In July and August, temperatures on the Costa Dorada typically hover between the mid-20s and the low-30s. But the beaches feel a bit cooler, thanks to the sea breeze. Highs range from 16°C to 18°C in spring and autumn, and drop to around 10°C in winter.

 

Things To Do View all »

Loading

Top 5 resorts in Costa Dorada

Top 5 hotels in Costa Dorada

Similar Destinations

You're in Safe Hands with TUI. TUI is licenced by the Commission for Aviation Regulation under Licence T.O. 021, we have arranged an approved bond, therefore your money is secure with us. TUI is the part of the TUI Group of Companies.