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Five things you simply must do in Salou!

Monday, 9th Jul 2012
by Annie Granger, Staff writer

Salou is the tourist capital of the Costa Dorada, the ‘Golden Coast’ that runs from Cunit to Alcanar, to the south of Catalonia’s main city Barcelona. Situated in the province of Tarragona, Salou is famous for its golden beaches but it also has a growing reputation as a perfect place for a family holiday.

Salou beach
Platja de Llevant is considered to be the main beach of Salou and is the longest at 1.2km

There are some things that you simply must do when you’re in Salou and we’re here to point you in the right direction…

1. Beaches

Let’s face it, beaches are one of the major draws of any Spanish holiday destination and Salou is no different. It has a string of fine, golden beaches, rocky cove hideaways and beach-side pedestrian promenades.

Llevant beach is considered to be the main beach of Salou and it is the longest at 1.2km. Sitting directly in front of the town, Llevant is flanked by the Jaume I Promenade – a beautiful landmark in itself – which runs alongside the entire stretch of beach. As the most popular beach in the area it has an abundance of amenities to make your trip as enjoyable as possible. There is access to toys to keep the kids happy and occupied; a beach sports zone; access to jet-ski, wind surfing, parasailing and sailing equipment and, for those of us more inclined towards relaxation, parasols, sun-loungers, pedalos and a beach bar. The beach is also equipped with showers, toilets, and first aid and lifesaving stations.

Llevant is flanked by the Jaume I Promenade, a beautiful landmark running alongside the entire beach

On the other side of the harbour that signals the end of Llevant beach is Ponent, which joins Salou with the neighbouring resort-town and beaches of Cambrils to the west. Ponent is a 1 kilometre stretch of fine golden sand that slopes gently into the crystal clear, shallow water making it an ideal place for children to play and paddle safely. It has similar amenities as Llevant and is boarded by its own promenade called Miramar.

East of Salou are the beaches of Capellans and Cala Llenguadets. Capellans is a 220 metre beach surrounded by natural cliffs which can be reached via carrer de Brusell-les. Cala Llenguadets is a cove of fine sand and shallow waters that can only be reached by foot. Use either the Camí de Ronda footpath, which runs alongside the coast, or carrer de Torrassa to get to the beach. These beaches, although small, still have very good facilities available to visitors.

Finally, if you are after something a bit more secluded perhaps try Llarga beach. Its position in Cap Salou, away from the main tourist hub, means that it is quieter than some of the other beaches mentioned. It is fringed with pine groves and is most easy reached via carrer de Replanells.

2. Port Aventura Park

If you are taking children with you to Salou you will most likely be interested in some of the more energetic pursuits that it has to offer. Port Aventura theme park should certainly be on your list of things to do. The thematically ambitious and intriguing park aims to take you on a journey through six different areas including the Mediterranean, Polynesia, China, Mexico, the Wild West and the most recently opened Sesame Street zone.

If you're with children, Port Aventura theme park should be on your 'must-see' list

The Mediterranean area recreates a fishing village using picturesque aspects from the nearby Costa Brava and Costa Daurada. Despite this calm setting, the main attraction here is the Furius Baco, a rollercoaster with a top speed of 135km/h. In Polynesia you can ride out a tropical storm on a catamaran or take a canoe through the jungle, while in China you will meet with Dragon Khan, a fearsome rollercoaster with eight vertical loops and a top speed of 110km/h. In Mexico, have a go on the Hurakan Condor; a 330ft high drop tower or walk through the Mayan temple in search of treasure. This is just a small selection of what is on offer in terms of attractions in the park and there are plenty of restaurants and shops in each area to make it a real day out.

During the summer months of June to August, single day passes cost 44€ and 38€ for adults and juniors respectively. A two day pass does not cost a considerable amount more at 54€ and 44€. The park is open from 10am until midnight during the summer.

3. Water Parks

Port Aventura is also home to an Aquatic Park. Rides include corkscrew water slides, a raging crazy river, water tunnels to ride with friends and genteel wave pools. There are also smaller rides more suitable for younger children and other indoor play areas. The Aquatic Park is open from 10.30am until 19.00pm during the summer.

Tutuki Splash is a firm favourite Port Aventura's Aquatic Park

But, if you want to venture a bit farther afield, another popular attraction is the Aquapolis Water Park. Situated in nearby La Pineda, Aquaopolis offers a range of waterslides, ring rapids and themed swimming pools as well as trampolines, activity lakes and a sports pool. In addition to these activities there are also daily dolphin and sea-lion shows. There is even the chance to book an interactive play session with the sea-lions under the tutelage of an expert trainer but these are limited in availability.

Day passes cost around £16 for children aged 0-8 and around £20 for children aged 9 and over and adults.

4. Karting Salous Adrenaline Park

Karting is great fun for all the family and at the Adrenaline Park in Salou you can kart until your heart’s content. Prices for young children (4-8 year olds) start at 10€; junior (9-13 year olds) prices start at 12€ and prices for adults start at 18€. If karting does not provide enough of an adrenaline rush, just jump into the Bungee Rocket – a contraption that shoots you 90 metres into the air. A ticket for two people to go on the Bungee Rocket costs 27€ and a further 8€ to purchase a DVD of the experience. The Park is located on the Autovia de Tarragona a Salou and there is a free bus service that can take you from Salou to the karting centre. Access the timetable and get further information on the Karting Salous website.

Font Iluminosa

5. Font Iluminosa

Located at the start of the Jaume I Promenade is the Font Iluminosa. The Font Iluminosa was created in 1973 by engineer Carles Buigas and it has become a distinctive and emblematic part of life in Salou. After sunset the beautiful fountains transform into an impressive, choreographed display of colourful light, water and music. More recently, Cybernetic fountains have been installed at the opposite end of the promenade much to the delight of tourists and locals.

These are just some of the things you simply must do in Salou and we hope you have a good time doing them!

Tags: aqua parks, beaches, costa dorada, kids, theme parks

Related holiday pages: Costa Dorada, Salou

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About the author

Annie Annie joined España Breaks in 2012 to source the best news and information from around Spain and manage the launch of "Hot Bits". She combines a love of Spain with a passion for writing, travel technology and a healthy addiction to social networking (she also runs our Twitter and Facebook pages)

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