Travel information

Dive right in or escape the crowds

A tourism boom in the region has generated oodles of family entertainment, dining and nightlife options: enough to occupy the two million or so flocking here for Salou holidays every year.

However, an all-inclusive holiday in Salou doesn’t have to mean packed-sardine-tin beaches and deckchair-to-deckchair hotel pools. Sure, there are busy areas, chiefly the PortAventura theme park resort, but it is possible to have a quieter holiday in Salou too – whether you spend your days exploring the attractive old town or dozing in your very own secluded cove.

Those who shun cheap holidays in Salou in favour of luxury Salou getaways can also tailor their own bespoke stay in this Spanish resort.

Golden sands and quiet coves

Salou is one of the key destinations on the Costa Dorada – literally ‘the Golden Coast’ – on the shoreline of Catalonia in the north east of Spain.

Awaiting you in Salou are long stretches of sunscreen-scented, family-friendly golden sands.

Llevant Beach is the largest of them and has specially designed areas for sports activities and kids’ clubs. If you crave a more relaxing holiday experience, quietude can be found at pine-ensconced, off-the-radar coves.

Rollicking rollercoaster rides

Beaches aside, there’s another reason why travellers flock to Salou: theme parks. An all-inclusive holiday in Salou promises plenty of fun at the sprawling PortAventura resort, which has some of the most hair-raising rollercoasters in Europe, including the loop-the-looping Dragon Khan.

The Caribe Aquatic Park is also part of the PortAventura complex. If you are planning family holidays in Salou, you may well find that the currently-in-the-works Ferrari Land (themed around the Italian supercar brand) will have opened by the time you arrive.                                                      

As the unofficial tourism capital of the Costa Dorada, you have to wonder what the Ancient Greeks or Romans, both of whom used Salou as a port, would make of it if they could see it in 2019. Shocked as we suspect they may be, we’re willing to bet that Salou’s good-time vibes would soon win them over.

When to go 

Salou is blessed with 300 days of sunshine a year. Winters are mild and summers hot, with an average annual temperature of 18C.

Because it is such a popular family destination, Salou teems with kids of all ages during the summer holidays. That means pricier flights and hotels, longer queues at PortAventura and, basically, less chance of getting a cheap holiday in Salou, though there are plenty of package holiday deals to Salou available for those who take advantage of early booking offers and last-minute getaways.

Events for your diary

There are plenty of events worth attending during Salou holidays, the biggest of them being the Golden Nights celebrations in summer, which features everything from castellers (human castles) to firework displays.

Every summer, from the end of June until the end of August, the PortAventura theme park has a huge nightly multimedia show, with fireworks, fountains and parade floats.