Cheap Holidays to Costa Dorada
Costa Dorada seduces any tourist just by the wonderful beaches. It is a truly beautiful stretch of Spain known as the ‘Gold Coast.’ There’s 150 miles of glittering golden sand, warm azure seas and plenty of promenades and marinas too. The holiday hotspots include Salou and Cambrils which offer the ultimate in a lazy relaxing holiday that couldn’t be further away from the office.
Although the beaches are the main attraction, there is a great deal more to discover. Salou is loved by families for its Blue Flag beach and seafront fairground. Then you’ve got quieter resorts of Cambrils and La Pineda. In Cambrils, you can play with the sea lions or head to the town Sitges, which is known as the Brighton of Spain.
Things to do
A Costa Dorada can be as slow or fast as you like. Portaventura is one big white knuckle ride, but if you’re more into spending with plastic, then head to Sitges or if it is culture you are looking for, then Barcelona is your place. Costa Dorada has the scope to be as flexible as you like. Whatever you decide to do, one thing is for sure you’ll head back home with an enviable tan!
Just outside Salou is Spain’s biggest theme park which combines thrilling rollercoasters with water rides and exotic themed lands. The Costa Dorada 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!
Spain is a great place to explore with its mountains and green hills. Within them, you can see the Monastery of Montserrat and the birdwatchers’ paradise of Ebre Delta, one of Europe’s best wetland reserves.
Shopping
In Salou, beach balls, lilos, sun cream, the bucket and spade shops are on tap. It’s also got its fair share of perfumeries, electrical stores and cheap leather shops.
The bus to Tarragona takes you to the main street, La Rambla Nova which is packed with exclusive Spanish boutiques, where you can spend an indecent amount of time trying on posh clothes and shoes.
Reus is another good Shopping venue, as the streets are lined with clothes shops and coffee houses. But the best place of all to shop in Spain, is Barcelona, with 35,000 shops to its name, it is a shopaholic’s dream.
Nightlife
Costa Dorada is great for a good night out. Salou comes alive after dark with its happy hours and neon lights. The liveliest of all the resorts, its main street is packed with British style pubs, karaoke bars and discos.
La Pineda is a great place too. There is a long strip of disco bars and cafes which run parallel to the beach and for hardcore clubbers, there’s Pacha, a super club at the edge of town.
The port, down in Tarragona is another party playground. By night the port area becomes a sea of people in gladrags. It is full of funky Spanish bars and glam drinking dens. These places will keep you entertained until around two ‘o’ clock in the morning!
Eating out
Food-wise, holidays to the Costa Dorada stay firmly focused on the sea. From seafront cafes to speciality fish restaurants, there’s certainly no shortage of opportunities to sample a Catalan fish stew or a steaming dish of paella.
Costa Dorada lives up to the claim of catering for all tastes. Salou has a good clutch of tapas bars and authentic Spanish restaurants, but it is more geared up to British palettes. You are just as likely to see toad in the hole as you are to see paella here.
To try traditional Spanish dishes, Cambrils is the place to head. It is still a working fishing port and each evening small, brightly coloured fishing boats weigh anchor in the harbour as fishermen bring ashore their catch of the day. It is here you can sample the delights of the Catalan fish stew. You really won’t get food fresher than this!