Property Costa Dorado Spain

South of Barcelona, the Costa Dorado (Costa Daurada in Catalan) is a popular family destination like no other. Named for its 200 plus kilometers of golden beaches, this stretch of Spanish coast is an ideal mix of old and new, historic sites and theme parks, nightlife, sports and relaxation. In short, it is a great place for a holiday in the sun or a family vacation home.

The Costa Dorado, or Gold Coast, begins just south of Barcelona and travels down the Catalan coast past Tarragon. The climate is similar to the other northern Mediterranean areas, with warm, sunny days in the summer season that stretches from May through October. Spring and autumn are cooler and wetter, and winters are mild, and the busiest times here are June – August, typical of most of the Spanish costas.

Tarragon is the center of activity in this area, and there are several major resorts clustered just south of the city along the coast. Salou is the tourist capital of the Costa Dorado, with La Pineda and Cambrils also nearby. The town of Salou has high rise hotels, nightclubs and entertainment for every age. This modern resort has every amenity imaginable, and the nightlife here is known throughout the region. This is a purpose built holiday town that families with picky teenagers will love.

Salou is also the home of PortAventura, a theme park that was constructed in the 1990s. It is approximately an hour from Barcelona and is modeled on the Busch Gardens and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida. It is the largest theme park in Europe and even has its own train station on the line from Barcelona. There are five worlds and the Dragon Kahn roller coaster is one of the most well known in the world among thrill seekers.

Just to the north of Salou is La Pineda, a great family destination for those with younger kids or if you just want a quieter destination. There is an Aquopolis water park here, plus lots of sandy beaches which are nice for families. South down the coast from Salou is Cambrils, a nice change from the modern holiday towns. This town still has parts that are very Spanish in character with cobbled streets and tapas bars. The town was an old fishing village and boasts some of the best seafood restaurants anywhere.

Tarragona has boomed in recent years, thanks in large part to the popular resorts just south of the city. The city was originally built by the Romans on a rocky bluff as a military post. Now it is a major working city with an industrial port, but there are a number of museums and archeological sites to see. The old amphitheatre and aqueduct are both still standing just outside the city, and the Museu Nacional Arqueologic has an impressive collection of Roman artifacts.

Not far from Barcelona on the northern end of the coast is the city of Sitges, with no less than nine beaches from which to choose. This is also a popular town for nightlife and its proximity to the Catalan capital makes it an easy place to get to for people from the city. Just north of Sitges is the Parc Natural del Garraf, with a castle, farm and lots of natural scenery and paths.

Spain is one of the most popular destinations for golfing holidays and the Costa Dorado is no exception. Though not as packed full of courses as the southern costas, this part of the country has many courses for all abilities. Tarragona and the area around the city has several courses, including the Costa Dorado Golf Club and the Robert Trent Jones designed Bonmont-Terres Noves Golf Club. Some other courses are the Terramar Golf Club in Sitges and the Reus Aiguesverds Golf Club to the east of Tarragona, and there are many others within an easy drive of the coast.

Of course, being near Barcelona makes this coast an attractive one for anybody who lives or works in the city. Tarragona and the major resorts are only an hour south of Barcelona. From anywhere on the coast, going into the city is an easy drive or train trip; of course, the reverse is true as well.

The easiest way to get to the Costa Dorado is through the airport at Reus, seven kilometers west of Tarragona. The Reus Airport (REU) has grown with the surrounding area in recent years, and now hosts almost 2 million annual passengers. Most of the traffic comes during the summer with several low cost airlines flying here from the UK and Thomas Cook having numerous charter flights.

For year round access to the coast and all of Catalonia, Barcelona is the transportation center for the region. Barcelona Airport (BCN) is the major airport with flights from all over the UK, Europe and the world. There is also train service into the city and down the coast via RENFE, the state-run train network.

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