The Costa Dorada  

The Costa Dorada, or golden coast, offers miles of wonderful golden sands, washed by the crystal clear blue Mediterranean Sea. Costa Dorada has a long stretch of coast, interspersed with sandy beaches and pretty coves. The resorts have a traditional seaside atmosphere and are excellent for families, especially since the recent addition of the Universal Mediterranea theme park resort. There is also an aqua park at La Pineda.

Costa Dorada is also within easy reach of the ancient Roman city of Tarragona and the vibrant regional capital of Barcelona. Tourist attractions include Gaudi's Cathedral, the Picasso Museum, and Las Ramblas.

Salou 

Salou is the biggest and most famous holiday resort along the Mediterranean Sea in Spain. Salou has a beautiful palm promenade with lots of shops, bars, restaurants and discos.
Salou is well known because of its great nightlife and the long sandy beaches with fine sand. Especially Platja de Llevant, just before the centre of Salou, is a popular beach. The nightlife is very diverse and has some typical Dutch and English bars. Outside Salou there are two districts, Cap Salou and La Pineda. La Pineda has a small centre.

Cambrils

Cambrils is located in the Spanish region of Catalonia on the Costa Dorada. The town has developed as a modern, international tourist destination whilst managing to retain the charm of a traditional Spanish fishing village. Its three biggest attractions are without doubt its golden beaches, its fabulous seafood restaurants and its proximity to the Universal Studios Port Aventura theme park. You'll find plenty to see and do here but this is a fairly relaxed resort.

Cambrils is easily reached via two international airports - Reus just 12 kilometres away and Barcelona which is about an hour's drive north east.

The many beaches here extend over nine kilometres. With fine sand gently shelving into the warm waters of the Mediterranean and plenty of watersports and beach activities, Cambrils is an ideal destination for families and beach buffs.

This is still a working fishing port and you can see the day's catch being landed and auctioned in the early evening. The town's seafood restaurants are renowned throughout Catalonia and the Spanish come to dine here from far and wide. Expect to pay above average prices in some of the better restaurants but compared with UK prices they still represent excellent value for money given the high quality of the cuisine.

Unlike Salou, a totally modern resort dedicated to the pleasure of international visitors, parts of Cambrils are still very Spanish in character with narrow, cobbled streets, ancient buildings and typical tapas bars.

If you're holidaying with youngsters, a visit to Port Aventura just three kilometres away is an absolute must. Ideally you should allow at least two days to take in all the attractions and entertainment at this Disneyworld-style park. Its most famous ride, the death-defying Dragon Khan roller coaster, dominates the skyline for miles around with its eight loop-the-loops. There are thrill rides, water chutes, shows and activities enough to keep everyone in the family happy.

The kids will also enjoy a day out at the water park at La Pineda, a resort six kilometres up the coast from Salou.

Cambrils is well placed for many fascinating day trips and excursions. Try to fit in at least one day in Barcelona which must surely rate as one of the world's most exciting cities with its Gaudi architecture, famous fountains, Olympic stadium and wonderful zoo.

The historic city of Tarragona, with its Roman aqueducts, monasteries and amphitheatres, is 17 kilometres along the coast.

The Salvador Dali museum at Figueres is a favourite tourist destination as is the breath taking Benedictine monastery perched high in the mountains to the north west of Barcelona.

The City of Tarragona

Tarragona is the capital of the Tarragonés.

This city was declared "World Heritage City" by UNESCO on the 30 of November of 2000 and from that point on, the city has made an intense effort to be more and more perfect to everyone!

The old city is built on the southern side of a rocky hill, 67 meters high, which slopes gently down to the sea on the left bank of the Francoli river. The old quarter, known as the Part Alta, is surrounded by Roman walls on three of its four sides. It is here that most of the city's historic monuments, religious and government buildings are located.

A pleasant broad avenue, the Rambla Nova, runs through the middle of the modern area, the last stretch commanding a fine view over the sea. It is part of the Eixample or "extension" district, built from the mid-19th century onwards following the demolition of part the old walls. At the southern end, round the Port of Tarragona, which handles very large amounts of commercial cargo, is the harbour area and beyond this again El Serrallo, a district of sailors and fishermen.

Historic Monuments
A good way to begin a tour of the old quarter or “Part Alta”, is by strolling along the Passeig Arqueologic to enjoy the pleasant view over the Camp de Tarragona. On one side of the promenade, opened in 1932, stand the impressive Roman Walls, 12 m high, built in the 2nd century.

The magnificent Romanesque-Gothic transition style Cathedral, built in the 12-14th centuries on the site of the ancient Roman temple, towers above the city. The unfinished façade is beautifully adorned with sculptures by Mestre Bartomeu (13th century).

The Part Alta also has other interesting features: Roman remains and Gothic buildings on the Plaça del Pallol, archways along the Carrer de la Merceria, the old Hospital de Santa Tecla, etc.

At the foot of the Part Alta, close to the sea, are the remains of the elliptically-shaped Roman Amphitheatre (lst century A.D.). Most of the gradins have been preserved and in the centre of the arena stand the ruins of the 12th century Romanesque church of Santa Maria del Miracle which was built on the site of an earlier Visigothic church. ThePasseig de Santa Clara or Passeig de les Palmeres overlooks the sea and runs into the Rambla Nova, a wide avenue with some interesting Modernist (Catalan Art Nouveau style) houses.

Eating, Shopping and Entertainment
The cuisine of Tarragona has a quite distinctive flavor. The tasty local dishes not surprisingly, are basically made from seafood, blended with the produce of the land: olive oil, hazelnuts, almonds, sweet peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, etc. Romesco is a much appreciated sauce made with just these ingredients and served mainly with fish but also with salads and broiled meats. Other fish dishes include rossejat (well browned rice or noodles cooked in fish broth), arròs negre (rice cooked in cuttlefish ink), and calamars amb xocolata (squid with chocolate). Sweets include menjar blanc (made from almond milk) and borraines amb mel.

Good shopping facilities exist in a number of areas: around the Market, and along the Rambla Nova and the pedestrian malls in the city centre. The Part Alta boasts numerous antique shops and there are several art galleries both in the centre and in the Part Alta. In addition to the usual leisure facilities -cinemas, theatres, concert halls, dance halls and discotheques-, Tarragona possesses a modern open air auditorium, the Camp de Mart, built against the city walls, which is the scene of Summer Festivals of music, dance and drama.

Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, located on the east coast of Spain. Much of the beautiful architecture is a legacy of Antoni Gaudi yet Barcelona is a modern city that is a favorite destination for city-breaks and a stopping-off point for yet luxury cruise liners. Barcelona is famed for its pedestrianised boulevards, Las Ramblas, made up of five wide streets, strung together and stretching from Placa Catalunya, the central square, to the Christopher Columbus monument at the harbour.

Las Ramblas is packed with buskers, flower stalls, mime artists and street vendors. The Barri Gotic, Gothic Quarter, is the heart of the medieval part of the city which. The Gothic cathedral dates to the 13th century. Barcelona has over 40 museums, many art galleries, theatres, music, dance and opera. The most visited museum is dedicated to Pablo Picasso, who came to the city at the age of 13. Barcelona boasts Spain's finest zoo, a water and safari park, a mountain top funfair accessed via a spectacular funicular railway and an impressive aquarium. The fountains of Barcelona provide a memorable sight with their dazzling music and light performances on summer evenings.