Boredom is absolutely impossible in the Costa Dorada holiday region. With a coastline of 216 kilometers, golden beaches, a huge water sports offer, hundreds of kilometers of cycling, mountain biking and hiking trails, popular seaside resorts such as Salou and Cambril, the spectacular PortAventura theme park which includes Ferrari Land and Caribe Aquatic Park, and a healthy portion of culture with, among other things, the Roman past of the city of Tarragona, this holiday region is very suitable for families with children. Nature lovers will get their money's worth with the Delta de L'Ebre National Park. An additional advantage:the sea slopes down very gradually and is therefore safe for the little ones.
Highest roller coasters in Europe
The highlight of a holiday on the Costa Dorada is a visit to the PortAventura theme park in Salou with the highest roller coasters in Europe, it is divided into six zones, each with its own theme and attractions. Several hotels are also located in the park. Two other parks are located within the PortAventura site for which a separate entrance fee applies:FerrariLand, which is entirely devoted to the legendary car brand, and Costa Caribe Aquatic Park, an immense water park. PortAventura is open until November 7, 2021, in July and August until 8 pm.
Splashing swimming fun
With many campsites and hotels along the coast, the beach is of course a great attraction for families with children. Kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, but also an educational boat trip to the beautiful natural park and wetland of the Ebro Delta are just a few of the many water sports activities. An exciting experience for children is swimming among hundreds of bluefin tuna about 5 km off the coast of Calafat.
The Aquopolis Costa Dorada water park is one of the best water parks in all of Spain – it is located in La Pineda, 5 minutes from Salou and 10 minutes from Cambrils. There is a good distribution of attractions for children under 10 and over 10. For the more adventurous there are attractions with names such as Surf Waimea, Spalsh, Kamikaze, Boomerang and Black Hole.
Hiking
To spend your entire holiday just on the beach would be a shame, given the beautiful hinterland of Costa Dorada. The region has numerous short (PR) and longer (GR) routes, including the GR92 which runs along the entire coast of the Costa Dorada. One route that is suitable for the whole family is the Cami de Ronda. Mountain lovers can go hiking in, for example, the Serra del Montsant Natural Park or Ports de Tortosa-Beseit. For short cultural walks, the Old Town Route and the Roman Route in Cambrils are recommended.
Salou
In the center of Salou you will find an adventure park of more than 8000 m² – Bosc Aventura. You can go ziplining, paintball, mini golf and archery. Children from 3 years old are welcome. For a bit of Max Verstappen feeling, go to the Karting Salou, a beautiful go-kart track with circuits for children aged 4 to 7, 7 to 13 and from 14 years.
If you want to let even more adrenaline rush through your body, you can step from your go-kart in the attraction 'Bungee Rocket', which swings you like a catapult to a height of 90 meters. Open daily from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm. https://kartingsalou.com/en/
Spooky
Legend has it that in previous centuries in the village of Pratdip about 7 kilometers from the coast, wolf-like red-eyed dogs roamed the streets at night attacking sheep, goats and even humans. This folk tale is so embedded that a tour has been made for children in which they have to look for the 'dips' (the wolf dogs) with the help of a map - there are 11 copies in the village.
Roman Tarrago after
For a day of culture, a visit to the city of Tarragona, where the Romans were once lord and master, is a must. Among the 14 complexes listed as World Heritage Sites are the Roman amphitheater of Tarraco, the Monument as Castellers, the ruins of the circus, city walls, the tower of the Scipios and the aqueduct de les Ferreres.
