A Costa Daurada travel guide – golden sands, waterpark fun and medieval towns

On Costa Daurada holidays you can sunbathe on sandy beaches, splash about in aqua parks or sample a drop of sparkling cava wine. Book a Costa Daurada hotel in town for medieval castles and modernist architecture, or by the sea for watersports and outdoor fun.

Get your bearings

The Costa Daurada is located in southern Catalonia, Spain’s most north-eastern province, spreading south from seaside Cunit to l’Almadrava. Golden beaches and sandy bays lead to the capital Tarragona, where the town sits on cliffs overlooking the beach. Further south Salou’s beaches sweep round to Cambrils, while coves cluster near Miami Platja, and in L’Hospitalet de L’Infant sandy beaches merge with rocky shoreline. Inland lie mountains that stretch northeast from the Serra del Mar to Montsant Natural Park and the Prades Mountains. Vineyards are dotted across the lower slopes and valleys around Falset, Montblanc and El Vendrell.

Sunbathing and spas

Salou is a popular resort for Costa Daurada holidays where you can relax on blue-flag beaches and stroll along the palm-lined promenade to the fine sand of Cambrils. Venture south to Miami Platja’s tree-lined coves or north to sunbathe on Torredembarra’s sand dunes and amble down tranquil Altafulla’s promenade. Nearby nature tours take in the bird life of the Gaía River Estuary Wildlife Reserve. After a day in the sun you can wind down with some pampering at a Costa Daurada spa hotel in Montbrió del Camp or El Vendrell.

Sailing and cycling

The energy level moves up a notch at Port Aventure theme park with thrilling water rides, golf and its own hotels. The Costa Daurada has other golf courses in Reus, Tarragona and beyond. Watersports, sailing schools and yacht charters are dotted along the coast from Salou-Cambrils to l’Hospitalet de l’Infant. From the Mont-roig del Camp mountain-biking centre you can explore the Costa Daurada on two wheels. There are also hiking trails through the Montsant Natural Park and climbing in the Prades Mountains.

Where to stay

• Tarragona

  Average hotel prices
  • 2 stars$26
  • 3 stars$51
  • 4 stars$56
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• Salou

  Average hotel prices
  • 3 stars$38
  • 4 stars$104
  • 5 stars$429
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• Cambrils

  Average hotel prices
  • 2 stars$86
  • 3 stars$37
  • 4 stars$38
  Search for Cambrils hotels

Shopping and sightseeing

At the heart of the Costa Daurada, the city of Reus is renowned for its exclusive boutiques and modernista Spanish Art Deco buildings. To the east on the coast, Costa Daurada capital Tarragona deserves extra time with large plazas and a medieval old town, Gothic cathedral and Roman amphitheatre. You can see more Roman remains at Altafulla, where there’s a ruined villa and the striking 11th-century Tamarit Castle overlooking the beach. Visitors like to explore Torredembarra’s old town or hop on a train to Barcelona for its vibrant Ramblas, Gaudí buildings and the Picasso Museum.

Wild boar, seafood and cava

With several areas producing a range of wines and the unique sparkling cava, the Catalonians are justifiably proud of their vineyards. Visitors can take wine-tasting tours in Penedés, Conca de Barberà and other wine-producing areas. Local cuisine varies with wild boar from the mountains, calçots (leek-like spring onions) in the countryside and rice with lobster broth on the coast. Snack on long pizza-like coca de Perafort with peppers and onions, and savour desserts like Reus’ menjarblanc milk pudding. For the best seafood restaurants, Tarragona is a good choice while village restaurants serve classic regional cuisine.