Costa Dorada Holidays

Costa Dorada means ‘Golden Coast’ in Spanish, which is pretty fitting for a coastline that turns out 81 kilometres of caramel-hued sands along Catalonia. Running south from Barcelona, they’re warmed by 300 days of sunshine a year, and laced with every type of resort going.

Salou is a big hit with families, thanks to its Blue Flag beach and seafront fairground. Then you’ve got the quieter resorts of Cambrils and La Pineda. The former is home to a 9-kilometre stretch of white sand, and the latter has a waterpark, where little ones can play with sea lions. The town of Sitges takes a different approach to holidays. Known as the Brighton of Spain, it serves up great nightlife and hosts an annual film festival.

One of the Costa Dorada’s key attractions is PortAventura. Just outside Salou, Spain’s biggest theme park lines up sky-high rollercoasters, water rides and themed ‘worlds’. This part of Spain 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.

The countryside here is ripe for exploring. Its mountains and green hills are home to must-sees like the Monastery of Montserrat, and the birdwatchers’ paradise of Ebre Delta – one of Europe’s best wetland reserves.