Holidays in Spain on the Costa Dorada. Basic resorts and their features

Costa Dorada is translated from Catalan as a "golden shore".The sand here really sparkles in the sun, leaving a faint trace on the skin.

Costa Daurada. General information

The beaches of Costa Dorada start from the town of Vilanova i la Zheltru south of Barcelona and end at the Catalan border in Les Cases Alcanar. It is more than 100 km of fine fine sand near the sea and pine groves on the shore. On most beaches there is a gentle entrance to the water, so Costa Dorada is ideal for relaxing with children, leisurely long walks along the sea and a measured family holiday.

How to get to Costa Daurada?

If you are going to rest on the beaches of Costa Daurada, you need to fly to Barcelona - this is the nearest airport to these resorts. The international airport of Barcelona is called El-Prat-de-Llobregat, the IATA code is BCN.From Barcelona airport to the resort you need can be accessed in several ways.

On the intercity bus

• The intercity bus station is located near the exit from Terminal 1 on the ground floor. Coaches of the company "Plana"( "Plana-bus")
• go to the coast of the Costa Dorada. The ticket price can be specified at the ticket office( it depends on the distance to your resort).Buses run several times a day, the exact schedule can be clarified in the ticket office or on the official website of the company "Plana"

. On a suburban train

. Direct trains from the airport to the coast of the Costa Dorada do not go.

• First we reach the "Renfe" train to the Barcelona-Sants central station
  The train platform is near the exit from the terminal number 2, where you can buy a ticket - about 3 euros per person

• Trains leave every 20 minutes from 5:00until 23:30, the road takes no more than 20 minutes. Route number R2N.(Important: there are several railway stations in Barcelona, ​​you need Barcelona Sants)

• The central station has a special information service, whose staff helps tourists on all emerging issues. It is indicated by the lowercase letter "I"( there are several stalls and a small office in the center of the station).It is better to contact the staff of this service, as it is difficult to find out for yourself the first time

• Tickets to the Costa Dorada are sold at the ticket offices under the banner "media distancia"( medium loyalty).Through the Costa Dorada all trains go to Zaragoza, Tortosa and Lleida. The average train to the Costa Dorada leaves every 1-1.5 hours

• Trains run only in the daytime. It is important to remember that some of the trains do not stop in all the coast towns, but in relatively large ones: Calafell, Torredembara, Tarragona, Salou, Cambrils. The small villages will need to travel with a transfer. The ticket price depends on the distance

Transport on the Costa Dorada

Buses on the Costa Dorada

• The most convenient mode of public transport on the Costa Daurada is the buses of the Plana company( Plana or Bus-Plana).They are practically in all towns of the coast, in large cities their employees are on duty at many stops( they can easily be distinguished by bright yellow or light green jackets, similar to the jackets of road workers)
• They can get a schedule of buses( both domestic and intercity), find out prices, tours and much more. Most of them speak Russian( though sometimes with a strong accent)

• In large cities - Tarragona, Reus and Salou - there are city bus networks. Drivers, as a rule, do not speak Russian or English, but they can help with gestures if you give them the name of the place where you are going.
• The fare is paid directly to the driver when boarding the bus( only through the front door).On the buses of the company of the Plan you can buy tickets in advance from employees at the stops

Car rental in Costa Daurada

Rental points

In any city of Costa Daurada, you can rent a car. This is convenient if you plan to travel a lot and feel confident at the wheel. Points of hire can belong to small private traders and large international companies. Their advantages and disadvantages:

• In small companies a small choice of vehicles, they often have only one point of delivery of cars, they almost do not offer insurance, or the coverage area of ​​these insurance is very narrow, they can cheat you little things or not warn of smalldefects of the machine. But they are always below the price, there are no queues and they are not very strict to the

• documents. In large companies there is a car for any number of passengers, all classes and types of fuel. They can offer any insurance and additional services that you will need.
• In large companies, you can take a car at one point, and hand in the other, because they have a wide network of representative offices. You can order a car beforehand, before the trip, through the official website of the company, and get the keys to the car immediately upon arrival at Barcelona Airport
• Cons of large companies: services are relatively expensive for private traders, often there are queues, when renting it is necessary to fill out a bunch of documents and forms, for rentThe car is required to show a bank card( mandatory), people over 23 years old with at least 2 years of driving experience can rent the car

Parking lots

• All parking lots on the Costa Dorada are paid. Payment by the hour, made through vending machines or directly in the hands of the employee. In large cities outside the parking lot, the car is left rather risky, since there is a risk of theft or penalty for parking in the wrong place( they are high here).
• The most serious violation is leaving the car in places of public transportation or on yellow markings. In small towns people often leave cars( especially at night) in the wrong place, but under supervision( under the windows or opposite the stoic in the cafe)

• motorways The coast has paid and free routes. On the toll roads, excellent quality of the cover, they are located along the sea, do not loop, are equipped with a lot of signs and plates, so it's quite convenient to navigate them and easily navigate in the direction. Payment is levied at checkpoints, cash is not given for delivery, so prepare a lot of small things.
• Free tracks are similar to country roads, sometimes covered with gravel, and not asphalt;it is often difficult to understand where it leads, and whether you are going right. But they are absolutely free, which sometimes allows you to save considerably

Gas stations

• There are petrol stations both in cities and on intercity routes. The fuel price is lower in the country. Out-of-town gas stations often include a cafe, a shop and a maintenance station.

. Food on the Costa Dorada

• . The most inexpensive way is to cook by yourself. In the apartments, rented, there is always a kitchen equipped with everything necessary. In the apartments, sometimes a microwave oven is put in place of the stove, the set of dishes can be very limited - specify these moments when booking

• . Accommodation in the hotel assumes food only in cafes and restaurants, tk.in the rooms there are no kitchens. Breakfast is most often included in the price of accommodation

• Food stores can be of three types: small private shops, where only a little bit( there are a lot of them), food delicacies of medium size and huge food supermarkets. The prices are approximately the same
• In large stores, you can often buy goods on the stock. In order to save on food, you can buy cuts, convenience foods, yogurts, rolls, cheeses, etc.and instead of going to a restaurant to arrange a luncheon in the room

• From cafes and restaurants the cheapest - fast food( food + drink around 7-10 euros per person).Many small cafes, serving Mediterranean( more Italian) cuisine, a serving of spaghetti + a drink will cost 12-15 euros per person( portions in our understanding are simply huge, for two you can safely take one plate).The most expensive places are restaurants, everything depends on your appetite and purse.

• . Local tapas are also interesting. Tapas - a national local dish - a variety of sandwiches and mixes on skewers that make from a wide variety of products. Tapas are cheaper and tastier there, where only local people live and few tourists.

The main resorts of Costa Dorada

Salou, La Pineda and Cambrils

From the point of view of a Russian who is accustomed to long distances between cities, these three cities are one. Between them there are no clear boundaries, especially between Cambrils and Salou: two neighboring buildings may be in different cities. Routes of city buses also often connect all three cities.

Salou

• This is a fairly large city by local standards - there are several residential areas - from high-rise buildings to private villas, a large number of hotels and apartments leased by
• . In terms of attractions in Salou, there is nothing to boast about. This is a very young city-most of the buildings were built in the 1950's and 70's( not counting the hotels).Go to the beach and take a stroll in the evening in the center - that's all there is to it.

• Salou is suitable for holidays for large families and motley companies. There are playgrounds, a large walking area, many bars and discos, from here it is very easy to reach any city on the coast, all trains stop in Salou, except for high-speed
• . The central Levante beach is the longest and well equipped, but in peak season it is the samecrowded. The beach of Capellanos is relatively small, calm and cozy. Larga beach is the farthest and "uninhabited" - for those who like complete solitude and are not afraid of the rock bottom

• The main street( it's the central promenade) is the boulevard of King Jaime I.In the mornings there are many cyclists, runners and dog owners. In the afternoon the boulevard is filled with tourists scurrying in search of impressions, and in the evening the whole audience of Salou comes here to stroll along the quay, look at the fountain show, sit in the numerous cafes

• . From the objects to be stared, there are several old private villas at the beginning of the boulevard of JaimeI, the old tower( remnants of the sentinel fortress of the times of pirate raids) and the Catalan manor( a small square where, in the form of installations, biblical scenes are reproduced, as well as several peasant houses with a traditionbubbled for Catalonia everyday details)

Cambrils

• There are few hotels here, many more private villas and apartments that are rented to holidaymakers. Also there are residential areas of local residents, cola, shops, playgrounds, car rental. From Salou to the Vilafortuni area( Cambrils hotel zone) is within walking distance.

• Cambrils is famous for its fish restaurants. Here is the old port, and it is this city has long been considered the main "supply" of the surrounding cities with seafood. Here is an amazing variety of fish dishes including the most exotic species, as well as the amazing atmosphere of the port town of

• . Another beautiful place of Cambrils is the area of ​​private villas. Many of them were built in the last century, there are very interesting buildings in the traditional Catalan style, there are several nice houses in the "modern" style. In general, Cambrils is much calmer and less populous than in Salou

La Pineda

• La Pineda means "pine" in Catalan. This city is very fond of families with young children, sportsmen and elderly Europeans. It really looks like one big pine grove
• In La Pineda there is amazing air, very clean and gently sloping beaches, little noisy hotels, quiet and calm public, there is an aquapark "Aquapolis", a large sports complex "Eurosport"
• .distance from public transport and proximity to Tarragona - a large industrial metropolis

Coma-ruga and Kalafel

• Coma-ruga and calafel are small sleepy towns with few foreigners and almost no Russians. Railway station is only in Calafell, and it does not stop all trains. Coma-ruga can be reached only by bus or car. There are almost no hotels, most accommodation options are rented houses or villas
• The main advantage of these towns is their authenticity. Here you will feel more like a local than a tourist. Prepare for the fact that no one understands English, especially in Russian. It is better to take a phrase book or learn some of the most advanced phrases
• Coma-ruga and Calafell are perfect for travelers tired of the hustle and bustle of large resorts and not in need of special entertainment. Also they are suitable for those who go to rest for a long time and plan to move around on their own. The peculiarity of the local beaches is a very gentle entrance to the water.

Torredembara and Altafulla

• Torredembara in rest style is a cross between Salou and Calafell. On the one hand, there is a hint of the presence of tourists and services for guests: hotels, many restaurants, equipped beaches and the central promenade
• . On the other hand, the rest here is still more measured and quieter than in the noisy Salou - there are no discos,spacious, in the evenings there are no crowds of tourists filling the whole space of the
• . The undoubted advantage of Torredembara is the old town( beautiful medieval buildings and streets), the width of the beaches( they are probably the widest in all of Costa Daurada), the presence of the railway stationrehydrating most local trains), amazing cleanliness of streets and some special atmosphere of comfort and a quieter holiday

• Altafulla - a town very close to Torredembaroy. Here there are fewer hotels, all the same wide beaches and excellent service, friendly locals and excellent cuisine. In Altafulya there is a medieval landmark - the castle of Marquis Tamarita and small Roman ruins on the outskirts of the city. The most important plus of Altafulla is its landscapes, they fascinate

of Tarragona and its attractions.

Tarragona is a large industrial city, the capital of the Costa Daurada region and a very interesting city for independent excursions. It is worth to come here for the whole day, in order to have time to see as much as possible. And there is something to see here, if only because Tarragona was founded by the Romans as far back as the 2nd century BC as the village of Tarraco, and this is the oldest city founded by the Romans in all of Spain, no more, no less

• The old city of is the heart of Tarragona, and the Cathedral of Saint Tekla ( in our opinion, Feqly) is the heart of the old city and the main cathedral of Tarragona. The cathedral was built in the XII-XIII centuries on the site of the Roman temple. The cathedral and quarters around it are so well preserved that one can easily imagine the medieval life of Tarragona

• There are no modern details( plastic windows and satellite dishes) that violate the historical appearance of the quarter. On the facades of houses you can see the arms, which in the Middle Ages denoted either the nobility of the clan, or the occupation of the owner

• . In some houses, the entrance doors did not change for many centuries, and on them still hang massive rings to knock on the door. Before the cathedral are drinking fountains, from which drinking water 700 years ago. The old city is built on the site of an ancient Roman settlement, so that some buildings literally stand on the most valuable historical ruins.

• Central square of the old city Playa de la Fon is a very cozy place. There are not many foreigners here, but there are plenty of local residents who come with whole families, loudly greet each other, talk animatedly about something, old people play backgammon - in short, the usual Catalan life is boiling, not spoiled by tourists. There are also excellent snack bars in which the best tapas are prepared all over the coast.

• The archaeological museum of Tarragona is located on the Royal Square( this is the outskirts of the Old Town).In the exposition, a huge number of unique items of the Roman era, found in the district. From the roof of the museum there is an excellent panoramic view of the city, and the underground passage connects it with another attraction - the by the Roman circus

• . The Roman amphitheater is another Roman times building in Tarraco. At one time, he became famous not for gladiatorial fights( although they were held here), but as a place for the public execution of the first Christians, who, as is known, under the excruciating death of the Romans

• . Near the amphitheater is . The Mediterranean balcony is a large observation deck on the rock, withwhich overlooks the entire coast and the modern port of Tarragona. The central part of the balcony is occupied by the monument to Admiral Rugeo di Laura , which served the kings of Aragon in the 13th century and became famous for participating in the crusades of

• . From the Mediterranean balcony begins street Rambla Nova - a large avenue with a pedestrian zone in the center all along. Rambla Nova is interesting with baroque buildings and a lot of unusual monuments

• For example, monument to Heroes of 1811 is dedicated to the war with Napoleonic France. At one time, the monument made a lot of noise because the male figure on it is depicted with barefaced nudity, which was considered highly obscene.

• Another unusual monument - Castells .The so-called towers of living people( castels), this is a traditional Catalan entertainment. Annually in Tarragona there is a competition of castellers on the highest tower

• The University of Tarragona was founded in the 16th century, it is considered one of the best in Spain, so young people from all over the country come here to study. The buildings of the university occupy a whole block and are characterized by interesting architecture of the late Middle Ages.

Reus: shopping and excursions

Reus is not a beach or a tourist city. It is located 10 km from the coast in 10-15 minutes by car from Salou and Cambrils, half an hour's drive from Torredembara and Tarragona. Here, few speak English, hotels can be counted on their fingers, but in Reus the best shopping on the whole coast.

Reus can be reached by intercity buses from Tarragona, Salou and Cambrils. The shopping area is quite far from the bus station, in 10-15 minutes walk. The landmark is the Gaudi Center( Gaudi), which is located right in the center of the shopping district. In the same building there is a Tax-Free office where you can return some of the money( up to 16%) spent on purchases( for this you need to purchase one check at least 90 euros, also ask the seller to issue a special tax-free check, as the return of ordinary checks is not made)

The Gaudi Museum is located on the Market Square, from which shopping streets radiate in all directions. What you can buy in Reus

• Clothing of all well-known inexpensive European brands: Zara, Sela, OGGI, Mango, Savage, Bershka, H & M and other
• Brand brand stores of premium class: Gucci, Chloe, D & G, Prada, Lacoste, Mexx, Benetton, Civenchi, Alexander McQueen, etc.
• The most popular sports brands: Adidas, Nike, Puma, Reebok, Columbia, Esprit
• Underwear and leather goods in all price ranges
• Spanish brands of clothes of excellent quality: Loewe, Armand Basi, Jocavi, Jesus del Pozo, children's clothing line Mayoral
• Stores of toys and school supplies from pens to knapsacks
  Boutiques accessoriesand bijouterie - both European and local brands
• Stores of author's collections of local artists with original and European style products made of glass, stone, wood, ceramics and other things for interior decoration

Important: in Reus all stores observe the siesta( afternoonsleep), in contrast to the cities on the coast, where, due to the abundance of tourists, the mode of operation is almost round-the-clock. For the siesta there is no single hour of closing and opening, each store owner solves this issue on their own. Approximately from 13:00 to 14:00 shops are closed for siesta, and open at 16: 00-17: 00 hours.

During the siesta you can arrange a break from shopping and wander around the old Reus around the shopping area. There are many interesting buildings built in the XVII-XIX centuries by individual orders for wealthy townspeople

Park Port Aventura Park

The park is located in Salou, but can be reached by train( stop Port Aventura) or bus from any city oncoast of the Costa Dorada. Strictly speaking, Port Aventura is a whole complex, which includes the PortAventura park itself, the huge water park of Costa Caribe, four themed hotels and a golf club.

Children's Theme Park Port Aventura is the most visited park in Europe. By the number of visitors it surpasses the famous Disneyland of Paris. The park is divided into 6 thematic zones, each with its own unique atmosphere and attractions.

Mediterranean( Mediterranea)

• This is the central zone of the park in the form of a Mediterranean street-promenade and a huge pond-sea. In the evenings, at the water's edge of the Mediterranean, there are fantastically spectacular evening shows with dancing fountains, huge laser projections and grandiose fireworks. The most interesting attraction here is Furius Baco, a roller coaster with a 180 degree hinge around the axis of the

. The Wild West( Far West)

• Here everything is an exact copy of a typical provincial town in the times of gold rush. There are several roller coasters here, one of them ends with a drop in the water from the falls of the

• . Another water attraction of the zone is the Grand Canyon, on which you have to swim an impressive distance on a large round boat-cushion between two sheer rocks. A small surprise of the Grand Canyon is a water cannon, installed on one of the banks, from which everyone can pour water through the canyon passing through the canyon

• . In the Wild West, the route of the Port-Aventura train starts, which for 40 minutes rides around all the park zones. The station and the train itself - an exact copy of the American railway of the XIX century

• Brand show in the Wild West - a presentation of cowboys with stunt tricks, including on horses, and firing pistols. In the shops of the zone you can buy real leather lashes, cowboy hats, jeans, and shawls.

Mexico( Mexico)

• The most exciting attraction of Mexico is the 100-meter free-fall stele. Squeals of visitors to this attraction are still heard on the way to the park. Children less than 1.5 meters tall are not allowed on the attraction.

• The "Temple of Fire" show dips visitors to the adventure world of Indiana Jones. This is not just a children's play, but a real interactive professional performance with unexpected special effects that cause creeps and screams even in adults, because viewers are direct participants in the

• presentation. Mexican branded stores sell real woolen ponchos and incredibly sized hat-coats. The local restaurant serves real Mexican nachos and sharp cakes with bean soup

China( China)

• The "China" zone is a real china-town with dragons, red paper lanterns, pagoda roofs and traditional Chinese music. There are several small towns for playing games, two of the highest roller coaster "Shambhala" and "Dragon Khan" in Europe.

• In the shops you can buy a real silk dressing gown, traditional Chinese souvenirs and feng shui attributes, bone and painted on the fabric of faith and uniqueChinese caskets. Also in this area there is a pier, from which every half hour the ship plying a circular route through the entire park

• . The most interesting shows of the zone are the performances of Chinese circus artists blowing huge soap bubbles, capable of enclosing a person and even a company of people, and a showmonks Shao-Lin in traditional Buddhist orange robes

Polynesia( Polynesia)

• This is the most exotic part of the park. Instead of streets and buildings, there are tropical thickets, lianas, and huts covered with straw. From the speakers, characteristic music is heard everywhere. There is a beach with real white sand brought from tropical beaches and idols that copy the famous stone figures of Easter Island.

• The main show of Polynesia is a performance of "Aloha", consisting of songs and dances, traditional for the population of the Polynesian islands. Despite the boring description, the show itself captures no less than the jumps of cowboys. All the rooms are performed by a troupe of real Polynesians who come to work in the park during the summer. So this is not an imitation, but a real authentic art

• . From attractions, you can distinguish "Tutuki" - riding a large boat over the mouth of a volcano and falling from a height into a small pool. Another attraction - the illusion "Journey on a submarine" is very similar to the 7D cinemas, but the special effects here are an order of magnitude steeper and create a complete sense of presence inside the plot.

• Polynesia's branded shops sell real Hawaiian shirts, authentic Polynesian jewelry, bags and hats from straw,traditional flower garlands and any beach accessories

Sesame( Sesamo Aventura)

• This is the area for the youngest visitors of the park. Attractions here are designed for children from 3 to 7 years, many of them skating is allowed with parents. Sesame with its fantastic scenery is like a real fairy tale

• There are gingerbread houses, a huge tree with a viewing platform, and a children's city where all buildings and facilities are designed for residents no higher than a meter. On the territory of the zone grow dolls in the form of all the characters of the children's program "Sesame Street"

Useful information about visiting the PortAventura park

• Entrance tickets can be purchased on the official website of the park in advance( the cheapest option), from hotel guides, from Bus-Plana employees at bus stops and directly at the ticket office of the park. At the box office - although cheap, but not the most inconvenient option, because there are always queues, in the summer, the average waiting time is from 40 minutes to an hour.
• . For children under 4 years old, the park is free of charge. Discounts are available for children aged 4-10 and pensioners over 60.Tickets can be taken for 1, 2 and 3 days. The more days, the ticket is cheaper( in terms of one day)
• Tickets to the Port-Caribe aquapark are sold separately. If you buy a ticket to the Aquapark and Port Aventura at the same time, you will also receive a discount.

• . The ticket entitles you to stay in the park for the specified days, to use all the attractions unlimitedly, to attend any shows for free. Meals in the cafes and restaurants of the park are paid separately
• It is forbidden to bring any drinks and products purchased in the Port Aventura with you not in the park. At the entrance of the turnstile, all visitors are required to open bags for inspection. If you find food or water, you will not be allowed to enter the park.
• . At the entrance just behind the turnstiles you can get a booklet free of charge, where there is a map of all the thematic zones of the park, the name and description of all attractions, the name and schedule of the start of all shows and other useful information.
• For children up to7 years at the entrance to the park you can rent a special stroller with awning

Video. Costa Dorada( promo)

Video. Port Aventura, gala concert

Video. Port Aventura, final show