Costa Dorada lying south of Barcelona has the essential ingredients of sun, safe shallow seas and a vibrant night life making it a favourite holiday destination for tourists and Spaniards alike.
There are many reasons why Costa Dorada, literally the golden coast, is the ideal holiday destination. With large expanses of gleaming sand, safe tepid seas and water sports, together with golf courses, boutiques, excellent restaurants and one of the best theme parks in Europe, Costa Dorada appeals to a wide variety of tastes and interests.
Costa Dorada attracts very many visitors from Britain every year from all walks of life. Families with small children can enjoy the beach life where the sand is perfect for building castles. Others find tranquillity in the secluded lagoons formed by cliffs on either side reaching out into the sea.
Golfers of all ages will find many superb courses in Costa Dorada on which to improve their handicaps while holidaying in the sun.
The most popular time to holiday in Costa Dorada is from April to October when the temperature ranges from a very pleasant twenty degrees rising to thirty degrees in the height of summer.
Costa Dorada, within easy reach of Barcelona, has guaranteed summer sunshine with beautiful sandy beaches and shallow seas. The main resorts are those of Salou, Cambrils and La Pineda and they are all situated close to the fantastic Port Adventura theme park. There is also an exciting water park nearby where you can swim with sea lions. Costa Doradada has a wide variety of leisure activities to accommodate most tastes, including a range of water sports, golf, para-gliding, horse riding and cycling.
Salou is the liveliest resort which is very popular with young people who love the all night clubs and discos.
La Pineda is often the preferred resort for families with its gentler pace of life and good facilities for children. The most traditional and authentically Spanish resort in Costa Dorada, with its narrow cobbled streets and old buildings, is Cambrils, famous for its fish restaurants.
There are many traditional markets in the area for those wishing to buy local goods.
There are many music and dance festivals during the summer months. Flamenco dancing is particularly popular.
Costa Dorada is an interesting combination of the old and the new, ranging from Roman remains in Tarragot to a Disney style theme park or from traditional fishing villages to plush marinas.
Visiting Costa Dorada is a good opportunity to take day excursions to the cultural centres of Barcelona. Expect to be over-awed by such architectural wonders as the gothic Cathedral of Barcelona that took six centuries to complete or to visit the monastery at Monserrat.
The Costa Dorada has many lively resorts with a vibrant nightlife. Salou is particularly popular with young people who wish to party into the small hours. With its clubs, discos and karaoke bars, it is a perfect holiday destination for fun loving tourists. There are less frenetic resorts such as Cambrils where you can enjoy a peaceful evening in traditional surroundings.
There are plenty of wide ranging opportunities for shopping in Costa Dorada. Traditional souvenirs and gifts such as leather goods and ceramics can be found in the street markets of many resorts. There is also a good supply of boutiques for fashions and for serious shoppers Barcelona is only a short bus ride away.
Costa Dorada has gastronomic delights to suit all tastes and pockets. Traditional Spanish restaurants sit along side those providing food with an international flavour. As expected fish restaurants abound and they are particularly good in Cambrils.
Spain is a Roman Catholic country and many of the festivals are related to the churches calendar. Festivals on patron saints days are of particular importance. When visiting churches, especially in rural areas, shoulders and legs should be covered to avoid offence.
Families are very are central to Spanish life and it is not uncommon to have a close extended family.
The best time to search for a cheap holiday to Costa Dorada is in the winter, as long as you avoid the major public holidays like Christmas, New Year and any of the children's school holidays. If you look out for deals, you may find last minute offers in May or October too, but these will generally sell out quite quickly.
Booking a hotel on a half board basis may be the better option as you will save some money on the accommodation which you could put towards paying for food in the restaurants around the area which will be slightly cheaper due to it being out of season. Drinks in many of the local bars and tavernas will also be cheaper.
With various water parks, golf courses and one of the best theme parks in Europe, there is plenty to see and do in Costa Dorada, many of which runs all throughout the year. Visiting in the off peak season doesn't mean you'll have any less of a good time.
The temperature will range between 20ºC and 30ºC depending when you go so there's plenty of chance to pick up a nice tan.
You can get all of this, and of course plenty more in a cheap Costa Dorada holiday, but you'll only find one in the winter time, or occasionally in May and October.