Tarragona, La Pineda, Salou, and Cambrils are the main cities of the Costa Dorada coast. Most travelers in this region of Spain choose to stay in one of these four destinations. We’ll tell you about the main features of each, making your choice easier.
Buses operated by Bus Plana run every half hour along the Balearic Sea coast from Barcelona Airport. They’re large, clean, comfortable, equipped with air conditioning and Wi-Fi, so there’s no need to spend €150 on a taxi. Instead, a ticket will cost €15-20 depending on the distance from the Catalan capital.
Accommodation prices are roughly the same across all four cities, and the golden beaches of the Balearic Sea have been awarded blue flags for their cleanliness.
Tarragona is the architectural center of Costa Dorada. A city with rich history, having served as both a Roman provincial center and the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. Naturally, Tarragona has accumulated numerous landmarks: a well-preserved Roman amphitheater, the Cathedral, the Ferreres Aqueduct, and the Roman forum.
However, Tarragona’s most popular spot remains the “Mediterranean Balcony” (Balco del Vediterrani), located at the end of Rambla Nova street. The viewing platform offers views of the lemon-colored beaches, waffle-like amphitheater walls, serpentine railway, and the sea horizon melting into the sky. It’s perfect for watching sunrise with a cup of coffee or sunset with a glass of vermouth. After admiring the views, head to Gelateria Gabri Olivier (Calle San Agustin, 14) to try delicious Italian gelato in Catalonia. Our choice is the natural lemon ice cream. One scoop in a waffle cone costs €2.70, but trust us, it’s worth it.
Perhaps Tarragona’s main advantage over its beach-oriented neighbors is its summer festivals and fairs, which you won’t find in such abundance in any other city. Parades featuring drummers, human tower building competitions, paella cooking masterclasses, and of course, cheese, meat, and wine fairs. These celebrations aren’t organized for tourists — they’re for locals! This gives them a special charm and attracts genuine travelers to Tarragona. For example, at the annual Fir del Vi do Tarragona wine fair, just €10 gets you a commemorative glass with six tasting coupons. The fair is attended by Catalans whose arms are literally weighed down with bags of purchased wine, vermouth, and coffee, convincing you that you’re in the right place.
La Pineda is the second closest city to Barcelona. It’s the quietest, cleanest, coziest, and most homely. This is the perfect city for family vacations and those who want to live among locals. For this purpose, staying in apartments in La Pineda is highly recommended. By the way, finding accommodation is easy not only on numerous websites but also in the city itself: there are many agencies offering housing at reasonable prices (€30 per day). For example, you can stay at Corona (Montserrat Caballé, 11), whose terrace offers views of the beach on one side and the roller coasters of the famous European amusement park Port Aventura on the other.
Second lifehack: look for accommodation north of d’Enrico Caruso street. The landmark is the metal mini-copies of local pine trees near the fountain. This area is predominantly inhabited by locals. There are no brand stores, fast food outlets, or Chinese markets. Here, near the apartments on the way to the promenade, you’ll be treated to delicious paella for €12 in a small, neat restaurant and offered a bottle of Spain’s best beer, Estrella Damm. The only large supermarket in town is less than five minutes away, and the beaches are practically empty until 10 AM.
Another advantage of La Pineda is its equal distance from surrounding cities. You can reach Tarragona, Salou, and Reus in 15 minutes. It takes about 20 minutes to get to Port Aventura amusement park and about 35 minutes to Cambrils. The main secret to your transportation – the T10 ticket from Bus Plana company, which costs €15.50 (€12 for 10 rides and €3.50 for the plastic card). The card can be used by your whole family, and the average cost per ride will be €0.60 cheaper than buying individual tickets.
Salou is a lively, developed resort. The city is full of tourists during the day and absolutely packed with them as soon as the sun sets. Nightclubs, themed bars, and beach discos – here you find yourself in a boiling pot of emotions that you simply don’t want to leave. Salou is a city for those who prefer to have dinner closer to six in the evening and breakfast no later than four in the morning, just before their daytime sleep.
However, due to the constant desire to satisfy visitors’ high demands, the city has long lost its own identity. Guests modify it according to their needs: loud music, Chinese souvenir shops, and official FC Barcelona fan shops have taken center stage. Nevertheless, Salou has interesting Spanish souvenir shops – for example, the Holidays store (Passeig de Jaume I, 21). Be prepared that sellers speak exclusively Spanish – but the language of gestures still works. All merchandise in the store is organized by style: you can find any souvenir from classic Gaudí mosaics to Spanish bachelor party accessories.
The traces of old Salou have long been trampled by tourists, so to find the city’s soul, turn off the busy promenade and walk a bit inland – there you’ll find cozy streets with meticulously trimmed trees, perfectly laid cobblestones, and Catalans taking leisurely walks.
From a small fishing town unknown outside the coast, Cambrils has evolved in just a few years into a true gastronomic mecca of Catalonia – and perhaps all of Spain. It’s no surprise that this city hosts Michelin-starred restaurants. For example, Can Bosch, where an average bill will cost €80.
Despite all its solidity, mannerism, and showiness, Cambrils maintains simplicity and friendliness towards all people. Here you’ll find the best fish shops with a wide assortment of fresh seafood supplying nearby tapas bars and restaurants. You don’t need to search for “local” establishments to eat both affordably and deliciously. Enter any restaurant you like on the promenade, order a huge seafood assortment platter for €40 and sangria made with local champagne and coffee for €8.50. As soon as they bring your order – you’ll find yourself in gastronomic paradise!
There are two places in Cambrils whose locations you need to know by heart. First is the Tarraco Seafood shop (Carrer de Pau Casals, 25). It consists of three parts: a loading dock for vehicles where seafood is delivered and shipped; the actual store with counter and cash register; and a room with huge aquariums where marine delicacies swim. The shop’s assortment includes mussels, oysters, shrimp, langoustines, octopus, squid, crabs, a huge variety of fish, cuttlefish, and many things that even the most devoted fans of Jacques Cousteau’s TV shows would see for the first time. Fish shop guests walk along the U-shaped counter like in a supermarket, putting their preferred “goods” in their baskets. However, don’t try to handle the bright red, devil-like, spine-covered Polla fish (€21.5), or you’ll need to use your medical insurance. A kilogram of mussels at Tarraco Seafood costs €3.50, various small mollusks start from €11. Fresh fish prices start at €4, and oysters are €5.90 per kilogram.
The second must-see in Cambrils is Daniel Salinas shop (Pescadors, 5), where one section sells Tarragona cheese and the other Tarragona jamón. You can leisurely eat all this on the summer terrace or at a table inside, washing it down with local wine. Prices for delicacies (xarcuteria in Catalan) are quite affordable, and the selection is so wide that with just €10 in your pocket, you can have a very decent snack and drink.
Time stops in Cambrils. And you notice this best in local tapas bars over a glass of dry wine and a snack of jamón and cheese.
Photos – chuckmoraine, Anastasiya Astrakhantseva, La Pineda Platja, Ole Thomasen, raquel fialho, Ramón Sobrino Torrens, depositphotos.com
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