Beyond sun, sea, and sand, the Costa Dorada offers far more. In an ideal location of peace and tranquility, it provides its visitors a wide variety of outdoor activities, culture, nature, and history, making it ideal for family vacations. Today you have the chance to see why it is worth the visit and how you could start planning your trip!
How to travel to Costa Dorada?
If you are traveling from another country to the Costa Dorada, you can think about starting your journey in Barcelona. Then, you could take a bus or train, or you may decide to rent a car.
You will land at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport if you are traveling by plane to Barcelona. You would have the option of taking a shuttle bus, a taxi, or the train R2, which would take you into the city. Then, depending on where in Barcelona you need to go, you can also take the metro. After that, from Barcelona to Costa Dorada you can catch the Renfe train. Every three hours, Renfe Viajeros runs a train between Barcelona-Paseo De Gracia to L’hospitalet De L’infant. The trip takes 1h 54m, and tickets range from €11 to €15.
In order to avoid being too exhausted, you may think it is a good idea to spend the night in Barcelona. In case this sounds convenient enough for you and you would prefer taking your time, then you might want to have a look at some very nice accommodation places in Barcelona that we offer.
On the other hand, if you are thinking of another option – Reus (Aeropuerto de Reus), which is close to Tarragona, and Barcelona Airport serve as the region’s primary airports. Low cost airlines that offer a wide range of European destinations almost exclusively serve Reus Airport. Usually, Barcelona’s airport is still a major hub with numerous airlines and links to other countries.
What kind of place is Costa Dorada?
The Costa Dorada, sometimes known as the “Gold Coast,” is a lovely combination of golden sand beaches, a large variety of entertainment alternatives, and a vibrant nightlife.
Traditional towns and villages, many of which were constructed around castles from the fourteenth century, are scattered along the Costa Dorada. Villages like Cunit, Mont-Roig, Vandellos, and L’Ampolla among them all have a ancient history and a rage of historic sites to explore. In general, there are vast stretches between the sea and the mountain range that are home to peaceful towns and farms. It is there, where hazel trees, almond trees, carob trees, vineyards, olive orchards, and occasionally even vegetable fields thrive. The traditional fisherman’s cottages in old towns have recently been replaced by the huge tourist hubs around the Costa Dorada’s beaches. However, this harmony between the backdrop of historic castles and the humanization of the surroundings is apparent. Inland, one may easily get to charming landscapes like Prades and Siurana, as well as locations with a rich history and individuality (like Reus, Valls, Montblanc, and Tortosa).
Which beaches are located along Costa Dorada?
Of course, the coastline of Costa Dorada is home to more than sixty beaches with excellent golden sand in addition to its amazing historical heritage. Here, we’ll merely give an overview of the three largest beaches: Trabucador beach, Els Muntanyans beach, and Larga beach.
Trabucador beach is located in Sant Carles de la Ràpita, situated in a remote area within the Ebro Delta Natural Park reserve. It is longer than six kilometers. Indeed, Trabucador is not only one of the largest beaches in Costa Dorada, but in Catalonia generally. It is a wild beach with very shallow waters that has an almost untouched environment that exudes a sense of beauty and tranquility.
Els Muntanyas beach is more than four kilometers long and is located in Torredembarra. It is unique in that it supports a sand dunes and salt marsh environment, which is why it is regarded as a Space of Natural Interest. Beautiful beach with crystal-clear water, standard conveniences, and even a nudist area marked with wooden signs.
Larga beach – a forest of old trees that surrounds this beach in Tarragona gives it a special appeal. Since the water is shallow, it is ideal for families with small children. Its name comes from the fine sand that extends for approximately three kilometers. There are additional diving places, restrooms, and showers with accessible design for persons with disabilities. Although there are frequently many people on the beach, there is always space to choose a comfortable spot.
What about the towns and villages in Costa Dorada?
There are twenty towns that make up the Costa Dorada. To give you an idea, in this post, we have mentioned just a few of them. By giving you a taste of the atmosphere in Costa Dorada´s towns, we hope to pique your interest for more details about these heavenly places that we are about to share with you in the coming days.
Many people frequently choose to travel to Salou. With a pristine, sandy beach that stretches into the distance, it is the most popular tourist destination on the Costa Dorada. Reus Airport is only 20 minutes away from Salou.
El Perello is a lovely farming community well-known for its honey. With a lively market and town square, the well-kept center is teeming with local activity. There are also caves with prehistoric cave paintings not far from the city.
Another interesting place is Torredembarra – a town with a lovely stretch of fine sand beach and a vibrant culture. It blends a cutting-edge harbor, fantastic shopping, a long maritime heritage, and architectural influences from the Middle Ages.
Many tourists are quickly making Altafulla, a little fishing village, their favored vacation spot as well. This town, which is situated on the Gaia River’s banks, has managed to preserve its historic charm while still offering first-rate conveniences and a wealth of cultural attractions.
You might as well visit Sant Carlos de la Rapita – a bustling fishing port as well as a culinary haven. There are many top-notch seafood eateries in the city. In the region, water sports are also well-liked.
Other wellknown places Cambrils and La Pineda.
What events can you attend when visiting Costa Dorada?
Aside from the beaches and cultural heritage, Costa Dorada is a very lively area. Because of this, we’ve chosen to highlight just a few of the events taking place in Costa Dorada during the summer.
One of the first events to be mentioned is the Tarragona International Fireworks Contest. Every year during the first week of July, Tarragona hosts the most significant fireworks competition in the Mediterranean. This tournament features six worldwide pyrotechnic companies. Since 1990, it has become a big annual event. A significant Spanish traditional event, the Santa Tecla Festival, which takes place between September 15 and 24, commissions the winning display for the fireworks display.
For music lovers, and more specifically for those appreciating the magic of live concerts, we would advice taking a look at the International Music Festival, Cambrils. The event takes place in late July and early August. Indeed, it marked its 45th anniversary in 2019. It was founded in 1974 to support local musical activities, and it has expanded every year to showcase both local and international talent as well as many musical genres, including jazz, flamenco, and dance. Samá Park and Vilafortuny Castle are just a couple of the breathtaking settings where the plays, concerts, and musicals take place.
Catalonia’s patron saint, “Sant Jordi,” is honored throughout the last week of April with fervor and joy. On St. George’s Day, there is an unique tradition where men gift roses to ladies. In return, women give them a book. This day is actually referred to as “Catalan or Spanish Valentine’s Day.” The streets are packed with tourists and vendors selling books and roses all across the Costa Dorada.
If you enjoy drinking wine, May is the perfect month to travel to Costa Dorada since Priorat, the area that produces the majority of the country’s wine, holds its annual Wine Fair on the first weekend in May. The DOC Priorat and the DO Montsant, two wine appellations from the county, are honored during the event. There are talks, cooking competitions, guided olive oil tastings, and wine and food pairings in addition to wine tastings.
If we have convinced you to treat yourself a trip to Costa Dorada, you should probably consider where to stay. The sooner the better! For that reason, we give you a very quick first step towards your planning by clicking on the link below. There you can find a variety of accommodation options:
The way to your best stay! 