Things to Do in Costa Dorada: Roman Tarragona to Salou

The headline act is Roman Tarragona. The remains of Colonia Iulia Urbs Triumphalis Tarraco are spread through the modern city: the Tarragona Amphitheatre by the sea, the Roman theatre of Tarraco (listed by UNESCO), the Roman circus, and both the colonial and provincial forums. Add the Early Christian cemetery of Tárraco and the National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona, and you have a full day, or two relaxed half-days, without repeating yourself.

In the old town, the Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral Basilica of St. Tecla rounds off the city. Away from Tarragona, the strongest picks are PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park, part of the PortAventura World Resort at Salou, and the Iberian citadel of Calafell, an Iron Age settlement that makes a good contrast with the Roman sites.

As for the best beaches Costa Dorada in Spain offers, the facts point to two named ones: L'Arrabassada in Tarragona, separated from La Savinosa beach by the Punta de l'Arrabassada, and Cap de Sant Pere in Salou.

Tarragona is the cultural centre, with 34 points of interest, nearly all of them Roman. It is 6 minutes from Reus airport and makes an easy day trip from Salou, La Pineda or Cambrils even if you stay on the beach. Salou, the area's best-known resort, combines the PortAventura water park with the Cap de Sant Pere beach. Cambrils, 11 minutes from Reus, has the Castell de Vilafortuny, and La Pineda sits between Salou and Tarragona, 7 minutes from the airport.

The northern end of the coast is closer to Barcelona airport. Calafell, 39 minutes away, pairs the Castell de Calafell with the Iberian citadel. Coma-ruga, 42 minutes from Barcelona, is home to the Pau Casals Museum, dedicated to the life and work of the cellist. Cunit and Torredembarra are quieter coastal towns, and Mont-roig del Camp, south of Cambrils, also has activities you can book.

For families, PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park in Salou is the obvious choice, and its position inside the PortAventura World Resort means a short hop from Salou, La Pineda and Cambrils. The beaches at Cap de Sant Pere and L'Arrabassada give easier, low-planning days in between.

Older children tend to enjoy the Tarragona Amphitheatre and the Roman circus more than you might expect: these are real arenas rather than museum cases. The castles at Vilafortuny and Calafell, and the Iberian citadel of Calafell, are good shorter outings. In July and August, when highs reach 30 to 31°C, keep the sightseeing for the mornings.

Activities are listed for nine towns along this coast, across more than ninety categories, and you can compare tours and tickets directly on this page, alongside hotel prices, car hire and package deals from the providers shown. Most British visitors arrive on a package with flights into Reus or Barcelona, then add day trips once they know the weather.

The best months are April to August. Spring brings highs of 21 to 23°C, ideal for walking Tarragona's Roman sites, while October is the wettest month, with around 145 mm of rain over 12 days, so have an indoor option such as the National Archaeological Museum in mind. Car hire is worth comparing if you plan to combine the southern resorts with Calafell or Coma-ruga, which lie closer to Barcelona airport.