Things To Do in Costa Dorada

You’re just as likely to see a drag queen tottering over Sitges’ cobbles as you are a tweed-suited art historian. Reason being, this seaside town has always been a bit of a bohemian hangout and so draws quite a mixed crowd. At its heart lies a pretty old quarter, complete with snaking alleyways, cubby-hole tapas bars and a cliff-hugging church. The beaches are great, too.

This annual event attracts people from all over, and it marks the end of Corpus Christi – a celebration honouring the body of Christ. Locals carpet the streets of Sitges in flowers, arranging carnation and rose petals into beautiful, intricate designs. It’s an amazing, must-see spectacle.

Bill Oddie-types love this place. After all, it’s one of Europe’s most important wetlands. You’ll find it on the fringes of the Costa Dorada’s southern border. Every year, its jigsaw of marshes, salt pans and reed beds attracts millions of birds. Among the feathery cast are herons, kestrels and larks. Long-legged flamingos come here to breed, too, turning the lagoons a striking shade of pink.

Even though this one’s in the heart of Salou, you’ll still feel nicely tucked away here. The beach – a Blue Flag winner – is just 200 metres long and has cliffs on 2 sides. And if you fancy a mid-afternoon bite, walk 2 minutes and you’ll find a bunch of places to pull up a pew.

Salou’s Ponent Beach used to be ladies-only territory, but nowadays you’ll see whole families getting their buckets and spades out along this stretch of sand. And with restaurants on the prom serving everything from fish and chips to tapas favourites, you won’t be short of places to grab a bite.

The Sitges carnival, which takes its cue from Mardi Gras, is one of the most spectacular events in Spain. Hundreds of thousands of revellers don masks and costumes, Queens are elected, and floats fill the streets. The largest parade is the Rua de la Disbauxa, which takes place on the Sunday afternoon and features more than 40 floats.

La Pineda Beach is a top pick with families. The wide stretch of sand is pancake-flat, and the shallow waters make it perfect for paddling. You won’t need to change out of your swimming gear to grab lunch here, either – there are loads of places to eat on the esplanade behind the sand.

Tarraco – as Tarragona was known in ancient times – was the capital of Roman Spain. Reminders of its classical heyday are dotted all over the place. You’ll find a lookout tower and, down by the seafront, a well-preserved amphitheatre. Once you’ve done the historical side of the city, head to the Rambla Nova. It’s Tarragona’s main thoroughfare and is lined with boutiques and tapas bars.

Gaudi’s architectural masterpiece – the Sagrada Familia church – is still a work-in-progress a century after its first bricks were laid. And while it’s Barcelona’s centrepiece, there’s a lot more to this heavyweight city. For football fans, there’s the Nou Camp stadium. For art lovers, there’s the Picasso gallery. And for people who like to potter, there’s Covent Garden-like Las Ramblas.

Cambrils is choc-full of festivals at the end of June, but this one’s the biggie. It’s held in honour of Sant Pere – St Peter – and is basically a day of music and dancing. Join the crowds lining the streets around the main plazas and you’ll spot parades of drummers banging out fierce rhythms, soldiers having mock battles, and women dancing in colourful costumes. The headline event is the devil’s dance, where a local in a huge black winged costume stalks the streets brandishing sticks of flames. Spooky stuff…

If you want a bit of quiet time, drive 10 minutes from Salou to this sleepy stretch. At just 125 metres long, it’s positively pint-sized – but what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for in good looks. Alongside the sand you’ve got weather-beaten cliffs and a smattering of pines.

There’s more to Reus than just an airport. It’s also the home town of Antoni Gaudi – the guy responsible for most of Barcelona’s iconic buildings. Ironically, though, you won’t find any of his handiwork here. Instead it’s littered with the creations of Lluis Domenech i Montaner – another of Spain’s avant-garde architects. Don’t miss the ornate Casa Nava, in the centre of town.

Famous as the birthplace of Antoni Gaudi – the mastermind behind Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia – Reus has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with design. Many of Spain’s most renowned Modernist architects have lived here and stamped their marks on the town, which is a 20-minute drive from Salou. A must-see is Casa Navas, with its lacework stone balconies and columns.

The cosmopolitan town of Sitges, an hour east of Cambrils, is a favourite of the arts, party and gay crowds. Its heart is a whitewashed old town crouched on a promontory, with streets running down to a long sandy beach. The pedestrianised promenade is a little bit like a fashion catwalk, with a row of classy boutiques and trendy restaurants and tapas bars.

Fancy going from 0 to 135 kilometres-per-hour in three seconds? Then ride Furius Baco at Spain’s biggest theme park. Or give Hurakan Condor a go – you’ll drop 100 metres in a flash. Along with white-knucklers, there are sedate attractions like spinning teacups. And with the place split into zones, like China and Polynesia, PortAventura is like a holiday within a holiday.

Family-favourite, La Pineda Beach, certainly isn’t short on space. Its flat sands and shallow waters run alongside the Passeig de Pau Casals promenade for 2 and a half kilometres. Come lunchtime, the promenade itself caters for every craving, whether you fancy ice-cream or pizza.

This is a city that needs no introduction. Spend a day here and you can explore the Gothic quarter, follow in the footsteps of Barcelona FC’s star players at the Nou Camp, and soak up the atmosphere of Las Ramblas, with its tapas bars and street performers. Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia tops the travel guides – this surreal cathedral looks like it’s been carved from candlewax.

Cambrils Beach is flat and wide, and extends along the south coast for more than 9 kilometres. Because it’s so big, you don’t need to get here at the crack of dawn to grab a good spot. As an added bonus, the beach has earned a coveted Blue Flag thanks to its powder-soft sands and glass-clear waves.

Just under an hour’s drive from La Pineda, this is one of Spain’s prettiest medieval monasteries. With its fortifications and Rapunzel-style turrets, you half-expect to see a princess unfurling her plaits down its walls. Inside, you’ll find peaceful cloisters, marble royal tombs and a spectacular altar piece where tiers of finely-sculpted figurines reach up to an enormous dome.

Barceloneta Beach is over an hour’s drive from Salou, but if you’re spending the day in Barcelona, it’s worth a look. Along with spectacular views of the city’s skyline, it offers soft golden sands, and a supporting promenade filled with tapas bars and cafés.

Tarragona, 15 minutes from La Pineda, was the capital of Roman Spain, and the whole place is littered with reminders of days gone by. The site is dominated by a huge seafront amphitheatre, where gladiators fought wild animals to the death back in the 2nd century BC. Other highlights include the forum and the old chariot-racing circuit, where you can still see grooves from the chariot wheels.

The mountaintop Monastery of Montserrat, about an hour and a half from Salou, is the spiritual heart of Catalonia. Reached by cable car, it’s a beautiful huddle of stone cloisters and courtyards with views stretching as far as the Balearic Islands. It’s also home to a revered icon, the Black Madonna, and Spain’s oldest boys’ choir, whose voices are raised in song here at midday nearly every day.

Near the Costa Dorada’s southern border, about an hour-and-a-half from Salou, this wetland reserve draws nature-lovers from miles around. Each year, its marshes and saltpans attract millions of birds, like herons, kestrels and larks. Flamingos also breed here, turning its lagoons into sweeps of bright pink. Other attractions include an eco-museum and an aquarium.

Not only is Andorra one of the smallest countries in Europe, it’s one of the prettiest. We’re talking snow-capped mountains, wooden chalets and evergreen forests. The best way to see the sights is on foot. Head to the Cercle de Pessons, a pretty set of lakes, and the Sorteny Valley, where stone farmhouses have been changed into little restaurants.