Salou is a popular family resort on the Costa Dorada, or 'Golden Coast' of Catalonia in northeast Spain. It's about 10 km from the historical town of Tarragona and 112 kms down the coast from Barcelona.
Tourists are attracted by its numerous coves and beaches and its Mediterranean climate with warm summers and mild winters. Aside from the excellent scenery and sunny weather, Salou is also home to the famous PortAventura theme park.
Salou's fine, golden sandy beaches are without a doubt the main attraction. The varied coastline has everything from wide expanses of sand dotted with beach bars and water sports, to more intimate Cap Salou beaches nestled in pretty coves, sheltered by pines.
Lively beaches
If you want to spend your day at a beach with plenty of facilities on hand, head to these sandy shores.
Llevant beach, considered to be Salou's main beach, is the longest at 1.2 km. It sits directly in front of the town and is skirted by Jaume I seafront promenade, behind which is a grassed area with palm trees, popular for picnics. It is a blue flag beach so it's clean, safe and has an abundance of amenities.
For thrillseekers there's a beach sports zone and plenty of water sports, and for those just wanting to chill there are parasols, sun loungers and pedalos. Along Llevant beach there are at least a dozen beach bars called Chiringuitos so you can quench your thirst with a cold one try Chiringuito Leon. There are also children's playgrounds, showers, toilets, and first aid and lifesaving stations.
East of Llevant is Capellans, a 250-meter long sandy beach surrounded by natural cliffs which can be reached via carrer de Brusell-les. This beautiful stretch has been repeatedly granted blue flag status. It is fully equipped with parasols, sun loungers, jet-skis, toilets, showers and lifeguards.
Pure bliss
Beachgoers in search of a calm, picturesque oasis should look no further than these gems.
If you want a small, secluded beach, go for Cala Llenguadets. East of Capellans beach, this cove of fine sand and shallow waters can only be reached on foot via carrer de Torrassa. Although small, it still has very good facilities for visitors.
For somewhere really peaceful and scenic, try Llarga beach, the largest in the Cap Salou area. Its position away from the main tourist hub means that it is quieter than other beaches. This beautiful beach is fringed with pine groves and is most easy reached via carrer de Replanells.
Another blissful beach is Cala Penya Tallada, just east of Llarga beach. This small cove of stunning natural beauty is located between Punta Roja and the Penya Tallada cliffs that jut into the sea in Cap Salou. It is unknown to most visitors so it stays quite quiet, but you easily reach it from the street of the same name.
Family friendly
Most beaches are suitable for families with their fine sandy and clear, shallow waters.
At the west end of Llevant beach, past the port, you'll come to Ponent, which joins Salou with the neighbouring resort town of Cambrils. This 1 km stretch of fine, golden sand slopes gently into the crystal clear, shallow water making it an ideal place for children to play and paddle safely. It has similar amenities to Llevant and is boarded by its own promenade called Miramar.
If you want a blissful beach suitable for children, head to Cala Crancs, the easternmost of Salou's sandy shores. Surrounded by pine-clad rocks, its fine sand slopes gradually into the calm waters of the Mediterranean, making it perfect for splashing around in. This 80-meter long cove provides parking, a bus stop Red Cross services, beach umbrellas and even hammocks. Why not try out jet skiing?
Watersports
If you want to get active in the Mediterranean, there of plenty of water sports facilities along the coast.
Cala Font is another small beach set in a cove along the rockiest part of the Cap Salou coast. This fine sandy beach gets its name from a freshwater spring that flowed there up until a few years ago. It is the ideal place for snorkelling as you can see the seabed and the many species that live there through the calm, clear waters.
A rocky cliff separates Cala Font from Cala Vinya (aka Cala Pinetell), with similar characteristics. This is a great beach for playing volleyball, and it's also very popular with windsurfers.
As mentioned, Llevant beach is also good for water sports. It is home to Estació Náutica Salou offering a range of water-based activities. Above water you can enjoy banana boating, water skiing, kayaking, kite surfing, jet skiing, SUP, parasailing, windsurfing and wake boarding. Below water you can enjoy snorkelling and if you're daring enough, scuba diving. Their diving school allows new divers to take the plunge after an initiation course, while experienced divers can take specialised courses to improve their skills.