SALOU
Area: Costa Dorada
Country: Spain

Location:
On the E coast of Spain (Costa Dorada), 75 miles SW of Barcelona, 7ť miles SW of Tarragona, 5 miles S of Reus and 7ť miles S of its airport.

Telephone code from UK:
34

Position:
On SE-facing coast backed by very flat terrain and distant mountains, 25 miles inland.

Description:
Cambrils to the W and La Pineda to the E merge with Salou itself into one continuous resort some 10 miles long. Its general appearance is well-kept and clean partly because its expansion dates back no further than the early 1980s. Consequently most buildings are modern in style. An elegant promenade lined with palm trees displays a monument to Jaime I _ the Spanish king who sailed from Salou to conquer the Balearic Islands.

Suitability:
Suitable for all age groups, with a wide variety of entertainments. Most popular with middlemarket families.

Accommodation:
Dominated by apartments, many of which are residential and not let to tourists. Most hotels and apartments are 2- or 3-star category, and the majority are in the budget range.

Shopping:
A wide range of shops, from typical souvenir stalls to high-class boutiques, leather shops, perfumeries, supermarkets etc. A flea market is held every Monday in the "old" centre of town.

Beach:
A splendid choice, from wide and sandy, such as La Pineda and Poniente Beach, to small coves like Capellans. On the coast road between Salou and Pineda are dozens of small rocky isolated coves. All beaches are kept extremely clean. Some have been awarded the European blue flag.

Entertainments:
Daytime: water sports such as pedalloes and windsurfing. For younger children a big amusement park near port area; for bigger children, go-karting just outside the resort, easily reached by local bus. La Pineda has one of the biggest water parks in the region served by a local bus service every 20 minutes from Salou centre. Port Aventura is a full-blown theme park modelled on Busch Gardens in Florida. It has five themed areas: Polynesia, Mexico, China, the Wild West and the Mediterranean. This could take up to 2 days to visit thoroughly. Nightlife: hundreds of pubs, music bars, discos, flamenco bars and nightclubs, many of which stay open till the early hours of the morning.

Eating:
Something to suit everybody. British pubs, pizzerias, burgers, Chinese, Spanish tapas bars, and quite a few very classy restaurants.

Public-transport:
Frequent bus service to Tarragona, Cambrils and Reus, every 15_20 mins. Trains to Valencia and Barcelona every 2 hours. Normally no problems in getting a taxi, apart from perhaps weekends and in early hours of the morning, when discos and bars, etc, close.

Local-excursions:
Barcelona: 1ť hours' drive by motorway; full day for shopping and sightseeing. Montserrat: 1ť hours' drive, partly motorway; full day visiting the basilica, funicular and Codorniu "champagne" cellars. Andorra: 3ť-hour drive through countryside and mountains; full day. Peąiscola: 1ť-hour drive; full day to Peąiscola castle and River Ebro including boat trip. Tarragona: ť-hour drive; half day to cathedral and port. Bonivista market: 15-minute drive; half day to small village with popular flea market.