Costa Dorada Holidays

From bustling promenades to sunny golden sands, this coast has its pick of great resorts. Costa Dorada is also renowned for its lively fiestas and you can enjoy the biggest of them all in June, when a medley of music and colourful dancing fill the streets of Cambrils to honour San Pedro (or St Peter).

If you’re summer holiday starts later, September sees the Fiesta of Santa Tecla held in Tarragona, when a traditional parade hits the seaside town. Mark your calendar for the annual Corpus Christi flower festival too, when locals lay out intricate floral patterns on the streets of Sitges.

The Costa Dorada is fringed with fabulous sandy beaches. La Pineda is a perfect resort for those with little ones, with shallow waters gently lapping a long Blue Flag beach.

If it’s watersports you’re after though, neighbouring Cambrils has 9 Blue Flag beaches, and this breezier part of the coast is perfect for windsurfing and surfing.

The Port Aventura theme park adds massive fun factor to the Costa Dorada, with six zones jam-packed with roaring rides, spectacular shows and popular play areas.

Thrill seekers should hold on tight for Dragon Khan and Furius Baco, while little ones will love the Sesame Street zone. There’s also the Costa Caribe aqua park, for thrills, spills and water play and the Aquapolis waterpark.

Wherever you stay you’re sure to find restaurants that welcome kids, or spend the evening in some of Salou’s great family bars – try Chaplins for entertainment for all ages.

Enjoy the best of both worlds in the seafront town of Tarragona. The white sands and turquoise waters are perfect for a paddle and right on the seafront you'll find the vast Roman amphitheatre.

Tarragona's cobbled streets are a warren of shops and restaurants, offering lots to do in the evening as well.

Shop for bargains at the Bonavista Market on Sunday mornings, where hundreds of stalls pop up selling clothes, jewellery and pottery. It’s also where the locals shop for fresh fruits and seafood.

The old, historical part of Cambrils also hosts a weekly general market, where hungry holidaymakers can pick up olive oil, churros and other treats, alongside other stalls where you can shop for antiques, books and other relics.

Travel three hours by road and you’ll discover Andorra, one of Europe’s smallest principalities and surely one of the most picturesque.

Surrounded by snowcapped mountains, this is a ski, cycle and hiking haven and better still Andorra offers duty-free shopping.