Salou is the biggest resort and rightly claims to be the capital of the Costa Dorada, Spain. Costa Dorada which means 'Golden Coast' (very apt) refers to the 150 miles of golden sands which run south of Barcelona to the ancient city of Tarragona. Costa Dorada isn't as hot or as popular as the Costa Blanca or the Costa Del Sol and indeed isn't as exclusive as the Costa Brava but that does have it's advantages because it has a lot to offer.

Salou lies at the south end of the Costa Dorada just a few miles south of Tarragona. Reus airport which serves the resort is only thirty minutes away which is one of the shortest transfer journeys for all the Costa resorts. The flight from Britain takes around two hours, most of the major British airports serve here. Alternatively flights can go to Barcelona and transfer via the coastal railway but this obviously takes a lot longer (2 hours). The harbour end of Salou is where the old town of Salou lies and that is the quiter end whereas the other end is the new town and here you will find most of the shops, bars and clubs.

Salou's main beach is four miles long with further quiter beaches and coves just around the headlands. They all face to the south-east and that is why the beaches are so warm and golden. The resort is also protected inland by the Catalunyan mountains which makes the resort's climate very stable. It is rare for it to rain in the high summer period of July and August but of course when it does, it does so heavily. The average temperature in summer is 26 degrees with temps ranging from between 24 and 35 degrees. There is a variety of watersports and activities available on the main beach. The temperature of the sea is very warm, is very clean and is suitable for people of all ages. All the beaches in the Salou area reach blue flag standard and are patrolled by lifeguards. Sun loungers and parasols are plentiful and cheap to hire.

There are literally hundreds of apartments and hotels in and around Salou of varying quality. They range from self catering to five star, alternatively there are many camping parks where you can stay in cabins or private villa's for rent which can often work out cheaper than the most expensive hotels. It is quite a compact resort so wherever your staying you won't be far away from the beach. Towering hotel blocks are engulfing the resort and new ones are going up everywhere, you cannot help but think that this beautiful part of the Mediterraen is being spoilt, indeed many of the older, original blocks look empty and are decaying.

Salou is hugely popular amongst the British and has been ever since the package holiday was invented in the sixties. This will become evident almost straight away because a huge amount of bars, clubs and restaurants cater for the needs of the British visitors - in fact most of them have British names! There is also quite a large Dutch contingent at the resort but I would say three quarters of all visitors are British. The biggest attraction at the resort is the 'Port Adventura' theme park which lies in the new town of Salou. Port Adventura is split into five different zones with dozens of white knuckle rides to try. The promenade as with most Spanish resorts is very picturesque, it has fountains, landscaped gardens and is palm-tree lined. The fountains are of particular interest when the sun goes down because they emit a coulured lightshow. A permanent funfair lies in the old town and goes on right into the early hours.

Catalunya in general is famous for it's fish dishes and it's Paella. Cambrils a town just to the south of Salou is home to some marvellous fish restaurants if your a food connoisseur! Salou itself has a wide variety of restaurants catering for all palettes and wallets. The main shopping area lies in the new town and the main street comes alive in the late evening complete with it's overhead lighting. Do remember that Spain does have a siesta in the afternoon and that the place does go quiet in the early afternoon. The clubs and bars mostly lie in the new town in and around the shopping area and most of them are free to get in due to the high level of competition. It is wise to venture out much later than you would back in Britain as most of the restaurants and bars don't get going until late evening. There is a wide variety of entertainment in the bars such as Karaoke, comedians and singers. Personally I prefer the quiter, less commercialised Spanish bars, some of which offer flamenco dancing. Clubs stay open until the early hours of the morning and can get very lively in the height of summer.

The coastal railway which runs through Salou makes the resort a very useful base if you would like to visit further afield. The railway itself is very busy and fares are very cheap, much cheaper than Britain. The main day trip venue would have to be the capital of Catalunya, Barcelona. Barcelona is home to the famous Gaudi cathedral, Las Ramblas, beautiful fountains and a wide array of world renowned architecture. Another place to visit is Tarragona just a five minute train journey away, Tarragona is home to some ancient sites including a Roman ampitheatre. Inland from Salou lies the famous monastery in the mountains, Montserrat, which has attracted pilgrims for centuries. La Pineda, a newer resort, six miles north of Salou has an Aquaruim water park which is hugely popular for children. Catalunya is famous for it's golf courses and there are two in the nearby region including one in Reus near the airport. If you seek a bit of peace and quiet, Cap Salou may be more suitable for your needs - it lies just around the headland from Salou. You can take a romantic stroll along the promenade in splendid isolation or watch the fishermen bringing in the days catch. If your a little more ambitious and would like to see a bit of 'Real Spain' then you could hire a car or scooter and venture inland to see one of the many secluded villages dotted around in the mountains.

If your after a cut price holiday at a resort which has a lot to offer then you could do a lot worse than Salou. Salou caters for people of all ages and the people who visit reflect that, you will see families enjoying themselves on the beaches and in the hotels, you will see couples getting away from it all, you will see single parties lapping up the late night clubs and you will see older people happily mixing it with their juniors. In this respect, Salou is a much better resort than the heavily spoilt locations of Tenerife, Ibiza and Benidorm but having said that, Salou too has been heavily commercialised to cater for the British market. There is plenty to do in Salou itself, with the theme-park being the main attraction but it is also within close proximity to other attractions that are well worth seeing. The climate and beaches are of high quality and the price of things are very cheap indeed compared to 'rip-off Britain'. I would recommend Salou to anyone, it has lots of different things to offer and you can get out of your stay whatever you want to. Indeed I would say that you could visit a second time and get just as much enjoyment as you did the first time, it is certainly a resort you could return to time and time again.