Holidays to Costa Dorada
Golden sandy beaches, golden tans and golden memories, Costa Dorada holidays are golden by name, golden by nature. Summer fun here we come!
The Golden Coast
Costa Dorada translates as the “Golden Coast” and it won’t take you long to work out why! The region’s sandy golden shores are sun-splashed nearly all year round!
There are shedloads of beaches and resorts here, some perfect for families, some better for couples and others more geared towards friends who want to have (a lot of) fun.
What SUP?
Keep your cool by taking on a few of Costa Dorada’s watersports. Go wakeboarding, parasailing or keep it chilled with a boat jaunt, SUP sesh or pedalo outing.
You can snorkel or dive from Salou or Cambrils or hop on a fishing boat to catch your lunch. And the Nautic Park at Miami Platja offers up a smorgasbord of activities from kitesurfing to banana boat rides.
Catalan cuisine
Seafood. You’re gonna want to eat seafood in Costa Dorada. Try it in a stew (zarzuela is a local seafood dish), paella or xató salad (cod, tuna and anchovies with olives and almonds). And you can go fancy (hellloooo Michelin-starred restaurants) or low-key in a beach bar. Either way, your belly comes out on top.
Don’t forget the wine – Costa Dorada produces some cracking bottles (think big, bold reds), which you can sample along the scenic Priorat wine route.
Barcelona day trips
A culture-crammed day trip to Barcelona is within easy reach of Costa Dorada. Wander the narrow, medieval streets of the Gothic Quarter or visit Gaudí’s striking Sagrada Familia – a fantastical church that has been under construction for a staggering 140 years (so far).
You can also catch the street performers along Las Ramblas before grabbing a bite at La Boqueria Food Market. Feeling adventurous? Go wild and order a plate of rabo de torro – slow cooked bull tails – at the market bars.
Human towers
Here’s something you don’t see every day. Catalonia’s astonishing “castells” (human towers) can sometimes be as high as 10 people – impressive stuff, although you might want to leave the heavy lifting to the pros.
Catch these impressive balancing acts in town squares throughout the year, often on summer weekends or holidays like the Feast of Sant Joan in June.
Sneak Peek
Best for... Family-friendly beaches and Barca day trips 🏖️
Go... In summer for festivals and toasty beach weather ☀️
You have to... See a human tower to believe it 👬
Costa Dorada holiday deals
Prices and availability may change, confirm with the provider before booking. Mandatory fees may not be included in all prices.
Calypso
- 18 Oct 2026
- 7 nights
- All-inclusive
- From Manchester
Prices from
Golden Donaire Beach
8.9
Excellent
- 18 Oct 2026
- 7 nights
- All-inclusive
- From Manchester
Prices from
Apartamentos Albatros Family
- 10 Oct 2026
- 7 nights
- Self-catering
- From Manchester
Prices from
Ohtels Belvedere
8.5
Very Good
- 15 Apr 2027
- 7 nights
- Room only
- From Manchester
Prices from
Cheap Costa Dorada holidays under £200pp
Prices and availability may change, confirm with the provider before booking. Mandatory fees may not be included in all prices.
Ohtels Villa Dorada
8.7
Excellent
- 31 Oct 2026
- 7 nights
- Room only
- From Manchester
Prices from
Alannia Salou
8.4
Very Good
- 31 Oct 2026
- 7 nights
- Room only
- From Manchester
Prices from
Sol Costa Daurada
8.7
Excellent
- 31 Oct 2026
- 7 nights
- Room only
- From Manchester
Prices from
Top destinations in Costa Dorada
Salou
Prices from
£179 pp
Sitges
Prices from
£440 pp
La Pineda
Cambrils
Prices from
£219 ppKey facts
Currency
Euro (€)
Language
Spanish
Time difference
GMT+2
Cost of a beer
€3-6
3-course meal
€12-35
Flight time
2.5h
Things to explore
Top beaches: Gold standard
La Pineda’s beach is a Blue Flag beauty with calm shallow water for the kiddies and plenty of watersports for when sandcastles meet their inevitable end. Playa del Regueral in Cambrils is another family fave, with banana boats and volleyball nets. Just outside Salou’s centre, Playa Llarga is quieter than the main beach, sitting pretty in front of a pine forest. And Riumar in the bird-festooned Ebre Delta Nature Reserve is one of the most stunning beaches on the whole coast.
Nightlife: Tributes and tunes
Sitges and Salou are the two nightlife hubs on the Costa Dorada. Vibrant Sitges is popular with the LGBTQ+ community and home to clubs like Sitges and Everlasting Love where you can boogie into the wee hours. Salou has all sorts of after-dark shenanigans, from Chaplins’ tribute acts – so you can scream your heart out to Dancing Queen – to clubs like City Hall and Tropical for a dusk-til-dawn party!
Family-friendly: Wet and wild
Costa Dorada is an ace destination for family holidays – and not only because of the kid-friendly beaches. Spend a day at PortAventura, one of Spain’s biggest theme parks (think waterslides, live shows and rollercoasters), or Aquopolis for slides, pools and playgrounds! For a wild adventure, head to the Ebre Delta to spot flamingos and herons. And if you have kids that are loco for locomotives, the little Salou tourist train, which chugs around the resorts biggest sites, will go down a treat.
When to go to Costa Dorada
For perfect beach weather and all the festivities, head to the Costa Dorada in summer. To beat the school holiday crowds, aim for June or September when you can also bag a better deal.
On that note, for cheap Costa Dorada holidays, travel in spring or autumn. It’s a lot quieter and, for the most part, sunny.
While lots of businesses close for the low season in winter, it’s not a bad time to experience cultural attractions, take coastal walks and go on a day trip (or a city break) to Barcelona. The weather also isn’t anywhere near as grey as it is back home!
