SALOU GUIDE - THINGS TO SEE AND DO - SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS ABOUT GETTING AROUND, SIGHTSEEING, SHOPPING, NIGHTLIFE AND MORE - GOBYSA

SALOU GUIDE - THINGS TO SEE AND DO

See inside for details about getting around, sightseeing, shopping, nightlife and more

The town of Salou is a favourite destination with British tourists; it’s located on the Costa Dorada, or ‘the
Gold Coast', in the Catalonia region of Spain. It is the most visited of the holiday resorts on the Costa
Dorada, with a clean, sandy coastline. Salou is just 7 miles from Reus Airport.

Salou has become one of the main tourist areas of Costa Dorada, with over two million visitors a year
attracted to its hot, golden Mediterranean beaches. Salou has become a popular family resort with its safe
shallow waters, friendly locals, Port Aventura theme park and a great variety of entertainment facilities and
attractions.

Culture
Salou, like many other Mediterranean towns, has a rich cultural history. While it doesn’t portray as strong
a cultural heritage as the neighbouring towns of Tarragona and Reus, Salou has its own subtleties.

The modern buildings built as tourism expanded in the town blend with the classical styled older buildings.
The Church of Santa María del Mar was built in 1766, consisting of a church with a walled belfry and
single bell, it was mainly used by seafaring folk. It was extended early in the 20th century to its present
form.

Beaches
The popularity of Salou as a holiday resort is largely built on its superb beaches. The coastline of Salou
enjoys eight main beaches, each with fine golden sand and inviting shallow waters due to the long beach
and slow tide.

The beaches themselves are quite varied, some beaches consisting of long plains of sand, some mixing
with the beachfront hotels and bars, while others have coved areas sheltered with pine trees giving a
more intimate feel.

Shopping
Keen shoppers will be spoilt for choice in Salou; the local shopkeepers pride themselves on providing
a good friendly service. While Salou as a whole has many shopping zones, the Old Town area
contains some shops, which are as old as Salou has been a holiday resort.

The Jaume I Promenade and Major Street areas are more modern shopping areas, containing many
restaurants and terrace cafes underneath a canopy of palm trees.

Market day
The weekly market here is a good chance to see what traditional Salou has to offer. You can find all
types of clothing and household objects at the weekly markets under the open sky.

These markets were originally where farmers and artisans sold their produce and handicrafts, as well
as the hawkers of goods that could not be commonly produced or found. The tradition has endured in
Salou under the name of ‘mercadet’, which is held every Monday morning on Passeig 30 d’Octubre,
and has some 100 stalls.

Leisure and recreation
Salou has many activities for both children and grown ups.

Port Aventura theme park, owned by Universal, is a fantastic modern theme park built around the basis of
five worlds, with rides to match the theme of each world. The park also has 25 live shows a day as well as
restaurants and bars.

Salou also has two water parks – Aquaopolis and Aqualeon. While both are filled with the slides and
pools you would expect from a waterpark, Aqualeon also has a zoo with a large selection of animals.

The beaches play host to many sporting activities and water sports, the surrounding streets provide play
parks and terrace cafes, and at night a selection of clubs and bars light the pavements.

Bikes are available for hire in Salou. Horse riding is available nearby. The coast here is excellent for sea
fishing. The many paths make this a great place for walkers and runners alike. Golf is available nearby.

Eating out
Local restaurants in Salou serve mainly Catalan dishes, many of which are based on fresh fish caught in the
local clear waters, but also incorporates many traditional Spanish dishes such as paella. Plenty of
restaurants and hotels in Salou will serve traditional foods alongside the more international tasting fast-foods
such as burgers, pizzas and hot dogs.

A coastal town, Salou favours seafood in its local gastronomy; there are some excellent bars and restaurants
in the town and along the coast where you can enjoy the delicious catch of the day.

Other specialities of the regiona include Arrs Negre – rice boiled in cuttlefish ink, Rossejat – a rice or noodle
dish made with fish broth and calamars amb xocolata, or chocolate squid. Tarragona is renowned for its
white wine production; look out for the Tarragona wine denomination when selecting a wine to accompany
your meal.

Nightlife
Salou boasts a multitude of bars, pubs, discos, flamenco shows and nightclubs to keep you entertained
until the early hours of the morning.

The main 'going out' area is Carlos Buigas. It runs from the end of the beach and is lined with fun bars
and clubs. This street and the immediate surrounding area is known locally as 'Slammers'. It is full of
people in their 20s who are looking for a night of drinking and dancing.

Salou nightlife attracts an international crowd of tourists and you'll see Dutch, French and English people
everywhere. Typically people start to go out as soon as the sun has gone down and the clubs stay open
until dawn.

Don't worry about taking the children out in the evenings. Dotted amongst the bars and clubs are plenty of
ice-cream parlours and family restaurants.

If you fancy somewhere a little less frenzied that the street of Carlos Buigas, then head for the opposite
end of the Levant beach to where the pot is. The street of Calle Barcelona that stretches back from here
has some quaint Spanish tapas bars and restaurants.

For the biggest concentration of eateries, pass over the railway tracks and walk another 10 minutes.

Getting There
The nearest airport is Reus which is 7 miles away. The following airlines fly there from the UK and Ireland.

Jet2 from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol (begins 5th May 2022) , East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford,
London-Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne.
RyanAir from Birmingham, Dublin, East Midlands, Liverpool, London-Southend, London-Stansted, Manchester and
Shannon.
TUI from Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Cork, Doncaster/Sheffield, Dublin, Glasgow, London–
Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle and Shannon.

Another option is Barcelona El Prat which is 60 miles away. These are the airlines that fly there from the UK and
Ireland.

Aer Lingus from Dublin
BA from London-Heathrow.
easyJet from Belfast, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, London-Gatwick, London-Luton and Manchester
Jet2 from Birmingham, Leeds/Bradford and Manchester
Ryan Air from Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London-Luton, London-
Stansted, Manchester and Prestwick

Know before you go
Voltage in Spain is 220 AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are two pin.

In a real emergency, dial 112, this is the equivalent of 999. You will then be immediately connected to an English
speaking operator. Here are some other useful telephone numbers.

National Police 091
Guardia Civil 062
Irish Consulate (Barcelona) 93 4915021
British Consulate (Barcelona) 93 4199044
Salou Police Station 977 380106
Red Cross (Salou) 977 381717
Ambulance 977 383104
Fire Brigade 977 795080
Tourist Office (Salou) 977 350102
International Medical Centre 900 327 327 (24 hr)

How can I make a phone call from Spain?
If you wish to call abroad from Spain, dial 00 + country code + the phone number. You can place international
calls from a public phone. Phone booths use coins or cards, which can be purchased at tobacconists' shops.

If you wish to make a phone call within Spain, just dial the number with no prefixes. The phone number always
has 9 digits, whether it is a cell phone or a regular phone.

If you wish to use your mobile in Spain, you should contact your service provider to make sure you will be able to
use your phone in Spain (some carriers will have to activate international service for your phone). Once those
steps are taken at the country of origin, use your mobile in Spain as if you were calling from a Spanish line. That
is, you will need to dial 00 + country code + phone number to make international calls.

Is smoking prohibited?
In Spain, smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public areas (including public transportation vehicles and buses). It
is also not permitted to smoke in health facilities (including outdoor areas that are part of its premises), any
educational or training centres (except in outdoor spaces in universities and adult education centres) and
playgrounds or play areas (outdoor spaces equipped for children).

Other than cash how else can I pay?
With credit cards: Payment using recognised international credit cards is also commonly available in Spanish
shops. They usually have signs indicating this option at the entrance to the establishment. When you make a
payment you should show your passport or ID card.

With traveller's cheques: Traveller's cheques, accompanied by a passport, are also accepted in many hotels,
restaurants and shops.

Where can you change foreign currency?:
You can change currencies in bureaux de change and some banks. This service is also available in many hotels
and travel agencies.

Is tipping mandatory?:
No; in every single establishment in Spain, service is included with the price of the meal or drink. However,
tipping is a common practice at bars and restaurants, hotels, and taxis, depending on the total price for the
service, and on the generosity of the client. It is usually around five to ten percent of the total price.

How can you go online and check your e-mails?
If you want to connect to the internet, numerous establishments in Spain offer free WiFi connections: cafes,
restaurants, kiosks… You'll also find it in a number of airports, train and bus stations, and some shopping centres
and hotels. You may sometimes need to ask for the password. What's more, many venues offer free WiFi in
public spaces like parks or squares.

Remember that WiFi connections have a maximum speed limit, so they're mainly useful for finding specific
information. You can also connect to the Internet via your mobile device. Another advantage is that in Spain you
can enjoy extensive 4G mobile coverage . Remember to check your usual mobile phone operator's conditions
and rates before you travel.

How can I send a letter or a postcard?
You can send a letter from anywhere in Spain. In order to do it, you need to find stamps, which you can buy at
any tobacconist's shop or "Estancos". To send your letter, put it in a mailbox.

Mailboxes are yellow, and they can be found in the street, at railway and bus stations, and at the airports. It is
also possible to leave your mail in the reception of your hotel, if it offers that service, for the staff to take care of
the mailing for you.

 Public Holidays 2022

 1st Jan Sat       New Year's Day                                     15th Aug Mon Assumption of Mary

 15th Apr Fri      Good Friday                                        12th Oct Wed Columbus Day
                                                                      1st Nov Tue  All Saints' Day
 1st May Sun       Labour Day
                                                                      6th Dec Tue       Constitution Day
                                                                      25th Dec Sun      Christmas Day