A Family Guide to Salou, Spain (2026)
This blog post features links and information which have been obtained on a press trip. However, as always, all opinions shared in this post are my own.
Salou is a beach town in the Costa Dorada region of northeast Spain. Located just over an hour from Barcelona and home to the famous Spanish theme park PortAventura, Salou has a lot to offer.
We visited as a family (two adults and two children aged 4 and almost 2) for the first time in July 2026 on one of the Costa Dorada holidays with Jet2holidays. In the run-up to our holiday we heard a lot from friends and family about how great Salou is, and it certainly lived up to that expectation.
Methodology: I visited Salou for four nights with my wife and our two young children, Patrick (almost two) and Oliver (four and a half), on a Jet2 package holiday from Leeds Bradford to Reus in July 2026. We stayed at Sol Costa Daurada, walked to Ferrari Land and PortAventura from our hotel, and used the Salou tourist train down to the beach. This post reflects our lived experience plus current 2026 flight, transfer, hotel, and park logistics.
Is Salou Good for a Family Holiday?
Salou is a fantastic choice for families. We decided to go here on our first family holiday since our four-year-old son finished chemotherapy for cancer. We chose the destination because:
- Medical Care: Being a popular tourist resort we knew the medical staff here would be used to British tourists and that they’d be well equipped to deal with any complex medical situations we faced.
- PortAventura & Ferrari Land: Our kids are at an age where sunbathing isn’t really a possibility so being within walking distance of these two theme parks and having tickets included with our Jet2 package holiday was great.
- Family-Friendly Hotels: A large portion of the hotels in Salou are designed to cater for families, the broad range also means there’s something for all budgets.
- Short Flight & Transfer: From most UK regional airports (around 2 hours), then a 15-30 minute transfer. This was a huge win for us as our youngest Patrick was only ten days off turning two so was the biggest infant on lap you can get.
- Large Beach: The beach here is huge, and has so much to offer with a range of bars, restaurants and stores running alongside it. It’s perfect for long walks with a pushchair.
- Short Break Friendly: Salou works as a short family break. Four nights is enough for most families to hit the theme parks, pool and beach without running out of things to do.
Salou isn’t a hidden Spanish village or foodie destination. It’s a purpose-built package resort with theme parks. It’s great if you want a pool, beach, and theme parks bundled into a short flight and a package price but it’s not great for those looking for authentic Spanish culture, high-end dining, or a quiet romantic break.
Getting to Salou From the UK
Most UK families, ourselves included, take Jet2 flights to Reus. The transfer to our hotel from the airport was around 30 minutes with two drop-offs prior. I estimate it would be closer to 15 minutes if you took a taxi instead.
Given we flew from Leeds Bradford, we managed to go from our home in West Yorkshire to our hotel in Salou in under five hours door-to-door.
You can fly into Barcelona but the transfer would be as long as the flight itself, which isn’t something I’d recommend for families unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Where to Stay in Salou
There are five main areas UK families choose from:
- Central Salou (Llevant beachfront): The main strip. Walk to Llevant Beach, the tourist train stop, the fountains show, and most of the family restaurants. It’s a 30-minute walk to PortAventura and Ferrari Land from here so many take the bus or a taxi instead.
- West Salou (near PortAventura): This is where we stayed. It’s a 15 to 20-minute walk to the beach but a 10-minute walk to PortAventura and Ferrari Land.
- Cap Salou: The headland at the southern end is quieter, more upmarket, further from the buzz. Needs a hire car or reliable taxi budget for practical family logistics.
- Cambrils: The next-door town along the coast offers a quieter beach and better restaurant scene.
- La Pineda: North of Salou, quieter still, with its own beach and Aquopolis waterpark. Some UK families prefer this over central Salou for a slightly less commercial feel.
Hotel types you’ll see:
- All-inclusive family resorts: Standard for UK package holidays. Includes meals, drinks, kids’ club. Sol Costa Daurada, Cambrils Playa Aparthotel, Hotel Best Negresco, Golden Port Salou are some of the most popular.
- On-park PortAventura hotels: Hotel PortAventura, Hotel Caribe, Hotel El Paso, Hotel Colorado Creek, Hotel Gold River are great if visiting the theme parks is the main purpose of your trip.
- Villa or apartment self-catering: This is less common on package deals for Salou but definitely possible with DIY holiday bookings.
Things to Do in Salou With Kids
One of the things we loved about Salou, and why we’d go back, is the number of things to do here:
- PortAventura Park: The main theme park. There are six themed lands. With our kids being young, we spent the majority of our time in Sesame Street. Multi-day tickets are usually bundled into Jet2 and TUI packages.
- Ferrari Land: Smaller theme park next door that typically opens from 5pm to 11pm. This park is geared to older kids and coaster fans, although being fans of F1, we still had a great time.
- Aquopolis Costa Dorada: This is one of two water parks in Salou, the other being at PortAventura. Tickets for these water parks are typically not included in most packages, so you’ll pay separately.
- Salou’s beaches: The main strip is Llevant Beach along Passeig Jaume I with lifeguards, cafes, and watersports. Ponent Beach and Capellans Cove are quieter alternatives if Llevant feels overwhelming with young kids.
- Tourist Train: Runs a loop through central Salou. Useful for getting from the hotel end of town down to the seafront with a stroller in tow, and the kids treat it as a ride in its own right.
- Boat Trips: Glass-bottom boats and mini-cruises leave from Salou’s small harbour. Around €10-15 per adult, half price for kids.
- The fountains show: Free evening water-and-lights show at Plaça Bonet Torres. Good half-hour activity before dinner.
Day trips:
- Tarragona: Located 15 to 20 minutes away from Salou by car or train, this is a great half-day trip and works well with a pushchair. The main attraction here is the Roman amphitheatre located right on the coastline.
- Cambrils: Located 10 minutes from Salou by car or train. Cambrils is a quieter beach town that offers better, more traditional Spanish food.
- Barcelona: Obviously the most famous of the three options. Around 90 to 120 minutes by train or car from Salou, which is the reason we skipped it with our young children. Popular attractions here include the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, and Park Güell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions I get about planning a Salou family holiday.
Is Salou expensive for families?
No, it’s one of the cheapest European destinations for family holidays. Package deals from most UK regional airports start around £350-450 per person in shoulder season and rise to £600-800 in peak summer weeks. Compared to Florida (£2,000+ per person peak) or the Greek islands (£700-1,000+ peak), Salou consistently sits at the affordable end of the family-holiday market.
Do you need Spanish to visit Salou?
No. Salou has been built around international tourism for decades and almost every hotel, restaurant, and attraction has English-speaking staff. Signs, menus, and safety information are usually in Spanish, English, and often French and German. A few polite phrases (por favor, gracias, hola) go a long way but you’ll manage fine without any Spanish.
What’s the best age for kids in Salou?
Two to ten. Under-twos are fine on the beach and pool but height minimums limit rides at PortAventura and Ferrari Land. Ages three to ten get the most out of it, thanks to SesaVentura and Junior Red Force. Tweens and teens may find central Salou repetitive over a full week.
Is Salou better than Benidorm for families?
For theme-park families, Salou wins — PortAventura is bigger and more consistently open than Benidorm’s Terra Mítica. Benidorm has the edge on nightlife, food variety, and a more authentically Spanish feel. Both work for young families; the deciding factor is usually theme parks.
Can you visit Salou without going to PortAventura?
Yes, but you’ll want to add more beach days and probably a day trip to Tarragona or Cambrils to fill the time. Salou without PortAventura is a smaller destination and works better as a four to five-night trip than a full week in that case.
Is Salou safe for young children?
Yes. Salou is a purpose-built tourist town with English-speaking medical infrastructure, low crime rates, and beach lifeguards during the summer season. The medical staff we encountered on our July 2026 trip spoke English and were used to families in a hurry, which was a real reassurance as parents of young children.
What airport do you fly into for Salou?
Reus (REU) is the closest, 15 to 30 minutes from Salou centre. Most UK package holidays fly into Reus with Jet2 or TUI. Barcelona (BCN) is the alternative but the 90-to-120-minute road transfer usually outweighs any flight-frequency benefit for family package holidays.
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