Salou suits families who want a big sandy resort beside PortAventura, with a palm-lined promenade and Reus airport 11 minutes away by road. In summer foreign visitors outnumber locals and the streets stay busy late, so it is not a quiet base.
Salou has about 31,000 residents and runs as a seaside strip, with the Passeig Jaume I promenade lined with palms behind Llevant, the longest town beach. Platja Llarga, Ponent, Capellans and Cala Crancs make up the rest, and small coves of fine golden sand alternate with the wider beaches. Our homes sit within a couple of kilometres of the centre, mostly small houses and apartments for around four, and about two thirds have a pool. At night the town fills its terraces, bars and clubs, and the illuminated fountains run light and music shows after sunset from Easter to November. PortAventura sits on the outskirts. The fountain shows run only from Easter through November, and the Torre Vella opens for a couple of hours in the early evening, Monday to Saturday.
Theme park resort on the edge of Salou, with Ferrari Land, opened in 2017, and the Caribe Aquatic Park.
About 10 km away, with a Roman archaeological complex that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Plana buses from Salou taking around 30 minutes.
A harbour town around 10 minutes away by road, known across Spain for its seafood restaurants, with beaches that get hardly any waves.
A nine-kilometre trail follows the coast, and a separate route links 23 viewpoints between the sea and the mountains.
Reus is the nearest airport, about 7 miles or 11 minutes from Salou by road, with Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and TUI flights from UK airports, all seasonal. Barcelona El Prat is about 100 km away. Plana buses and taxis serve the town, but a car makes the wider coast easier.
Nightlife peaks in summer, when foreign visitors outnumber locals. Highs at nearby Reus airport are near 30 degrees in July and August. The illuminated fountains run from Easter through November, and streets are still thronged at 10pm in April, so spring is not empty either. UK flights into Reus are seasonal, so outside summer check Barcelona El Prat instead.
Yes. Llevant beach has many children's play areas and sculptures, PortAventura is on the edge of town, and Salou is described as a package-holiday resort for many age groups. Expect busy streets in summer.
Salou is the livelier of the two, with clubs, bars and more foreign visitors than locals in summer. Cambrils is a harbour town known for seafood restaurants, with beaches that get hardly any waves. They are about 10 minutes apart by road.
Yes. The town has terraces, bars, restaurants and clubs, and nightlife peaks in summer. Pacha is in neighbouring La Pineda. If you want quiet evenings, ask how far a home is from the seafront.
About 7 miles, or roughly 11 minutes by car or taxi. A Plana bus takes around 23 minutes but runs only every few hours, so check times before relying on it.
Not to the town centre, because the Salou city-centre railway station closed in January 2020. The nearest stop is PortAventura on the Tarragona to Amposta line.
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed October 2026.
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