From Lloret de Mar to Salou. Lloret de Mar or Salou: which is better to choose. Comparison of pros and cons

Recently, Spanish resorts are gaining more and more popularity among our compatriots. The secret of this popularity is simple: Spain offers relatively inexpensive holiday options, while being a European country with European foundations and concepts of security. At the same time, in addition to an exclusively beach holiday with all its components, Spain also offers excellent opportunities for cultural recreation.

One of the most popular destinations is Barcelona and the resort coasts surrounding the city. Among the offers of numerous travel companies, Lloret de Mar and Salou dominate. Thanks to an extensive database of hotels collaborating with tour operators, these two cities are also the most affordable places to stay.

Lloret de Mar is north of Barcelona, ​​on the Costa Brava, and Salou is almost the same distance, but south, on the Costa Dorada. Which coast do you prefer?

First of all, it should be noted that, in addition to Salou and Lloret de Mar, both of these Spanish resorts offer many other, more private, due to the lack of mass tourism, towns and coasts. However, if you still prefer popular places where there is always a lot of movement and life, where you will not be bored, and where there are more tourists than locals, then Salou and Lloret de Mar are quite suitable.

If we talk about transport, then you can easily and conveniently get to Lloret de Mar and Salou from the airport by ordering a transfer in Barcelona. In the future, you will be able to travel to Barcelona by public transport. There are trains and buses from Salou to the Catalan capital. You can get from Lloret de Mar by bus, which will cost a little more than a train, or by train, but with a change through the neighboring town of Blanes.

Considering the infrastructure, it is impossible to single out one of the two resorts. Both Salou and Lloret de Mar have a developed network of entertainment venues. In both cities there are many tourist shops, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops. There are playgrounds, pharmacies and spa hotels.

Both Salou and Lloret de Mar offer excellent opportunities for summer sports activities. On the coast there are diving clubs, yacht centers and surfing centers.

Also, speaking of the resorts of the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada, one cannot fail to mention the quality of the beaches. Both Salou and Lloret de Mar have clean, spacious sandy beaches, provided with everything you need for a comfortable beach holiday. However, Lloret de Mar, like the entire northern coast of Catalonia, boasts an unusually colorful and beautiful coastline. Ancient fortresses on the rocks, green vegetation and pretty bays serve as an extraordinary decoration of the resort.

Salou, for its part, attracts the attention of tourists with the nearby amusement park Port Aventura. This is the largest park in Spain, providing excellent opportunities for family holidays. Port Aventura is the destination for the majority of tourists in Barcelona and its environs. Lloret de Mar also has amusement parks and centers, this is a water park, a botanical garden, a dolphinarium.

As far as cultural opportunities are concerned, the entire Catalan region is of interest from a historical point of view. Near Salou are Tarragona, Reus, Sitges, cities that will be interesting to visit during excursions. Lloret de Mar and the surrounding resort towns are the descendants of ancient settlements, in which museums, fortresses and castles are still preserved and delight tourists. In addition, you can easily and conveniently travel to Barcelona.

Whichever resort you choose, excursions in Barcelona are an essential part of your summer program.

Most of the Russian-speaking tourists prefer to relax in Spain at the resorts of the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada. But these two tourist regions are seriously different from each other, as they offer completely different holidays.

Holidays in the Costa Brava will appeal to those who can not sit still. Museums, natural views, architectural monuments, proximity to the sights of Barcelona - you can't get around everything in a week!

Costa Dorada, on the contrary, is focused on the "lazy" tourist and young parents. The latter will definitely like the gentle entrance to the sea and the proximity of one of the largest amusement parks in the world, PortAventura.

Content

Comparison of pros and cons

The location of the coasts on the map

Costa Brava

Main resorts:

Costa Brava (translated from Spanish means "wild rocky coast") is part of the coast of the Balearic Sea to the north of Barcelona. It is officially considered that its borders start from the city of Blanes and end with the Spanish-French border.

The only "own" airport of the Costa Brava is located in Girona, but 98% of tourists fly to Barcelona and get to the resorts using public transport or transfers.

Costa Dorada

Costa Dorada is located in the province of Tarragona, in the northeastern part of Spain. The "Gold Coast", as this coast is often called due to the golden color of the sand, stretches from Tarragona to Barcelona.

Main resorts:

Climatic features

Costa Brava

Lloret, Blanes and Tossa de Mar are always a couple of degrees cooler. The influence of the mountains and the cold current that comes here from Gibraltar affects. The water warms up a little longer, so the swimming season begins only at the end of June and ends at the end of September.

Majestic cliffs, densely overgrown with mighty pines and firs, secluded bays and snow-white beaches. You will not find anything like this in other regions, so we recommend that lovers of beautiful views and hiking to stay in the north.

Costa Dorada

Costa Dorada has a slightly milder and warmer climate. Due to its southern location, it rains less frequently from the Pyrenees. The swimming season here starts earlier and ends a little later. Therefore, in June and October it is better to relax in Salou or Tarragona.

Since the entrance to the sea is shallow, the water also warms up much better than in the resorts of the Costa Brava. And the sand here is finer, so it sticks better and kids like it. There is so much entertainment here that neither kids nor lovers of outdoor activities and thrills will be bored.

The infrastructure of the resorts is growing and improving every year. There are many more hotels with animation and food that our tourist is used to. The same applies to nightclubs, noisy discos and entertainment centers.

Main resorts

Costa Brava

Perhaps the brightest and busiest resort in the region is the former trading port, now a paradise for vacationers -. Nightclubs and discos for every taste, British bars, beach attractions and noisy party life - everything is created for a carefree youth holiday.

It is an excellent vacation spot. A 3-kilometer golden beach, picturesque bays, medieval buildings, botanical gardens and marvelous nature create an atmosphere of comfort. Trains to Barcelona also run from here.

From the northern resorts within easy reach to the southern coast of France. By renting a car, you can easily reach Nice and the Principality of Monaco in 6 hours. And good transport links to Barcelona will give you the opportunity to get to know this beautiful city and its sights.

Costa Dorada

The Cathedral of Tarragona is a majestic building built in the 12th century. In the temple you can see sculptures of 12 apostles, Jesus Christ and the Virgin. The cathedral is active, therefore, in addition to architecture, it is also notable for the fact that it allows you to plunge into the local religion.

Excursions to the Roman amphitheater, to the castles of Vilavortuni, Miravet, Siurana and others will be not only informative, but also very interesting for both children and adults.

The main place of entertainment and an outstanding attraction of the entire Spanish coast is considered to be a real city of attractions, large-scale colorful shows, celebration and joy.

Why is the Costa Dorada more expensive than the Costa Brava?

There are several reasons for slightly higher prices:

1. More food chain hotels
2. Higher demand for the same supply
3. Weather

I was in Salou twice - in September 2011 and in July 2013. This is a small resort town, in normal times the population is about 30,000 people, in the season - about 300,000

The resort offers relaxation for every taste - wide sandy beaches, an excellent promenade for walking, singing fountains in the evenings, many cafes and clubs. Also from Salou you can get to Barcelona (2 hours by bus), Port Avetura amusement park (15 minutes) and other parts of Spain.

An excellent company Bus Plana operates in Salou, which organizes inexpensive excursions in Russian (sometimes 1.5-2 times cheaper than Russian tour operators like Natalie Tours). They have several ticket sales points, and employees often sell excursions right at bus stops.

I liked Salou more than Lloret de Mar, which I visited in 2012. Main advantages:

1. In Salou there are sandy beaches and a gentle entry into the sea, and in Lloret de Mar there are small pebbles and a rather steep entry, after 5 meters it is no longer possible to reach the bottom.

2. The proximity of Salou to Port Aventura (only 20 minutes, from Lorret de Mar to get 3 hours).

I recommend everyone to visit this amusement park. Even if you don’t like the rides themselves, everything is very beautiful there, you can walk or watch themed performances (cowboy show, soap bubble show, etc.) Also in the park is the Shambhala attraction - the highest rollercoaster in Europe.

It was scary, but still we rode it. This is an experience of a lifetime!!!

We stayed both times at Best Mediterraneo 3*, good value for money.

We were in Salou on several excursions, went to Barcelona. Below are photos from Montserrat.

And this is the view while climbing the mountain.

We did not disregard the vineyards of Torres, a well-known world wine producer.

We have selected for you 10 cities that are well-deservedly popular among tourists and locals.

An ideal place for lovers of a relaxing holiday and families with children: there are three large sandy beaches and few noisy discos. True, the sea may not be warm enough for kids, because the Costa Brava is the coolest coast.

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Those who put swimming and sunbathing in the first place are waiting for the beaches of Mar Gran, Mar Menuda and El Codolar. During the season, all of them are filled to overflowing with vacationers, but you can rent a boat and move to one of the secluded bays, which are enough in the vicinity of the resort.

The main attraction is the Vila Vella fortress, built in the 12th century to protect against pirates. Inside is Museu Municipal - one of the best art museums in Spain. The collection is diverse: from Roman mosaics to paintings by Chagall.

How to get there? The resort is located 105 kilometers from Barcelona Airport. The only way to quickly overcome this distance is to take a taxi (about € 100), to save money, you can first get to Barça, from there take the train to Blanes, and then transfer to the bus following through Lloret de Mar (on the way you will spend 2-2.5 hours, spending about €10 on tickets).

Lloret de Mar is a universal resort, where families with children, party-goers and the elderly enjoy their holidays with the same pleasure. One of the reasons for its popularity is its excellent beaches. The longest of them is Lloret (1.5 kilometers), the calmest sea is Santa Cristina, protected by two hills, the most picturesque is Boadella.

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The best place for a walk is the Gardens of Saint Clotilde, designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance. Other points of interest include the Sant Joan Castle, the former Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere del Bosc, the Church of Saint Romanus and the Maritime Museum.

How to get there? The resort is located 90 kilometers from Barcelona Airport. The economy option is a bus (ticket price from €15), but keep in mind that it does not run at night. The fastest way to get to is to take a taxi, but such a pleasure will cost about €150, respectively).

Suitable for families with children, marked with the Family Tourism Destination sign. The local beaches meet international cleanliness standards, are equipped with everything necessary, have children's playgrounds and clubs for kids. The main city beach is Llevant, Ponent and Capellans are also located not far from the center, Llarga beach is located a little further. If you are traveling without small children, it is worth getting out of the city and visiting one of the wild beaches located in the bays.

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Be sure to take the time to visit PortAventura World, considered one of the best amusement parks in Europe: PortAventura Park with attractions, Caribe Aquatic Park and Ferrari Land theme park. Another interesting attraction is the lighthouse, on the way to which 3 observation platforms are equipped.

How to get there? The resort is located 110 kilometers from. You can get from the airport to Salou in 2-2.5 hours by bus, the ticket costs about €15 one way. The second option is to arrive at the Barcelona Sants train station and take the high-speed train to Salou. You will spend about an hour on the way, tickets can be purchased for €15.

Tarragona was the capital of Tarraconian Spain, in memory of those times, many interesting architectural sights have been preserved, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This resort is famous for its golden sandy beaches, its festivals and celebrated national holidays, as well as delicious Catalan cuisine.

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The best beaches of Tarragona: Del Miracle, De L'arrabassada and Dels Capellans, nudists have a rest on De La Savinosa, Fonda and De La Roca Plana.

An excellent vantage point overlooking the sea, the city and the ancient amphitheater is called Balcó del Mediterrani (Mediterranean balcony). Other interesting sights: Roman Forum, cathedral, archaeological promenade, Castellarnau palace, Canals mansion, Balsells house - you can. In the vicinity of the city, it is worth seeing the Poblet monastery, the Castell de Tamarit castle and the Les Ferreres aqueduct, which the locals called the devil's bridge.

How to get there? The resort is located 100 kilometers from Barcelona. From El Prat Airport, you can arrive in Tarragona in an hour by bus (€15). There are high-speed trains from Barcelona Sants station that will take you there in half an hour (€40).

Excellent beaches + a lot of interesting sights - this is the secret of popularity.

The best beaches are Urbanova and Postiguet. But for the sake of what it is worth leaving them for a while and going for a walk: the fortress of Santa Barbara, the MACA Museum of Contemporary Art, whose collection includes paintings by Dali and Picasso, the Explanada de España alley, the Mercado Central market, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Gothic Basilica St. Mary, city hall building.

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How to get there? The most convenient option is to buy tickets directly to Alicante, without the need to fly to Barcelona or other cities with a transfer to trains or buses.

The resort is popular with Russian-speaking tourists, and among its permanent residents there are about 3,000 of our former compatriots (this is the largest diaspora in Spain). You can forget about the language barrier - magazines and newspapers in Russian are sold in Torrevieja, there are Russian-language TV channels and cinemas.

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The climate of Torrevieja is also attractive: it is never too hot here (the average air temperature in summer is +25 ° C). The sun shines 320 days a year, and it doesn't rain for more than two days in a row.

The resort's main beach is La Cura. It is small, only 375 meters long and 20 meters wide, so it is difficult to find a free place here during the season. Los Naufragos is another popular sandy beach awarded the Blue Flag for its cleanliness. It is ideal for families with children: under the palm trees you can hide from the sun, there is a water park. In the southern part of the resort there are small picturesque beaches Ferris and Piteras, which are chosen by snorkelers.

On the outskirts of the city is the famous lake Salada de Torrevieja, whose water turns pink in the rays of the setting sun. According to the healing properties of water and mud, it is similar to the Dead Sea in Israel. Not far from Torrevieja is the interesting Molino del Agua National Park.

How to get there? The nearest international airport is in Alicante. Buses run from there, which will take you to the place in 50 minutes and €7.

The most party of the beach and the most beach of the party resorts in Spain! It is often called the "Spanish Las Vegas" for the abundance of clubs, bars, casinos and discos. There is also the name "Spanish New York" - there are many skyscrapers in the city (the record holder is Gran Bali, whose height is 210 meters).

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The beaches are recognized as one of the best not only in the country, but throughout the Mediterranean coast. The two most popular, located in the central part of the resort: Levante and Poniente, between them, in a quiet bay, lurks a small Malpas. On the rock that separates the two largest beaches, there is an observation deck.

Benidorm is called their Mecca not only by fans of noisy parties, but also by fans of water sports. In particular, the resort is considered one of the leading in the country for diving: in addition to clear water and a wide variety of its inhabitants, this is facilitated by the abundance of schools of any level and equipment rentals.

The most interesting sights of the Old Town: the Church of St. Jaime, the Iberian settlement of Tossal de Cala, the ruins of the tower of Torre Morales Escaletes. Discos and nightclubs are concentrated on the promenade and outside the resort - on Avenida Comunidad Valenciana. There are many similar establishments in the vicinity of Levante beach.

How to get there? The nearest international airport is near Alicante. A taxi from the airport to Benidorm will cost you about €65, a bus ticket costs about €7.

This city has retained the spirit of a typical fishing village, which it was not so long ago. The features of many cultures have been layered on this basis, because a quarter of the population of Fuengirola are foreigners, most of all here come from Argentina, Morocco and Scandinavian countries. The resort attracts lovers of a comfortable beach holiday, hiking and picturesque landscapes.

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The beaches of Fuengirola are considered among the best in Spain, they constantly receive the "Blue Flag" for cleanliness. The coastline of the resort stretches for 7 kilometers and bears the proud title of "the king of the Spanish sea promenade." Seven main beaches: El Ejido, Santa Amalia, San Francisco, Los Boliches, Torreblanca, Las Gaviotas and Carvajal.

Lloret de Mar and Salou are two quite popular resorts near Barcelona. In terms of popularity among Russian tourists, the city of Salou is the leader, but Lloret de Mar rightfully takes second place after this resort. Therefore, it is not so easy to immediately determine what is better to choose - Lloret de Mar or Salou. We will try to compare these 2 resorts to help you choose the best place to stay.

I will say right away that Lloret de Mar is a good base for group excursions to France. From here you can go on excursions:

Lloret de Mar or Salou: location and transport
The city of Lloret de Mar is located much closer to Barcelona than Salou, but in both cases the capital of Catalonia can be easily reached by public transport. But still, in terms of location, we personally like the city of Lloret de Mar more, since next to it there are such interesting resorts as Calella, Blanes, Tossa de Mar, Santa Susanna, as well as the city of Girona, which has its own airport and is connected by direct transport links with the cities of France.
In addition, we like the surroundings of the city of Lloret de Mar, which is surrounded by beautiful forests and picturesque beaches and bays.

Hotels in Lloret de Mar or Salou
A richer choice of hotels can be found in the city of Salou. Lloret de Mar has only a couple of dozen decent hotels, while Salou offers several times more options for accommodation. In general, hotels in both cities are quite similar in character - these are small hotels intended mainly for spending the night, changing clothes, having breakfast and relaxing by the pool.
However, it is worth remembering that some cheap hotels in Lloret de Mar can be filled with noisy young people.

Beaches in Lloret de Mar or Salou
It seems to us that the beaches of the city of Lloret de Mar are more beautiful, which, in addition to the two main beaches, has several nearby picturesque bays. However, Salou offers long and wide beaches that are great for families with children. In addition, the graininess of the sand on the beaches of Salou is noticeably less than on the beaches of Lloret de Mar. It is worth noting that the beaches of Lloret de Mar and Salou are quite well equipped with various amenities.

Lloret de Mar or Salou: holidays with children
If you are going on vacation to Spain with children, then we think that you should choose the city of Salou. Still, it is a calmer city with excellent beaches. But the most important thing is that next to this city there is a wonderful amusement park PortAventura, which is considered one of the best of its kind in all of Europe. In addition, this city has several shopping centers and other places where you can go with children.
As for the city of Lloret de Mar, it is also well suited for families with children, as in the vicinity of the city there is a water park, a dolphinarium, a gnomo park, a cat museum and other interesting places. But still, a large number of young people are unlikely to please those people who decide to spend a relaxing holiday with the whole family.

Nightlife in Lloret de Mar or Salou
In terms of nightlife, the best, of course, is the city of Lloret de Mar, which is literally strewn with nightclubs. Lloret de Mar is a desirable destination for many clubbers. There are more than a dozen well-known nightclubs and several dozen bars open until late at night or early in the morning.
Salou also has a few nightclubs, but in general the atmosphere is less noisy at night than in Lloret de Mar.

Lloret de Mar or Salou Tours
If your main purpose of a trip to Spain is to visit interesting places and see the main sights, then you better go to Lloret de Mar. Although Salou also has many interesting places and is a good starting point for excursions, Lloret de Mar and its surroundings offer much more interesting sights. In addition, near Lloret de Mar is the city of Girona, from which you can travel to French cities such as Paris Marseille, Cannes and Nice.

From all of the above, it follows that Lloret de Mar is best suited for active young people and for those people who want to dedicate their vacation to sightseeing. If your goal is a beach holiday or a holiday with children, then the city of Salou will most likely be the best place for you.