Salou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Salou

Municipality

Monument to Jaume I

Flag	Coat of arms

Salou

Location in Spain

Spain

Comarca

Municipality

30 October 1989

Government

• Type

Mayor–council

• Body

Ajuntament de Salou

Area

• Total

15.1 km² (5.8 sq mi)

Elevation

(AMSL)

5 m (16 ft)

Population

(2018)

• Total

26,775

• Density

1,773/km² (4,593/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Salouean
salouenc, salouenca
salouense

Postal code

43840

Area code

+34 (Spain) 977 (Province)

Salou is a fun coastal town in Catalonia, Spain. It's located in the Tarragona province, about 10 kilometers from the cities of Tarragona and Reus. Salou is part of the beautiful Costa Daurada, which means "Golden Coast." It's also about 112 kilometers from Barcelona.

This town was started by the Greeks way back in the 6th century B.C. For many years, it was an important port for trade. In the 20th century, Salou became a very popular place for tourists from all over Europe.

Salou has many beaches and rocky coves. It also has a lovely walking path along the coast. One of its biggest attractions is the PortAventura World resort, which is full of exciting rides and shows.

Discovering Salou's Past

Salou has a long and interesting history. Ancient Greeks used it as a port and called it Salanrio. The Romans later used it too, naming it Salauris.

Important Events in Salou's History

In 1229, a big event happened here. The fleet of James I of Aragon sailed from Salou's port. They went to conquer the Balearic Islands, creating the Kingdom of Majorca. Later, in 1286, Alfons III of Aragon also left from Salou to conquer Menorca. This was the last Moorish territory in the Balearic Islands.

For a while, Salou was known as a place where pirates would hide. Because of this, it was seen as unsafe. So, in 1530, the Archbishop of Tarragona decided to build a new defense tower. This tower is still standing today and is called Torre Vella.

In 1865, a railway station opened in Salou. This brought new growth to the town. About a hundred years later, Salou became a huge tourist spot, which brought a lot of success. On October 30, 1989, Salou officially became its own separate town.

Top Attractions in Salou

Salou offers many exciting places to visit, from historic buildings to thrilling theme parks.

Historic Buildings and Monuments

Church of Santa Maria del Mar: This church was built in the 18th century and made bigger after 1950.
Torre Vella: This is the old defense tower built in the 16th century to protect against pirates.
Harbour-master's Office: An important building for managing the port.
Jaume I monument: A statue honoring King James I.
Font lluminosa: A beautiful "lighted fountain" that puts on a show.
Monument to Fishermen: A tribute to the town's fishing history.
Old Carrilet Railway Station: A reminder of Salou's railway past.

PortAventura World: A World of Fun

PortAventura World is a huge theme park resort near Salou. It has fancy hotels, two theme parks, and a water park.

What to See at PortAventura Park

PortAventura Park has amazing rides like the Dragon Khan. This is a giant roller coaster with many loops.
Furius Baco is one of the fastest roller coasters in Europe.
Hurakan Condor is a very tall tower ride that drops you from 100 meters high.
In 2012, a new roller coaster called Shambhala opened. It's right next to the Dragon Khan.
Every night in summer, there's a big show called FiestaAventura. It has fireworks, fountains, and parade floats.

Ferrari Land: For Speed Lovers

Ferrari Land opened in 2017. It has the tallest and fastest vertical accelerator ride in Europe. It will also have the world's first Ferrari-themed hotel!

PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park

This water park is part of the resort and offers many slides and pools for cooling off.

Lumine Mediterranea Beach & Golf Community

Salou is also home to the Lumine Golf Club. It has three golf courses designed by famous golfers. The area also has clubhouses, restaurants, and a beach club. In the future, this area will become a community with homes, hotels, and even an international school.

Auditorium Theatre of Salou (TAS)

The Teatre Auditori de Salou, or TAS, is a key place for culture in Salou. It hosts local events like school plays and cultural shows. Famous musicians have also performed here.

Beautiful Beaches of Salou

Salou's main walking path is the Passeig Jaume I. It runs along the coast next to Llevant Beach, which is the longest beach in town.

Other Great Beaches

Platja de Ponent
Platja dels Capellans
Platja Llarga
Platja Cala Crancs

Salou is proud to have 34 Blue Flag beaches. This means they are clean and safe. You can enjoy water sports, rent equipment, and take boat trips from Llevant Beach.

Sports and Activities in Salou

Salou is a great place for sports. Since 2005, it has been the base for Rally Catalunya, a big car rally event. The town has also hosted volleyball championships, football tournaments, and triathlons.

Saloufest: University Sports Festival

Saloufest is a sports festival for university students. It happens twice a year in April. The festival includes DJs and parties at a nearby nightclub.

Future of Sports Tourism

The local government wants Salou to be known as a sports tourism spot. They are planning new projects to build top-notch sports facilities. These will include swimming pools, football fields, and tennis courts. This will help attract more visitors, especially during quieter times of the year. In 2012, new facilities with six football fields were opened.

Salou was also a host city for the 2018 Mediterranean Games for sports like sailing.

Salou's Climate

Salou has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has mild winters and hot summers. The most rain falls in autumn, and summer is the driest time. Salou gets more than 2,500 hours of sunshine every year.

Climate data for Salou
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	14.1 (57.4)	15.2 (59.4)	16.7 (62.1)	19.1 (66.4)	23.2 (73.8)	26.3 (79.3)	29.0 (84.2)	29.3 (84.7)	26.2 (79.2)	23.1 (73.6)	18.1 (64.6)	15.2 (59.4)	21.3 (70.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)	9.8 (49.6)	10.5 (50.9)	12.1 (53.8)	15.1 (59.2)	18.7 (65.7)	22.4 (72.3)	24.6 (76.3)	24.8 (76.6)	22.2 (72.0)	19.1 (66.4)	14.1 (57.4)	10.2 (50.4)	17.1 (62.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	5.9 (42.6)	6.2 (43.2)	8.1 (46.6)	11.1 (52.0)	14.2 (57.6)	18.5 (65.3)	20.1 (68.2)	20.3 (68.5)	18.4 (65.1)	15.0 (59.0)	10.1 (50.2)	5.8 (42.4)	12.9 (55.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	38 (1.5)	23 (0.9)	35 (1.4)	40 (1.6)	60 (2.4)	38 (1.5)	15 (0.6)	51 (2.0)	77 (3.0)	65 (2.6)	49 (1.9)	40 (1.6)	504 (19.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	4	3	4	6	6	4	2	4	5	5	4	4	51
Mean monthly sunshine hours	160	164	199	223	243	264	308	264	201	184	160	138	2,509
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Fun Festivals in Salou

Logo of Salou

Salou has many exciting festivals throughout the year:

Cavalcade of the Three Kings: (January) A parade with kings bringing gifts.
Cós Blanc: (Winter festival; first weekend of February) A lively winter celebration.
International draughts tournament "Salou Open": (May) A big chess-like game competition.
Children's Festival: (June) Fun events just for kids!
St. John's Eve: (Late June) A magical night with bonfires and celebrations.
Nits Daurades: (Summer festival, week of 15 August) Golden Nights, the main summer party.
King Jaume I Festival: (7 September) Celebrating the king who sailed from Salou.
National Day of Catalonia: (11 September) A day to celebrate Catalonia.
Festa de la Segregació: (30 October) Celebrates the day Salou became its own town.

Getting Around Salou

It's easy to travel to and from Salou using different types of transport.

Airports Near Salou

The closest airport to Salou is Reus Airport. You can get there by a regular bus. Barcelona Airport is also nearby. Reus Airport is mostly used by low-cost airlines like Ryanair. Many charter airlines from Britain use Reus in summer to reach the Costa Daurada.

Train Travel

Salou used to have a train station. You could take trains to big cities in Catalonia like Tarragona and Barcelona, and also south to Valencia. This station closed in January 2020.

Now, some regional trains stop at the Salou - Port Aventura station. This station opened in 1996, soon after PortAventura theme park opened. You can take line R17 from here to Tarragona and Barcelona.

Taxis and Buses

You can easily find taxis in Salou. There are taxi stands near the Font lluminosa, Cap Salou, and Reus Airport. The local bus company is Plana Bus. They can take you to places like Cambrils, La Pineda, PortAventura, Reus, and Tarragona.