PARADISE FOR THRILL-SEEKERS
KELLY WILLIAMS takes the kids on a holiday home break on Spain’s Costa Dorada
THERE’S nothing more universal than music and magic – as I found out during a family holiday to Salou. No matter the song, show or language, my children were never far away from the dancefloor, copying the energetic moves or sitting, gaping-mouthed at the tricks and illusions.
We arrived at Eurocamp’s Sanguli park in Costa Dorada, Spain to a range of events and activities suitable for all ages.
A short taxi ride from Reus airport, there was plenty on offer from crafts, mini-golf, football, and basketball to trampolines, squash and table tennis.
And that’s not to mention several pools with flumes and slides.
Based on an African theme, the holiday park is also home to realistic water-spurting elephants and a menagerie of jungle ‘animals,’ not forgetting mascot, Guli.
There’s a selection of activities to keep families occupied during the day come rain or shine (yes, it did rain a bit while we were there) as well as an evening entertainment programme, largely staged in the park’s own amphitheatre.
Our base for the week was an Azure holiday home, which was clean, comfortable and kitted out with everything we needed for our stay.
The European self-catering specialists provide all the cooking utensils you could possibly need and there are handy shops and restaurants on site, as well as a Mancunian rep named Craig who was around to offer help or information.
Sanguli is only 200m from the beach – as we quickly discovered while getting our bearings.
Nestled between quaint Cambrils and calm La Pineda, Salou’s beaches range from small, craggy coves to the busy main Llevant and Ponent strips, with the Mediterranean coastline popular for windsurfing and sailing.
There are beach bars by the dozen and lovely spots in which to enjoy a cocktail or sangria while sunbathing, or in our case, building sandcastles.
One of Salou’s main attractions is PortAventura World, an epic theme park split into six areas spanning miles. The most visited in Spain, it encompasses Ferrari Land and a huge water park, the latter is open from June each year.
From miles around, you can see Ferrari Land’s ginormous roller coaster, Red Force, which sends thrill-seekers soaring up and plummeting down a 367ft drop at speeds of 112mph.
We quickly realised we needed at least two days there if we were to embrace our inner adrenaline junkies (the water park wasn’t open when we went, otherwise we’d have probably spent three days there). The attraction was easy enough to get to
on the bus from just outside the Sanguli resort for €4 each return.
As you walk in, you’re greeted by the twisted metal of the most terrifying-looking roller coasters which zoom above dozens of rides ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, with many tamer ones in between.
Whether you’re a daredevil or a bit of a chicken, there’s something there for every fear threshold.
Particular hits were PortAventura’s new virtual reality Sesame Street ride, where revellers shoot laser guns at the Cookie Monster’s favourite snack from inside a New York cab, the death-defying Red Force and Europe’s tallest rollercoaster, Shambhala.
Of course, there are your traditional teacups, waltzers, carousels and dodgems for the younger ones.
For those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground, there are spectacular shows, demonstrations and performances by the hour. Not fazed by the scariest of roller coasters, my sister was more terrified during the bird demonstration and ran out screaming, to the delight of the audience.
After getting our fill of thrills and excitement, we spent the rest of our days exploring Salou, both on foot and by bicycle. For just €9 each you can hire bikes from Sanguli’s reception area, with child seats or trailers if needs be.
With four-year-old Harry on the back and eight-year-old Olivia riding her own bike, the children loved our scenic rides along the promenade. They also came in handy for making our way around the vast camp in the evening, allowing the kids more energy to spend on dancing and running around at the ampitheatre.
Overall, we thought Salou was a great place to spend family time together making memories. Historic Tarragona is a short drive away from Sanguli, by the way, and slightly further afield is the bustling city of Barcelona if you fancy an excursion.
Whether you prefer relaxing or being more hands-on during a holiday, there’s plenty there for everyone.
Once home to pirates, Salou is now a tourist magnet with PortAventura, Spain’s most visited amusement park