Bucket list beach breaks: find your perfect seaside stay in Costa Dorada

It’s pretty fitting that Costa Dorada translates to ‘golden coast’ – the sun-drenched strip of coastline that runs across the Southern Catalonia region is flanked with golden sands and calm waters. It’s for this reason and its impeccable cleanliness that there are 26 Blue Flag beaches here. Combined with its access to water sports, nature and other nearby attractions, there are plenty of beach spots ideal for families. With Jet2holidays flying to Costa Dorada from 10 UK airports in 2024 (11 in 2025) and a range of accommodation options available – all bookable with a £60pp deposit – it’s even easier to fly and flop into a scenic seaside stay on one of these bucket list beaches.

Salou is one of six Certified Family Destinations in Costa Dorada, with excellent dedicated family facilities making it one of the most popular beaches in the region. But Playa Llarga is typically quieter than the main beach and feels more secluded thanks to its location just outside of the city centre. The golden sand beach is surrounded by a small pine forest, giving it a beautifully natural feel and making it a popular beach for walking. It also benefits from being close to the Port Aventura World, making it an even greater choice for families.

Playa Cavet is another of Costa Dorada’s Blue Flag beaches in a semi-urban part of the region. It’s known for its calm and clear waters, but there’s a range of water sports available as well, with a water sports school located on the beach and an open water swimming channel. Cambrils is also a good base point for road cycling enthusiasts as it is close to hillside towns inland of Costa Dorada. Cambrils also happens to be the gastronomic hub of Costa Dorada, so you’ll find plenty of restaurants and markets to check out in between cycles and swims.

The main beach in this coastal resort is ideal for families. It’s a Blue Flag beach, with calm and clear waters and a gentle underwater sand slope that creates shallow depths to paddle in. The sand is fine and golden and the beach is accredited for its cleanliness and environmental management. A long promenade runs alongside the beach, so there are plenty of facilities and places to eat. The beach is also adapted for people with reduced mobility and accessibility needs, with access points that bridge the promenade with the sand and shoreline. With a sports club, children’s club and water sports rental point, Playa de la Pineda is ideal for families with children of different ages.

The calm, shallow waters of this Blue Flag beach make it a firm favourite among families. This is the area’s main beach, situated close to the centre and surrounded by the boulevard. As such it’s usually bustling with fun-loving families going out on banana boats and water skis, relaxing on floating platforms, paddling or playing volleyball. If you’re after peace and quiet, this may not be the beach for you. But if a lively atmosphere, beach restaurants a-plenty and numerous beach restaurant options, take the family to Playa del Regueral and enjoy a day of fun in the sun.