Spain: Salou and Reus

Beach in Salou, Spain

While in Spain, we spent part of the time at a timeshare my brother had arranged in Salou, a small village along the coast, 112 km west of Barcelona. It has an interesting and varied history, as it was used as a port by the Greeks and Romans and later became a haven for pirates before evolving into a fishing village. The railway opened Salou up to development in the late 1800s, and since 1965, it has benefited from a tourist boom.

Palm trees in Salou

A nearby theme park has contributed to Salou's reputation as a family-friendly beach resort, and is crowded with tourists during the summer months. But since we were there in October, the town was peaceful, and a welcome contrast to the crowds and chaos of Barcelona.

One of the restaurants we frequented in downtown Salou.

The main placa in Reus.

Esglesia Prioral de Sant Pere, Reus

While in Salou, we visited several nearby villages. One of them was Gaudi's birthplace, Reus.  
















There's not much to see in Reus, and we spent most of our time there visiting a museum devoted to Gaudi's life and art, which provided an interesting background to the Gaudi sites that we later visited in Barcelona.      

A sculpture in tribute to the fishermen of Salou.

Sunset on the beach in Salou.

I really enjoyed the tranquil setting in Salou and would love to return there in the future for a longer stay, just to hang out and enjoy the beach.