Salou Facts for Kids (2024)

Quick facts for kids

Salou

Municipality

Monument to Jaume I

Flag	Coat of arms

Salou

Location in Spain

Comarca

Municipality

30 October 1989

Government

•Type

Mayor-council

•Body

Ajuntament de Salou

Area

•Total

15.1km² (5.8sqmi)

Elevation

(AMSL)

5m (16ft)

Population

(2018)

•Total

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Demonym(s)

Salouean
salouenc, salouenca
salouense

Postal code

43840

Area code

+34 (Spain) 977 (Province)

Salou is a municipality of the comarca of Tarragonès, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The city is approximately 10km from Tarragona and Reus on the Costa Daurada and 112km from Barcelona. Aside from its string of beaches interrupted by rocky coves, and its landscaped promenade, one of its main attractions is the PortAventura World resort. The Dutch movie Costa! and the television series with the same title were both filmed in Salou.

History

Used as a port by Greeks (who named it Salauris) and Romans, it appeared again in an important historic event, when in 1229 the fleet of James I of Aragon departed from the port of Salou to conquer the Balearic Islands, thus creating the Kingdom of Majorca. In 1286 Alfons III of Aragon also departed from this port to conquer Menorca, the last Moorish territory of the Balearic Islands. Later, Salou became a nest of pirates. After that it was considered an unsafe place, so in 1530 Archbishop of Tarragona decided to erect a new defence tower, now called Torre Vella. In 1865 the railway station began to operate, opening a new development time, that led one hundred years later to a tourist boom that has brought prosperity to the town. Salou was separated from the adjacent municipality of Vila-seca on 30 October 1989 by a decision of the Supreme Court of Spain.