Los 10 mejores consejos para visitar Port Aventura 2024

Are you going to PortAventura? We present you the best tips for visiting Port Aventura, a cheat sheet for the best theme park in Spain.

1. Port Aventura Cheats, Skip the first line

Some four million people visit PortAventura every year. Spain's most iconic family attraction lacks the princesses and oomph of big brands like Disney and Universal, but it's definitely in the big leagues: it's divided into several lands, including Mediterrània, Far West, China, Polynesia, Mexico and Ferrari. Land (the other park in the complex).

🌦️ Rainy day in Port Aventura, is it worth going?

It's well run, spotlessly clean, everyone speaks English and you'll find plenty of food, drink and toilets interspersed between the attractions. First step? Start how you want and book in advance online. This way you will skip at least one queue, and this is one of the best tips for going to Port Aventura.

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Distance from Salou to Port Aventura:

The distance from Salou to Port Aventura is 0.9 km. This distance is taken from Salou center, the tourist area. It is approximately 10 minutes by car taking into account the many roundabouts and traffic.

2. Best time to visit?

School holidays are the busiest, so schedule your visit to Port Aventura for the low season and during the week if possible (You don't know how happy it is to see waiting times of "0.00" next to the most incredible attractions).

If you're coming for the "roller coasters," get there early and head to China, the themed zone at the back of the park, where you can jump right into the queues for Dragon Khan and Shambhala. He returns from there, against the current of the crowd.

3. Any shortcut?

The Express Pass is the Fast Pass of PortAventura. It's not cheap, but it does give you access to priority queues, which means you'll be able to ride a lot more rides (at peak times, we saw queues of over two hours for the big roller coasters).

There are several options, from the Express Max (€29pp), which allows fast track access per attraction (but no front row seats), to the Express Premium Gold (€53pp), which allows unlimited access to the attractions, with a single lap allowed in the front row on the coolest roller coasters, Shambhala, Furios Baco and Dragon Khan.

4. The best roller coasters?

The fun is in the debates. Ferrari Land's Vertical Throttle is the fastest (0-180mph in five seconds) and highest (112m) roller coaster in Europe.

Furious Baco (minimum height: 1.40 m) has a horizontal catapult that propels you to 135 km/h in three seconds; but my favorite was Shambhala (minimum height: 1.40m), a Himalayan-themed attraction that begins with a 78m drop before launching you through seven summits of loops, climbs and drops in one exhilarating minute of madness. Then my mouth went dry.

Any advice about PortAventura? There is a separate queue for "single" passengers (like parents abandoning their families for an adult attraction... *your*) who can grab individual seats, reducing waiting time in line. A genius!

5. What to put in the suitcase?

Sun protection, hats and sunglasses are essential in summer. Take them with you, and reapply your sunscreen after you eat - it's amazing how many salmon-pink faces you'll see floating around after the 6pm parade.

Outside eating and drinking is not allowed, although many people seem to break this rule, and you can bring your own water bottle to fill up at the fountains throughout the park.

A light raincoat is useful for water rides (plastic ponchos cost €6.95), and wear comfortable shoes: You will walk several kilometers throughout the day, some of them uphill.

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6. Check the height of the children.

Access to the PortAventura attractions is decided by height. The limits range from 1.00 m to 1.05 m (the short and sweet Tomahawk roller coaster), 1.10 m (El Diablo, the Silver River Flume and Grand Rapids), 1.20 m (Magic Fish, Stampede) and 1.40 m for the "coasters" of the tent.

Measure your child in advance to avoid disappointment: park attendants take safety very seriously, and will show you height bars to decide the matter. There is no discussion possible.

7. The best areas for families?

The China Kids Area has plenty of cool slides suitable for younger kids, and a Chupa Chups balloon-themed fairground ride; It's a good stop for adults who want a cup of coffee or a beer while the kids get burned.

The nearby Sésamo Aventura is suitable for young children and tweens, with rides ranging from the short and sweet Tami Tami roller coaster (which we returned to again and again) and El Salto de Blas, where riders climb a mini-tower and drop gently land on a ride inspired by the terrifying 100m free-fall ride nearby, Hurakan Condor.

A train runs through the park, and among the family roller coasters is El Diablo (minimum height: 1.10 m). With the theme of a runaway train, it's surprisingly feisty to the uninitiated, but it won't take long for you to find yourself addicted.

Ferrari Land also opened a new children's area in 2018.

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8. What is not worth it in Port Aventura?

Ice Age - The 4D Experience (Minimum height: 1.00 m). The tail is one of the most polished productions of PortAventura, but the attraction itself is a bore.

Visitors put on 3D glasses to sit in cars that shake and shake as a sequence from the film (in Spanish) plays on the screen, but ultimately fails to get off the ground. "Minus 1,000 out of 10," was my six-year-old son's rather curt criticism.

On the other hand, El Secreto de los Mayas, a hall of mirrors-style attraction in Mexico, is surprisingly difficult to exit, so fearful individuals should skip it (our advice: if it's too much, exit through the entrance).

9. Any tips on food and drink?

Eating and drinking is much cheaper in PortAventura than in Disneyland Paris, where the restaurants and shops are a complete scam.

Prices are similar to those in cinemas or airports, with ice cream starting at €1.95, 500ml bottles of water at €1.90 and several restaurants offering passable set menus: a sandwich-sized starter, hamburger or pizza with chips, drink and dessert for €17.20, for example, on our visit.

There are also plenty of kid-friendly and gluten-free options. Estrella Damm is the only beer available, and the famous "yard of beer" only holds 75cl (despite its appearance). Even so, at €4.90, no one is complaining. Smoking is allowed in the park, which can be very frustrating, especially when someone sparks in a queue.

Can you put food in Port Aventura?

The short answer is no, it is officially not allowed to bring foreign food or drink into Port Aventura. However, there are some exceptions and tips to consider if you plan to spend the day in the park.

Exceptions to the Rule

Although the general rule is that food cannot be brought in, there are some exceptions:

• Baby food: If you are traveling with a baby, you can bring specific food for him.
• Special diets: In case of having a special diet for medical reasons, it is possible to introduce food as long as a medical certificate is presented.

Practical tips

While you can't bring your own food, there are some strategies you can follow to save money and enjoy your visit:

1. Eat before entering: You can have a copious meal before entering the park so you won't be hungry for several hours.
2. Take advantage of the offers: Inside the park, there are restaurants and kiosks that offer promotions and discounts at certain times.
3. Bring small snacks: Although food is not allowed, it is possible that you can introduce small snacks such as nuts or energy bars without problem.

10. The best water attractions?

Caribe is the water park of PortAventura: a seasonal crossing of slides at a price of €29/€25 per day (don't forget to bring your own towels, sun cream and leave your jewelry).

In PortAventura proper, the best dips come courtesy of Tutuki Splash (minimum height: 1.20 m), the Grand Rapids raft attraction, and Silver River Flume (minimum height: 1.00 m to ride with an adult, 1.40 m to ride solo). The last fall of Silver River is impressive.

essential information

How much does it cost?

Combined day tickets for PortAventura and Ferrari Land cost EUR 55/EUR 47 (attractions are included in the price).

Two-day tickets are much more affordable at €60/€52, while tourists staying longer can get a three-day ticket for €80/€65, which can be used within seven days. days from the date of the first visit. See portaventuraworld.com/en for more information about visitors and more tips about PortAventura.

What about Ferrari Land?

Update: The Prancing Horse playground in PortAventura, valued at 100 million euros, opened its doors in April 2017.

A Ferrari Hotel and other brand-name attractions are promised, but the main event is the Vertical Accelerator, a roller coaster with a vertical climb of 112 m, followed by a fall that goes from 0 to 180 km/h in five seconds, providing drivers that F1 feeling with the equivalent of 1.5 G.

How can I get to?

Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Reus, a 15-minute taxi ride (we paid about 30 euros) from PortAventura and its hotels. Both Ryanair and Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) fly to Barcelona, about an hour's drive away, while tour operators such as ClickAndGo.com and Falcon (falconholidays.ie) offer packages that include flights, hotels, and park tickets. You can also get to the park by train from Barcelona (renfe.es).

Where to stay?

Five on-site hotels allow guests to stay next to the park gates, and fees can be combined with park admission. We stayed at the four-star Hotel PortAventura, where the rather boring buffet was enlivened by the friendliness of the staff, who did everything possible to adapt to my wife's celiac diet.

The outdoor pool makes it a good option when it's hot, and we also enjoyed their Cafe Saul for a cuppa. In high season, a family of four can pay from around €660 for a weekend bed and breakfast with free park tickets.

NOTE: All prices are subject to availabilityWe hope these Port Aventura tips help you.

Frequent questions