A field guide to family activities nearby · an October stay
A field guide to family activities nearby · an October stay
Despite the name, there's nothing Moorish about this spot — "Torre de la Mora" refers to a 16th-century watchtower built on the headland to watch for pirate raids, and the campsite that grew up around it sits directly on the Costa Daurada coast, in a protected pine-forest and cliff landscape between the villages of Tamarit and Altafulla, about 10 km from Tarragona city.
From the beach at your door to Roman ruins, a castle, an adventure park and a theme park, there's a wide range of things reachable within an hour's drive. A few entries are flagged with October-specific notes, since some seasonal attractions wind down by then.
The campsite's own beach and the pine-forest coastal path that runs along the cliffs in both directions.
Golden sand cove backed by pines, with the village of Tamarit visible across the bay.
A Blue Flag, semi-urban beach of fine golden sand with calm, shallow-sloping water and no strong currents — one of the easiest swims for young children on this stretch of coast. Showers, an accessible ramp and the kiosk should still be running in October, but lifeguard cover typically ends with the summer season, so check locally before letting kids swim unsupervised. It's also the starting point for the coastal path (Camí de Ronda) toward Tamarit.
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The protected pine forest and cliff coastline between the campsite and Punta de la Mora.
A protected natural area of white pine woodland running along the clifftops, saved from development decades ago by the local landowner. Flat, shaded, easy walking trails lead in one direction toward Platja Llarga and in the other past the old Móra watchtower toward Tamarit — pleasant even with a pushchair for the first stretch, though the paths get rockier and narrower further along. Some coves reached this way are used by nudists; families are better off sticking to the main beach or the Altafulla side.
More info →A castle, a Roman villa, a family beach and one of the region's best adventure parks, all within the next couple of villages.
The Romanesque castle and walled medieval village, seen from the coast.
An 11th-century Romanesque castle and walled village perched on a rocky promontory right at the mouth of the Gaià river — one of the most photographed spots on the Costa Daurada. The castle itself is privately owned and used for weddings, so it can't be visited inside, but the walk along the beach up to its walls, and the view of it from the sand, is the real draw. It was this castle's 1562 watchtower — built to guard against pirate raids — that gave the campsite its name.
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Zip lines and rope-bridge circuits, including a course built for younger children.
A large treetop adventure park in the Tamarit pine woods, a few steps from the beach, with over 150 challenges across circuits graded by age from 4 years up, plus a 12-hole minigolf course, padel courts and a picnic area. It's the standout "just for kids" stop in this report — deliberately not another beach or ruin. By October the park is past its daily-opening summer stretch and runs weekends and school-holiday dates only, so a weekday visit needs a group booking made in advance rather than just turning up.
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The mile-long sandy beach in front of Altafulla's old fishermen's quarter.
A Blue Flag beach over a kilometre long, backed by Altafulla's low-key old town and its former fishermen's district, Les Botigues de Mar. Clean, calm and family-oriented, with a good walk along the sand all the way to Tamarit Castle. Altafulla's small old quarter is worth a wander afterward for an ice cream.
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The bathing complex and residential ruins of the villa, overlooking the sea.
A large, exceptionally well-preserved Roman aristocratic villa on a hillside above Altafulla beach, part of the UNESCO-listed Tarraco archaeological ensemble. Likely the country residence of a senior Roman official, it has surviving mosaics, wall paintings and a monumental bath complex, plus a second bathing area down by the beach. Closed Mondays; check the seasonal hours before visiting, as they vary between summer and winter.
More info →The Roman capital of Tarraco, with an amphitheatre, an aqueduct in the woods, and an old-town tradition kids tend to love.
The amphitheatre's stone tiers, built directly above the Mediterranean.
A 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre sitting right beside the sea, once used for gladiator fights and public spectacles for around 30,000 spectators. Kids can walk down onto the arena floor itself, which makes the scale easier to grasp than most ruins. Closed Mondays; a combined ticket covers several of Tarragona's Roman sites, and entry is free for under-16s.
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The aqueduct's two tiers of stone arches, set in a pine-forest park.
A 217-metre stretch of Roman aqueduct, popularly called the "Devil's Bridge," standing up to 27 metres tall in two tiers of arches without any mortar holding the stones together. It sits inside a small forested park a few kilometres outside the city, with an easy, roughly 1 km circular path around it and the option to walk across the top. Free and open-access, with parking on either side of the nearby motorway service area.
More info →The region's big theme park, still running in October — its water-park half, and the area's separate water park, are not.
Two of the park's signature roller coasters, Dragon Khan and Shambhala.
Spain's most-visited theme park, with six themed worlds including a Sesame Street area for younger children, and Ferrari Land next door for older thrill-seekers. Both stay open through October, when the park runs its Halloween season with themed decor and shows — good fun for kids, though a couple of the more intense scare mazes lean older. The Costa Caribe water park inside the resort closes for the year in mid-to-late September, so it won't be part of an October visit; the rides in the main park run as normal. Booking tickets online in advance is still worth doing even off-season.
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