PortAventura map and route - How to see all six themed areas in one day

Six worlds sit around one lake, and the order you walk them in decides how long you spend queuing. Turn left or right at the entrance and you’ll have a very different day.

Where is PortAventura located?

PortAventura is located on the Costa Daurada (often written Costa Dorada in English), in Catalonia, in north-east Spain. The resort sits on the border of two towns, Salou and Vila-seca, in the province of Tarragona. It’s about 85 km south-west of Barcelona as the crow flies, and around 15 minutes by car from the Roman city of Tarragona.

So if you’re wondering what city PortAventura is in, the honest answer is both: the address is in Vila-seca, but most visitors say Salou, because that’s the beach resort next door where they stay. Reus airport is about a 15-minute drive away, and Barcelona airport is around an hour by car.

PortAventura World - three parks in one resort

PortAventura World is the name of the whole resort. It includes three parks: PortAventura Park (the theme park this article is about), Ferrari Land and PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park. There are also six themed hotels on site and a convention centre.

Many people still call it Port Aventura, with a space. Between 1998 and 2004 Universal ran the park, which is why some visitors still search for Universal Studios Spain, but today it has no link with Universal.

The PortAventura Park map in a nutshell

The map is easier than it looks. You enter through Mediterrània, and the other five areas form a ring around the lake: Polynesia, SésamoAventura, China, México and Far West. A path runs all the way round, so you can walk the full loop and end up back at the gates.

There are two shortcuts. The Estació del Nord train leaves from Mediterrània, stops at SésamoAventura and ends in Far West. The Port de la Drassana boats cross the lake from Mediterrània to the Chinese port, which is handy when your legs start to give up in the afternoon.

A route through the six themed areas

The classic mistake is to stop at the first ride you see. Instead, walk quickly through the first area and head for the big roller coasters while the queues are short. The route below follows the path through Polynesia and SésamoAventura, so you reach China early.

1. Mediterrània - the entrance and Furius Baco

Mediterrània looks like a Catalan fishing village, with a main square, a harbour and shops along the waterfront. This is where you’ll find the main services and shops, and where the big evening shows on the lake take place.

The big ride here is Furius Baco, a launched coaster that goes from 0 to 135 km/h in about three seconds. When it opened in 2007 it was the fastest roller coaster in Europe. Ride it first thing or leave it for the end of the day, when you loop back to the gates.

2. Polynesia - Tutuki Splash and Kontiki

Polynesia is the greenest corner of the park, full of palms and tropical plants. Tutuki Splash is a water ride through a volcano that ends in a big drop and a soaking, so it’s best saved for the hottest hour of the day. Kontiki is a swinging boat ride, and there’s a gentle canoe ride for younger kids.

3. SésamoAventura - for the little ones

SésamoAventura is the Sesame Street area, opened in 2011 for younger children. It has around a dozen children’s attractions, including the Tami Tami coaster, La Granja de Elmo and Street Mission, an interactive dark ride with Grover. Elmo, Ernie and Bert appear in shows and street parades. If you’re travelling with toddlers, you can spend half the day in this area alone.

4. China - Shambhala and Dragon Khan

China is the largest area and the one most thrill-seekers come for. Shambhala is a hyper coaster with a 76-metre lift hill, a 78-metre drop and a top speed of 134 km/h. When it opened in 2012 it was the tallest coaster in Europe, and it is still one of the best rides on the continent.

Dragon Khan is the park’s legend. It opened with the park in 1995 and turns you upside down eight times. You’ll also find Angkor, a boat ride where you shoot water at other boats, plus teacups and a small children’s area.

5. México - Hurakan Condor and El Diablo

México is a mix of Maya ruins and colonial streets. Hurakan Condor is the free fall tower, about 100 metres tall, and you’ll hear its riders screaming from across the park. El Diablo - Tren de la Mina is a family mine train coaster that suits kids who have outgrown the smallest rides.

Templo del Fuego takes you inside a ruined temple, with real flames and blasts of heat along the way. ULUM is a mixed-reality family experience about dinosaurs.

6. Far West - Uncharted, Stampida and the water rides

Far West is a Wild West town called Penitence, with saloons, a train station and a main street. Uncharted, which opened in June 2023, is the world’s first Uncharted dark ride coaster, created with Sony Pictures. It packs side launches, rotating platforms and a backwards free fall into 673 metres of track. Stampida is a twin-track wooden coaster where two trains race each other, and Tomahawk is its junior version for children.

This is also the best area for getting wet. Silver River Flume is a log ride with drops, and Grand Canyon Rapids sends round boats for nine people down a copy of the Colorado River. Expect to be drenched on both.

What’s new at PortAventura in 2026?

The big addition to the PortAventura theme park for 2026 is Makamanu Jungle, The Adventure Trek, which opened in Polynesia in summer 2026. It’s an open-air family adventure inside an old volcanic quarry covered in jungle, with raised walkways, rope tunnels and bridges high above the ground. Parts of the new area are adapted for visitors with reduced mobility.

The water park has a new family zone too. Coral Bay, La Leyenda Perdida opened at Caribe Aquatic Park the same summer, on about 6,000 square metres, so the whole family has more to do on a hot day.

PortAventura roller coasters - which to ride first

If you’re short on time, these are the roller coasters to prioritise, in this order:

• Shambhala - the biggest ride in PortAventura Park and the queue that grows fastest.
• Furius Baco - short but intense, with the most violent launch in the park.
• Dragon Khan - eight inversions and a classic since 1995.
• Uncharted - the newest coaster and great for families with older kids.
• Stampida - a wooden racing coaster with a 1.20-metre minimum height.

Most thrill rides need riders to be at least 1.40 metres tall, while Uncharted and several family rides accept smaller children with an adult. You’ll find the full list in the next section.

PortAventura height requirements at a glance

Staff check heights at the entrance to each ride, so measure your children before you plan the day. These are the minimum heights for the main rides in PortAventura Park, as listed by the park in October 2026:

• Shambhala - 1.40 m
• Dragon Khan, Furius Baco and Hurakan Condor - 1.40 m (maximum 1.95 m)
• Uncharted - 1.10 m with an adult (maximum 1.95 m)
• Stampida - 1.20 m, and Tomahawk - 1.05 m
• El Diablo - Tren de la Mina - 1.40 m alone or 1.10 m with an adult
• Templo del Fuego - 1.40 m alone or 1.00 m with an adult
• Tutuki Splash - 1.40 m alone
• Grand Canyon Rapids - 1.30 m alone or 1.10 m with an adult
• Silver River Flume - 1.40 m alone or 1.00 m with an adult
• Kontiki - 1.40 m alone or 1.30 m with an adult
• Tami Tami - 1.30 m alone or 1.00 m with an adult

Rules can change during the season, so check the park app on the day. If your child is just under a limit, the SésamoAventura area and the family rides in Far West will keep them busy while older kids queue for the big coasters.

Ferrari Land and the tallest roller coaster in Spain

PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park

PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park is the resort’s water park, open in summer only, usually from late May to mid-September. King Khajuna is the headline slide, with a 31-metre free fall drop at 55 degrees. Families head to the Cyclone water coaster, the Bahía Pirata obstacle course and the lazy river, El Río Loco.

Smaller children have Sésamo Beach and the Splash Port play area, while Bahama Beach is the place to relax. It’s a separate park with its own ticket, so plan it as a day of its own.

Is PortAventura the biggest amusement park in Spain?

Yes, PortAventura World is the largest amusement park resort in Spain and one of the biggest in Europe. PortAventura Park alone covers around 52 hectares and welcomes millions of visitors a year. Add Ferrari Land and Caribe Aquatic Park, and no other Spanish amusement park comes close in size or in the number of rides.

The other big names are Parque Warner near Madrid and Terra Mítica in Benidorm, but neither matches the size of the whole resort. If you’re looking for the best amusement park in Spain for thrill rides, PortAventura is the clear winner.

Live shows, Halloween and Christmas

Live shows run all day, from street entertainers in Mediterrània to bigger productions in the theatres around the park. The lake is the stage for the main evening shows, with fountains, lights and music once the sun goes down. The PortAventura parade passes through the main streets too.

Halloween is one of the most popular times to visit. In 2026, it runs from 19 September to 15 November, with themed shows, decorated areas and horror mazes for older visitors. The Christmas season follows from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, when the park is decorated again and the lake hosts seasonal shows.

PortAventura opening hours and season

PortAventura Park usually opens at 10am. Closing time is between 6pm and 7pm on quieter days and up to 10pm in summer, and times change by season. The 2026 season started with Carnival on 27 February and runs until 6 January 2027, the last day of the Christmas season. After that, the park usually closes for a winter break until the end of February, so check the calendar before you book a January or February trip.

The quietest days are weekdays outside school holidays, especially in May, June and September. July and August are hot and busy, so arrive at opening time and use the middle of the day for shows and water rides.

How many days do you need at PortAventura?

One full day is enough for PortAventura Park if you arrive at opening time and follow a route like the one above. You’ll ride the big coasters, catch a show by the lake and still have time for the water rides.

Two days are better if you want to add Ferrari Land, or if you’re travelling with children of different ages and prefer a slower pace. In summer, a third day gives you time for Caribe Aquatic Park. Multi-day tickets make this easy, and so do the resort hotels, whose guests get unlimited access to PortAventura Park during their stay.

Many families split a week between the parks and the beach in Salou. A beach day between park days rests tired legs, and you can fill it with a boat trip along the Costa Daurada or a tour into the vineyards inland.

How to get to PortAventura

By train, take the regional Rodalies R17 or RT2 line to Salou-PortAventura station, which also has some high-speed services. The station is under a kilometre’s walk from the park entrance. From Barcelona Sants, the journey takes about an hour and a half, and you can compare train and bus times on Omio.

By car from Barcelona, take the C-32 and then the AP-7 motorway and leave at exit 35 (Vila-seca/Salou/PortAventura). The drive takes around an hour and a quarter, and signs lead you to the car parks. A hire car also makes it easy to combine the park with Tarragona or a day in Barcelona. From Salou, local buses run to the resort, and some hotels are close enough to walk.

Each park has its own car park. If you leave during the day, you can come back to the PortAventura Park, Ferrari Land and Caribe car parks on the same day by showing your parking ticket at the entrance.

Without a car, Plana runs buses to PortAventura from Barcelona and Barcelona airport, and some tickets include return transport from the city. If you fly into Reus, the resort is only around 15 minutes away by taxi or transfer.

Tickets and express passes

There are several express passes to choose from. Express 10 gives you ten fast accesses, one per ride, while Express 5 Fun and Express 5 Adrenaline give you five (the second only for the big thrill rides). Express Unlimited lets you skip the queue as often as you like, and Express Unlimited Plus adds one access each to Uncharted, Street Mission and Hurakan Condor. If you only want to skip one queue, PortAventura Express ONE covers a single ride of your choice.

Staying at the resort changes the maths. Guests at the PortAventura, Caribe, El Paso, Gold River and Colorado Creek hotels get unlimited access to PortAventura Park during their stay and one day at Ferrari Land. Hotel Mansión de Lucy goes further, with unlimited access to both parks and an Express wristband.

You can leave the park and come back on the same day, as long as you keep your ticket. Ask for an exit stamp on the way out to make re-entry quicker.

Food and tips for the day

Every area has themed restaurants and snack bars, from steakhouses in Far West to Racó de Mar, a sit-down Mediterranean restaurant by the fishing port. Eat before noon or after 2.30pm to dodge the lunch rush. Wear comfortable shoes for the long loop, and pack a change of clothes if you plan to ride Tutuki Splash or Grand Canyon Rapids.

You can’t bring your own food or drinks into PortAventura Park, Ferrari Land or Caribe Aquatic Park. If you want to save money, there’s a picnic area near the entrance to all three parks, close to the LaLiga restaurant, where you can eat what you’ve brought before you go in.

Practical information

• PortAventura tickets are best bought in advance. You’ll skip the ticket queue at the entrance and avoid the risk of the park selling out on busy days.
• Address: Avinguda Alcalde Pere Molas, s/n, 43480 Vila-seca, Tarragona, Spain
• Buy tickets on GetYourGuide

Hotels near PortAventura

You can stay in one of the six themed hotels inside the resort or in Salou, a short walk or bus ride from the gates. These three cover different budgets.

💰 Ohtels Belvedere

A three-star hotel in Salou, about a 15 to 20-minute walk from PortAventura World and around a kilometre from Llevant beach. It has an outdoor pool with a bar, a children’s pool area and a buffet restaurant. It’s a sensible, good-value base if you want to split your holiday between the parks and the beach.

Check prices

🏨 PortAventura Hotel El Paso

A four-star, Mexican-themed hotel inside the resort, built like a colonial hacienda with tropical gardens. Bookings include unlimited access to PortAventura Park during your stay and one day at Ferrari Land. It has an outdoor pool and family rooms for up to four, and a free shuttle runs to the park.

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💎 PortAventura Hotel Colorado Creek

The resort’s premium Far West hotel, themed on the gold rush, with direct access to PortAventura Park through the Far West area. Your stay includes unlimited park access and one day at Ferrari Land. Rooms are spacious, and guests can also use the outdoor pools of the neighbouring Hotel Gold River.

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PortAventura FAQ

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