A day at PortAventura with children follows a very predictable pattern: lots of sun, lots of standing in queues, more walking than usual, and eating and drinking outside your normal times. Most of the day’s mishaps come from that, not from anything unusual — and a small kit solves them, not the whole medicine cabinet from home.
What to pack in the park bag
- Water-resistant SPF 50+ sunscreen — and actually reapply it: after every water ride, and every 2 hours even if you stay dry. A high factor poorly reapplied protects like a low one.
- A cap or hat and UV-protective clothing for the peak sun hours, especially between 12 and 4pm.
- Water and something salty to snack on. A hot day of walking loses more salts than a child replaces by drinking water alone.
- Children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen, dosed by the child’s weight, for a sun headache or a passing fever.
- Plasters and a blister dressing or two — with that much walking, footwear rubbing is one of the most common issues of the day.
- Wet wipes and hand sanitiser, for hands before eating without hunting for a bathroom.
- A children’s antihistamine, in case of a mosquito bite or a mild reaction to something new.
What comes up most, after a day at the park
Families leaving PortAventura exhausted stop by Farmàcia Arqué, just 10 minutes away by car, mainly for three things: sun protection for the next day, a painkiller for the end-of-day headache or sore legs, and something for an upset stomach after eating off-schedule in the heat. All three are handled without an appointment, on the spot.
If you’ve left something at the hotel
It happens more than you’d think: an adult’s regular medication or the thermometer stays behind at the apartment, and the park is already half an hour away. If it’s something occasional — a painkiller, an antihistamine, oral rehydration salts — we have it over the counter. If it’s chronic medication and you’re visiting from another EU country, see European prescriptions in Spain: how they work before worrying — it can often be sorted at the counter.
Where we are
Farmàcia Arqué is at Passeig de Miramar 72, a 10-minute drive from PortAventura World, on the way back toward Salou. No appointment needed, and we speak Spanish, Catalan, English and French — no explaining a symptom with gestures while a tired child waits. For exact directions and today’s hours, see pharmacy near PortAventura.
When it’s more than a first aid kit can handle
Go to a medical centre or call 112 if a child has a persistent high fever, repeated vomiting, signs of dehydration (intense thirst, very dark urine, marked lethargy), or signs of heatstroke: hot dry skin, confusion, or a very severe headache. Outside our opening hours, the duty pharmacy in Salou covers the 24-hour shift.
This article is for information only and does not replace assessment by a healthcare professional for a specific symptom in a child. If in any real doubt, see a paediatrician. Sources: Spanish Paediatric Association (AEP), Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), Spanish Ministry of Health — sun protection.