Plan a trip to Tarragona

Tarragona is a beautiful, modern port city with 133,000 inhabitants located in Catalonia in northeastern Spain. The charming city is known for its beautiful beaches, culinary scene, and rich history - in fact, Tarragona is steeped in history, and its architectural highlights include remains of structures from ancient Roman times as well as from the Middle Ages. 

The Romans who settled the colony in 218 BC made it the capital of the province and called it "Tarraco." It was considered one of the most beautiful cities in the empire and a favorite of the emperors Augustus and Hadrian who often stayed there, especially in the winter months. The historic Roman city of Tarraco was recognized by UNESCO as a World Conservation Site.

The Tarragona Cathedral, which is perched at the highest point above the old town, is iconic with its Gothic arches, delightful courtyards, and stone statues. Built from the 12th to the 14th centuries on a site where a temple to Jupiter once stood, it represents the city’s architectural diversity. The panoramic view from the bell tower is spectacular!

The Santa Tecla Chapel, the patron saint of the city, is famous for the magnificent reliefs that describe the story of her life.

The Tarragona Amphitheatre, located near the beach, is a well-preserved 2nd century Roman amphitheater that was used for gladiator fights with up to 14,000 spectators.

The Passeig Arqueologic is an archaeological promenade which runs along the 2nd century city walls. It was built on huge rocks financed by the famous Scipio family in the 3rd century BC. The wall was reinforced and renovated in the Middle Ages and underwent alterations again in the 18th century. Today, this well-preserved archeological site is covered in beautiful flowers and well-kept gardens.

The charming Placa del Rei, King’s Square, is a focal point of the Gothic quarter, and there are several museums and other points of interest nearby. The National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona houses a collection of artifacts from the Roman period, remains of buildings of the Roman town, Tarraco, decorative sculptures, coins, murals, and bells. Its main attraction is the mosaics, the most spectacular collection in all of Catalonia.

The 1st century Roman arena, the Circo Romano, was built to host chariot races. While only a few parts of the outer façade and a few terraces remain, you can walk through the tunnels where the horses used to line up, view the Roman artifacts in the museum, and admire the spectacular view from the rooftop.

Les Ferreres Aqueduct, with its 36 arches, is located a few minutes north of Tarragona in a forested valley. It is an 820-foot section of an ancient aqueduct that brought water to Roman Tarraco from the Francoli River.

The Praetorium, the palace of Augustus, is actually not a palace, but one of the towers of the Forum. The tower is now a museum which tells the history of the town and houses the Hippolytus Sarcophagus, a magnificent work of art with sculpted decorations that was rescued unscathed from the sea in 1948.

The Rambla Nova, which ends by the sea, is the city’s main boulevard. It is decorated with statues, fountains, acacia trees and flower beds, and is lined with many cafes, elegant shops, boutiques, and restaurants. Pedestrian streets, which offer great shopping, emerge from this main street. At the other end of the boulevard is the city’s main promenade, the beautiful Passeig De Les Palmeres, with its well-known observation deck known as the "Mediterranean Balcony," Balco Del Mediterrani, which is built at a height of about 115 feet above sea level and offers a wonderful view of the area.

Tarragona has a rich cultural life and is home to several famous festivals, including the famous Santa Tecla which takes place in mid-September and honors the city’s patron saint, Santa Tecla. The Sant Magi takes place in mid-August to celebrate the city’s other patron saint, and it includes a celebratory parade and “castellers,” human towers. Also in September is the International Fireworks Competition which lights up the city’s skies with vivid colors.