Tarragona is the first Roman city of Spain, and when you talk about Tarragona, it is impossible not to think in the Roman Past. You will find a mix of medieval and modern style and also explore a bohemian life.
Tarragona is a preserved country but is open to the public. You can discover the amphitheatre, the church, various temples in a short walk. Besides all the history, you can also explore the beaches with blue waters, fine sands and amazing landscapes.
People in Tarragona have two official languages, Spanish and Catalan, they also have a rich culture full of events and festivals. The transport is excellent with the Reus Airport just 7 kilometres outside Tarragona city.
If you want to learn more about Roma's past, this is the place! The entrance is free and the audio guide will help you understand everything about the displays of mosaics, featuring fish and other marine life.
The museum of Diocesá is on the same spot as the Cathedral and it is filled with Roman objects and religious wood carvings. The Cathedral construction began in the 12th century, with gothic elements and full of Romanesque style. Large window rose can be viewed as well, the beautiful gardens and cloisters. To the bell tower, you can see the best view of the town.
The old Roma Forum is a religious and social centre of the Roman city. The vestiges can be seen until today, and the spot used to cover all Tarragona’s old town. Arches and columns still can be seen in a mix of modern structures around. It was built around 35 Before Christ.
Built in the 2nd century and next to the sea, the amfiteatre measures approximately 200 by 90 meters and accommodates around 14.000 spectators. The original structure remains to transport visitors back to a time of gladiator battles and public executions.
Archeologists discovered a Roman burial site with 2.000 tombs. The construction of a basilica and important burial site, built in honour of some martyrs, gives a good insight into Roman burial traditions and culture. And then, the museum acts as an interpretation centre and also displays many of the tombs and sarcophagi found there.
Airport The Reus airport, located just 7 kilometres outside of Tarragona, handles charter flights and is served by low-cost airlines. Reus Transport offers a transportation service by bus to the Reus airport and has a line from Reus to Tarragona. The Barcelona airport, located just 82 kilometres away from Tarragona, offers all manner of national and international flights and connections daily. It can be reached by taking the AP-7 by car, by train if you change at the Barcelona Sants station, or by bus.
Weather The weather in Tarragona can be described as a Mediterranean climate: has the summers short, warm, muggy, and mostly clear. The winters are long, cold, windy, and partly cloudy and it is dry during all of July. The warmest months are July and August, December is the coldest and September is the wettest.
Transportation The Municipal Transportation Agency promotes travel throughout Tarragona. As such, you're rarely far from any street, community or beach in town more than a quick drive away.
Traffic is typically quiet in downtown Tarragona, even in the most popular places at peak hours. Many streets provide "zones" at different levels to encourage parking. There is also a network of public and private parking facilities that allow drivers to exit their cars just minutes from every central location.
Beaches Tarragona has 15 kilometres of coastline, with multiple accessible beaches, alluring coves with crystalline waters. All the beaches are equipped with facilities for better comfort. The beaches here have a rich ecosystem, where life forms from the sea, giving birth to a great diversity of saltwater plants, dune plants and marshland birds and wildlife.
Here are our options for you to discover all the amazing views:
Platja Del Miracle
Platja De L'Arrabassada
Platja De La Savinosa
Platja Dels CapellansPlatja Llarga
Platja De L'Arboçar
Shopping The most popular shopping centre in Tarragona are:
The Parc Central Shopping Centre has been operating for over 20 years in the city of Tarragona and has established itself as a leader in its business sector. It has more than 120 different shops, some of them exclusive to the region, such as top brands in the retail segment. Here you can also find a modern cinema, eateries and a hypermarket with a huge range of products and services.
Les Gavarres is a recreational and shopping area located at the intersection of two of Tarragona province’s key motorways. In addition to being very easy to reach by car, Les Gavarres is also served by the bus line. The centre has shopping and recreational space, and was founded with the idea of creating a fully modern urban centre with large open spaces flooded with sunlight which offers a wide variety of activities. It is the most complete and largest shopping and recreational area in southern Catalonia. As part of the recreational activities, you can find new cinemas, bowling, more than 20 restaurants and numerous possibilities for fun for the littlest ones.
Restaurants & Bars Tarragona's cuisine is a reflection of its historic and cultural character: as a Mediterranean port, it owes much of the richness to the sea. Abundant fresh seafood from Catalonia's largest traditional fishing port and a veritable cornucopia of local produce give rise to regional cuisine with a distinctive flavour and genuine personality. Tarragona is also home to tapas bars and llesqueries, the local version of a snack bar. With the arrival of the warm weather, city residents fill the tables set out in the squares and streets to enjoy a traditional glass of vermouth. They are certainly proud of its wines, the region produces a variety of blends. On the Camp of Tarragona, including hazelnuts, almonds, oil and fresh vegetables, as well as meat and eggs. Finally, the nearby mountains add wild mushrooms, potatoes and chestnuts to the mix, while the Ebro River delta provides rice and citrus fruits. In Tarragona, they have a famous dish, which is the calçotada, that originates from Valls, a neighbouring city. It is a sweet spring onion, prepared by roasting them over an open fire and eaten dipped in succulent romesco sauce. We also can see here Tarragona, the fishermen catch fresh shellfish and local species of bluefish called Peix Blau de Tarragona. In the district of the fishermen, you will have restaurants offering dishes based on the day's catch. Tarragona’s trademark dish is cassola de romesco, a casserole made with a rich regional nut sauce. You can also try the famous paella, grilled or fried fish. Here we selected some options for you to discover the best gastronomy in Tarragona: La Fàbrica, La Creperia Del Pallol, La Cocotte, Koop, El Complet, Itaca, El Graner, Sha, Almosta
