The best attractions of Tarragona in Spain are the beautiful beaches of the Costa Dorada, the gentle sun of Catalonia, the azure Mediterranean Sea and excellent tourist infrastructure. In Tarragona there really is something to see and where to relax.
Top 15 attractions in Tarragona
You can see many of Tarragona’s sights on your own by purchasing or downloading a map of the city and its monuments. Here is a brief description of the sights of Tarragona with photos and names.
Roman Amphitheater
This city was the residence of the Roman emperors Augustus and Hadrian. Therefore, in the 2nd century, an amphitheater was built on the seashore here, where the Romans and local barbarians entertained themselves with gladiatorial fights, wild beasts, executions and torture.
The Roman amphitheater can hold 13,000 people. It was only discovered and excavated by archaeologists in the middle of the 20th century.
Today it is one of the best and most visited tourist attractions of Tarragona and the whole of Spain.
Cathedral
This Catholic cathedral is an early Gothic monument. It is located in the old part of Tarragona and is dedicated to St. Thecla. Construction of the temple began at the end of the 12th century, and the first architects assumed that it would be a fortress.
The temple was not consecrated until the first half of the 14th century. As a result, its architecture is a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Later Baroque and Renaissance additions were added. The cathedral has a museum.
Rambla Nova
It is the city’s main pedestrian street with many cafes, restaurants, stores, boutiques. Residents of Tarragona and visitors to this wonderful city can enjoy beautiful examples of architecture and sculpture here.
Rambla Nova is the city’s calling card. Here you will fully see and feel its beauty and sophistication, learn more about the history and culture of the Catalan people and certainly never forget Catalonia.
Roman Circus
This circus was built in the 1st century AD. In ancient times, horse and chariot races were held here. Later audiences would come here to watch theatrical performances. The solemn events of Tarragona were also celebrated here.
The circus was designed for 37,000 spectators and was built according to all the rules of architecture of such structures. Today it is simply an ancient ruin, inside which stands the sarcophagus of Hippolytus, son of Theseus. The Roman circus is listed by UNESCO.
Roman Walls
In the 2nd century B.C. A high and powerful wall was built around the settlement of Quesse to protect and define the borders, which then became a landmark of Tarragona and all of Spain. Today it can be viewed by any tourist.
The fortress wall is only partially preserved. Previously its length was 3.5 km, today it is only 1.1 km. It surrounds the entire Old Town and is an essential part of the popular Archaeological Route, which includes all the Roman antiquities of Tarragona.
Archaeological Museum
The museum exhibits many archaeological finds from Tarragona and the entire province: figurines, ceramics, Roman mosaics, weapons, coins and other Ancient Roman heritage. Here you can get acquainted with the ancient history and culture of this city.
The Archaeological Museum of Tarragona was opened in the mid-19th century and today is considered the oldest museum in Catalonia. It continues to develop and add new unique artifacts from the history of the city.
Kastelarnau House Museum
This medieval palace is a must-see in Tarragona. It was erected in the 15th century in the old city and later rebuilt in the Baroque style. Today the palace has become a museum, where you can feel the spirit of several historical eras of Spain.
Castelarnau Palace has it all: an ancient patio, exquisitely decorated halls and rooms, a large library, a ballroom, medieval stained glass windows, Renaissance paintings, Chinese porcelain and even a real ghost.
Museum of Modern Art
Like any decent European city, Tarragona also has a museum where contemporary art artifacts are on display. The Spaniards and Catalans have great talents and a strong school in painting and sculpture.
This museum in Tarragona can be seen on its own, it is of great artistic value and enjoys the constant interest of tourists and specialists in painting and applied art.
Castelleros Monument
It is a famous sculpture located on the Rambla Nova in Tarragona, representing a pyramid of more than 200 people. Among the individual sculptures you can recognize famous citizens. At the top of the pyramid is a small child.
There is a tradition in Catalonia: during great feasts and celebrations to create such pyramids, but of living people climbing on each other’s shoulders. This tradition is called castel. In front of you is a monument – a castel in stone.
Tarraco Plaza Arena
The arena was built in the second half of the 19th century, designed by the famous Catalan architect Ramon Ricom. It is very similar to the ancient Roman Colosseum, but in the then fashionable Art Nouveau style.
Already in the 19th century a large sliding dome was added to the Arena. It was originally a place for bullfights until they were banned by the Catalan authorities.
Today the arena is used for concerts, performances and sporting events.
Early Christian necropolis
In Tarragon it is interesting to see the ancient cemetery of the 3rd-7th century A.D., discovered at the beginning of the last century. Here noble citizens were buried, and it is possible to see pagan and Christian burials (sarcophagi, Christian crosses, tombstones).
In total, more than 2,000 burials were discovered in the necropolis. Here you can also visit the Museum of Early Christianity, organized in the 30s of the 20th century, which collected all the ancient artifacts found during the excavations of the necropolis.
El Medol Quarry
This is another attraction of Tarragona and all of Spain from the era of Roman colonial rule over the territory. The quarry began to be mined before Christ, during the time of Emperor Augustus.
The stone from the quarry was used in the construction of Tarraco (modern Tarragona), all its present monuments of the Ancient Roman period. Today this place is extremely popular with tourists.
Roman Aqueduct
On the outskirts of the city is another famous landmark of Tarragona – the ancient Roman aqueduct, which two thousand years ago brought water from the river to the city, and today is a UNESCO list.
Two aqueducts were built, but only one has survived. During the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Catalonia forgot how to use this structure and began to call it the Devil’s Bridge. This aqueduct will stretch for more than 200 km.
Costa Dorada
This is a part of the Mediterranean coast stretching for 200 km, the unofficial capital of which is considered Tarragona. Costa Dorada is famous for its long and gentle sandy beaches, which are adored by tourists.
Costa Dorada means “Gold Coast” in Spanish. The coast of Tarragona is in the heart of this coast. Local beaches are well maintained and equipped, many have the Blue Flag – the highest international assessment.
Mediterranean Balcony
It is a large observation deck, enclosed by a cast-iron fence, offering a magnificent view of the sea, the promenade, the beauty and sights of Tarragona. This is the best place in town for evening promenade of citizens and tourists.
The Balcony of the Mediterranean is the beginning of the pedestrian street Rambla Nova. Here you can sit on the benches, look around and chat with friends, eat Catalan cuisine and drink some local wine in a cafe.
Video overview of the sights of Tarragona
Catalan Tarragona is known to historians from the time of the ancient Iberians, who settled on the east coast of modern Spain since the 3rd millennium BC. and in the 5th century B.C. founded the settlement of Kesse here. Later it was taken over by the ancient Romans.
The settlement on the site of modern Taragonna really blossomed in the 2-3 centuries AD, when there were built amphitheater, circus, strong fortress walls, which have survived to this day and have become historical and cultural monuments.
Tarragona sights on the map
The road from Barcelona to Tarragona runs along the Mediterranean coast to the southwest, the distance between the cities in a straight line is 82 km, you can reach Tarragona by cab, rental car, bus or train.
