Tarragona is considered the most important Roman town in Spain--so important that the Roman ruins of Tarraco have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It's an easy train ride from Tarragona to Barcelona, the Capital city of Catalonia.
Tarragona is located on the Costa Dorada, 60 miles southwest of Barcelona, Spain. While earlier settlements may have inhabited the area, the first occupation of Tarragona is attributed to Gneus Scipio, who founded a Roman military camp here in 218 B.C. It grew quickly and was named a colony of Rome in 45 B.C. by Julius Ceasar.
Tarragona, besides being a fine city peppered with Roman ruins and good restaurants, is a relatively inexpensive place to stay while visiting Catalonia. You can get to Barcelona in about an hour and a half, although it's quite a walk from the Barcelona station to the Gothic Quarter--you can take a bus or cab.
Tarragona is taday home to about 141,000 people. Sometime they even form into human pyramids.
Terragona Lodging Map
How to get to Taragonna by Train
The Tarragona train station is in the Plaza Pedrera. There are 8 trains a day to and from Madrid, and many to Barcelona, just up the coast, about an hour and a half away. The station at Tarragona is close to the port and to the main street, the Rambla Nova. Turn right out of the station and go up the hill; there are several hotels on this end of the Rambla.
Staying in Tarragona
Look for a hotel near the sea, where the Rambla dead-ends. We stayed at the Hotel Lauria at Rambla Nova 20, and found it comfortable, centrally located, and air conditioned. Booking.com offers other user-rated hotels in Tarragona.
If an apartment suits you better than a hotel, the Apartamento New Tarraco get's high ratings for both the living quarters and its location.
You'll find more apartments at VRBO.
The Components of Tarragona Cuisine
Think seafood, nuts, onions, tomatoes, oil and garlic. Romesco sauce is a product of this area, as is the red Gamba de Tarragona, and they are often combined into a stew.
For a chef's view of the Tarragonna shrimp, see: Oriol Castro, chef: “We use every single part of the Tarragona Shrimp”.
Tapas are plentiful in the Rambla Nova area, as well as the interesting Placa de la Font, which you'll find loaded with cafes and restaurants, the place to head on your early evening stroll.
Tarragona is know for its fine wine as well. La DO Tarragona is host to a number of diverse terroirs, with those closest to the sea quite different to the inland terroirs along the Ebre river.
Tarragona Beaches & Naturism
Tarragona is the main city on the Costa Dorada, the Gold Coast of Spain. There are many beaches and coves nearby. Tarragona Guide has a discussion of beaches in or near Tarragona. Nude Beaches in Tarragona will let you know which of them don't require clothing.
Tarragona Tours
Viator offers some interesting tours of Tarragona.
Get Your Guide has a number of day trips and tours available as well.
When to Go
The best months to go to Tarragona are May, June, July, August. Outside those months, the rain increases slightly, as the rainiest months are April, September and October. May and June offer perfect beach weather with warm seas.
Below is the current weather and 7 day forecast for Tarragona.
TARRAGONA WEATHERTall Stacks of Humans
Castells
Building human pyramids is a Catalonian sport. Castellers have been building human pyramids here, some as high as 5 story buildings, for hundreds of years.
The Monumento a los Castellers is 11 meters tall and features 219 people. Look closely, many of those people are famous.
Building these human towers is on UNESCO's' Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Concurs de Castells bills Itself as "The world's largest human tower show" and takes place in the fall.
Pictures of 2 Top Attractions in Tarragona
The cloisters were built during the early 13th century and Tarragona cathedral as a whole was built on the site of a former Mosque during the 12th century.
Have fun planning your Tarragonna Adventure!
