Continuing in our mode of not traveling internationally in the immediate future choosing instead to explore our own big backyard, we recently spent a week in Catalunya, visiting what turned out to be a really nice gem of a discovery, the wonderful city of Tarragona, surely someplace we wouldn’t have considered in the past. Here is a guide to the best of Tarragona.
Tarragona Spain Travel Guide:
Where is Tarragona in Spain?
Situated in the northeast of Spain, along the Mediterranean coast, it is a mere hour’s train ride from Barcelona, the most well-known, and most visited tourist destination. Having been to both places, l would just like to say that l prefer Tarragona. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City in 2000 and it’s well deserved.
Getting from Valencia to Tarragona:
Thanks to the wonderful train transportation system in Spain, our journey was under three hours via comfortable seats from which we could watch the scenery as we whizzed past little lesser-known cities and beach towns.
We had contemplated driving, but once you add the stress of me being a backseat driver of the worst kind, finding parking in the city, and all the other fees, we opted for a €60 ($71) roundtrip per person train trip.
The best part is that, just like in Valencia, the train station is quite close to the old town, so we were able to walk from the station to our hotel (albeit uphill so, you should be prepared). It took less than 15 minutes by the way.
Things to do in Tarragona:
The city of Tarragona will indeed remind you a lot of Barcelona. Plenty of beaches, churches, and food to be found, even their own Rambla. The difference is that it is definitely less crowded, the people are very nice, and the prices are better. I choose to describe it as a dash of Valencia with a big dollop of Rome. Here are some of the places to visit in Tarragona.
The Circ Roma:
It’s amazing how many Roman ruins are around the city. You can see remains from the chariot races that used to be held there. This forum dates back thousands of years and it’s worthy of a visit.
The Roman Amphitheater:
If you’re familiar with the Colosseum in Rome, you will have an idea of what this looks like. It was built in the 2nd century AD, it has a 15,000 spectator capacity. The backdrop is a gorgeous beach, and it is truly stunning when viewed from the top.
The Tarragona Cathedral:
Gorgeous national monument in Gothic and Romanesque architecture style. Reminded me a lot of the one in Seville, which only makes sense.
Mercat Central:
A lovely place to spend some time. A place where the locals shop for fresh food and fruit. The cleanest, sleekest marketplaces I’ve seen so far. Made me wonder if it was a new location, but nope… since 1915. The plaza Corsini where it is located has tons of cafes to watch the world go by.
Balcó del Mediterrani:
Running along the edge of the Rambla, it´s a fantastic place to get spectacular views of the sea and the port. One must touch the balcony for good luck, it is said. Plenty of benches and is a very popular gathering place for the people. Here is a video l did on the city with places l am too lazy to sort the pictures of.
Rambla Nova:
This is the main thoroughfare of the city. Much like the Rambla in Barcelona, there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, swanky stores on both sides of the street and it is a kilometer long.
At the end of the Rambla, you will find the “Monument als Castells”, a pretty big bronze figure of over 200 people forming a human castle. Catalunya is very famous for this death-defying practice of human castles and is a common sight during festivals. We even saw a school where one could learn.
Tarragona Beaches:
Since this was meant to be a relaxing getaway, we spent quite a bit of time on the warm sandy beaches. 15 kilometers of coastline called the Costa Daurada (Gold Coast), blue flag beaches, so very clean. The best part was being able to walk to them.
Roman Aquaduct:
I wanted to see this because you could actually walk on it as opposed to just seeing it. I had researched and knew we could get there with a certain public bus. Unfortunately, due to Covid, that stop had been removed and so the bus driver told us to get off at the next stop and walk back.
It turned out to be a perilous journey that involved walking along the freeway and then going off into some offbeat path that had me picturing falling in the middle of nowhere and my body not being found for weeks and Fede having to cannibalize me which would have sustained him for weeks :-)!
It was only about seven kilometers from the city but felt like a different world. We turned back as the sliver of pavement turned thinner and thinner, and it seemed like the cars were practically next to us. Not that important!
What to eat in Tarragona:
As you can imagine, seafood is part and parcel of being so close to the water. Pulpo is a delicacy, so you can imagine how much we indulged. They have their own version of the Valencian paella made with noodles.
The traditional trademark dish of Tarragona is cassola de romesco, a casserole made with different nuts from the region. The romesco is basically a cold nutty sauce that is served with everything from seafood to salads, veggies, and meat.
I was more than happy to eat burgers there as they tasted like real meat. Long-time readers know of my disdain for the burger meat found in both Malaga and Seville and to some extent here. The ones in Tarragona were delicious and tasted like real 100% beef. We had great pizza, sushi, and Morrocan food too.
Restaurants we really liked that are worthy of mention in this Tarragona guide:
- Bocois (see the duck picture)
- Sakura Marina for sushi
- Da Zio pizzeria close to the mercado
- The Continental at plaza de la font
- Pulpo everywhere :-). They were all good.
Tarragona is also quite famous for their vermouth too, so make sure to try some, and they’re dirt cheap… like 3 drinks for 5 euros! They are sold everywhere!
Where to stay in Tarragona:
We stayed in a little boutique hotel in the center of the old town. I loved the fact that there were a lot of things to see and do within a 10-15 minute walking distance. There were plenty of places to eat, including one that belonged to the hotel.
I will not lie, my preference would have been the H10 hotel, but we couldn’t afford it. It has stunning views of the colosseum, balcony, and the circ, not to mention the sea and beach views. Ours was very close, but not those excellent views.
Once again, like in Peniscola, there was a lot of noise from the diners at night but we didn’t mind, and l was happy to pay extra to book it. It became just background noise after a night, but if you are sensitive to noise, you might opt for a room in the back.
What l loved most about Tarragona is that there are lots of remains of the old Roman times dotting the landscape around the city. There is also plenty to do and see if that’s what you want. If not, you could relax and take it easy. I kept saying to myself: I could live here. Actually, we both kept saying that to ourselves. It’s a great city.
Is Tarragona worth visiting?
A resounding yes! A great alternative and perfect for at least a day trip from Barcelona. If nothing else, a day in Tarragona is better than none :-). I hope you’ve enjoyed this little old Tarragona guide.
Have you been to Tarragona or Catalunya? Did you like it?
Nice place! Looks like a city that is small enough to be walkable and not too crazy, but also not too small to get bored with quickly. That plaza view from the balcony was pretty awesome! I’d spend evenings people watching from there 🙂
Are trains crowded in Spain right now – more or fewer people than before 2020?
Yes, it reminds me of Valencia in that way. It’s not crazy like Barcelona, but with all the comforts and necessities. The plaza view was a nice consolation prize…haha! We did spend time watching people from the balcony in the evenings. People certainly love staying up late in Spain.
The trains are a bit more crowded now, in fact, this one was full. I think everyone has the same idea about sticking close to home. The Fallas is going ahead this year, even though it will be one week instead of three, so l think in the next week, we will get a crapload of people. Let’s hope it doesn’t become a breeding ground for infection rates.
Kem, thanks for a great guide to a place I might never have considered. I love Barcelona, so I’ll likely love it here. It’s nice to be able to travel in your own backyard and will have to do for now.
Suzanne, I think you would like it too if you like Barcelona. For now, this is satisfying the wanderlust since it’s all new to use. Been keeping up with you guys and the move to your MIL and adjustment :-).
Thanks for transporting me virtually across the pond to Tarragona. So glad you were able to enjoy such a fun city in your own big backyard. Would also love to see a human castle, Kemkem!
It was a great getaway. For me to enjoy the beach is really saying something. The food was also great. Definitely nice to be discovering the big backyard. Soon Europe for you, yeah!👍🏽