A weekend in Tarragona offers visitors a chance to indulge in the Spanish culture, enjoy tapas in the spacious squares and learn about the Roman history of the city. It’s an underrated city for sure, and when you add in the fact it has great transport links and gorgeous beaches just a short walk away, it’s a wonder more people don’t visit.
It is sometimes overlooked in favour of it’s popular neighbour Barcelona, but Tarragona falls in the hidden gem category because it has everything you need for the perfect Spanish weekend city break: history, culture, great food, beaches and gorgeous weather.
Where is Tarragona?
Tarragona is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain, sitting in the south of the autonomous region of Catalonia. It’s on the Costa Dorada, known as the ‘golden coast’, looking out on the Mediterranean and about 60 miles (100kms) southwest of Barcelona.
Top Sights to See in Tarragona
- Tarragona Cathedral: The beautiful Romanesque-Gothic cathedral takes pride of place in the city centre.
- Roman Amphitheatre: An ancient amphitheatre built in the 2nd century AD which could seat up to 14,000 spectators. Today, it’s a popular tourist attraction, hosting a variety of cultural events and offering stunning coastal views.
- Roman Circus: The Roman Circus is one of the best-preserved examples of a Roman chariot racing stadium in the world. It dates back to the 1st century AD and you can still see parts of the original stadium in the city.
- Mediterranean Balcony: Soak up the stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding coastline from this vantage point. It’s the perfect spot for catching the gorgeous sunrise!
- Plaça de la Font: Located in the heart of Tarragona’s old town, this spacious square is surrounded by historic buildings and restaurants, all built on the old foundations of the Roman Circus.
How Long Do I Need in Tarragona?
If you’re tight on time, you could see the highlights of Tarragona in a day, dashing between sights and cramming in as much as possible. However, it’s definitely a city worthy of more time, and even just having 2 days in Tarragona is probably not giving the city enough time to do it justice.
With just one day in Tarragona, I’d recommend following the day one itinerary suggestion below, and if you can spend the night in Tarragona before moving on you’ll get to enjoy the calm Spanish evenings the city enjoys, living life in the street cafes and bars and can also enjoy the sunrise from Mediterranean Balcony before moving on to your next stop.
But if you can, a weekend in Tarragona is the perfect taster for the city.
Spend a Weekend in Tarragona
Day 1 – Explore Tarragona’s Roman History
For your first day in Tarragona, the old town is a great place to focus your time. It’s where most of the highlights of the city are, and you can easily visit Plaça de la Font, Tarragona Cathedral and the Roman ruins in one day. It’s easy to walk between them, and it gives you a real feel for the history of the city at the same time as indulging in the Spanish culture.
Plaça de la Font is a spacious square located in the heart of Tarragona’s Old Town. It’s home to a number of important buildings such as the town hall, and is surrounded by a variety of shops, restaurants, and bars. This makes it a real hub for the city, and it’s popular for both locals and visitors.
Plaça de la Font is a great place to stop for a bite to eat or a coffee to just enjoy the atmosphere.
Aside from offering people the perfect place to grab a coffee and people watch, or enjoy a slow meal, Plaça de la Font is also tied in with the Roman history of Tarragona. The ‘square’ is more of a rectangular shape, which in itself isn’t that unique. But the reason behind the shape is that the buildings that line the square are built on the foundations of the old Roman Circus. Pretty cool, right?
If you’d like to really indulge in the Roman history in Tarragona, there are guided historical walking tours available.
Visiting the ruins at the Roman Circus – Circ Roma – will give you a deeper appreciation for the other sights in the city. It’s not far from Plaça de la Font and gives a bit of background to the Roman history of Tarragona. After having a chance to see the old chariot course and learn about the development from the Roman city of Tarraco to the modern day Tarragona, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the city and keep an eye out for the signs of old Tarraco.
Plaça del Fòrum is another square worth visiting while you spend a weekend in Tarragona. Whether you pass through or stop for a while in one of the cafes and bars, you’ll be able to admire the old wall remnants that would have formed part of the impressive Forum. The Forum was the heart of the city and contained all the important buildings like the courts, markets and social spaces.
Located at the highest part of the city, Tarragona Cathedral as it stands today dates back to the 1300s. But it was built on the site of what many believe was an ancient Roman temple when the city was still Tarraco. The site has far more history than just these two buildings, but these days it is known for being one of the biggest cathedrals in Catalonia, yep even bigger than Barcelona Cathedral and Sagrada Familia!
Continuing with the historical theme of the day, a visit to the old city walls in Tarragona should be on your to-see list. As with many old cities, there were once walls surrounding the city to protect it from attacks. Parts of the walls still stand today and you can see them as you walk around the city or you can pay a small entrance fee to wander alongside the walls and learn a bit about Tarragona’s history.
Round off a day of exploring Tarragona’s historical sites with a visit to the Amphitheatre. This is a personal favourite sight to see in Tarragona, and definitely worth a visit. If you’re not that bothered about going in, you can see most of it from Parc del Miracle, the nearby tiered public park.
Day 2
Tarragona is a city that could be seen in a day if you rush from sight to sight. But spending your first day in the city exploring the historical sights at a leisurely pace leaves you free to see more of the city on your second day.
The first stop of the day should be to the Mediterranean balcony. It’s a nice walkway, but the big draw of the place are the views. If you can time it for sunrise, even better! At that time of the morning it’s so calm and peaceful, and the sun rising over the sea and mountains in the distance is the perfect way to start the day.
From the Mediterranean balcony, it’s easy to explore the Rambla Nova, Tarragona’s main street similar to Barcelona’s famous La Rambla. Rambla Nova is lined with shops, and places to grab a bite to eat. If you walk far enough down the street you’ll find several statues including one dedicated to the castellers, Monument als Castellers, a nod to the history of the castellers in Catalonia and in Tarragona itself.
What’s a visit to a new city without stopping in at the local market? Tarragona is no different, and Mercat Central de Tarragona has you covered with the wide array of market stalls on offer in the stunning market building.
Most of the Tarragona historical sites were covered on your first day in the city, but the Colonial forum of Tarraco and the old Roman theatre of Tarraco – not to be confused with the amphitheatre – are both a little further out from the other historic sites and work well to visit them as you’re exploring the rest of the city. The ruins are in two small squares just a few minutes walk from each other, and although there’s nothing as big and intact as the Roman Circus, there are still a few different pieces to check out.
The harbour of Tarragona is worth a little wander down too. It’s a tale of two halves, with the quaint marina being home to smaller boats, lined with bars and restaurants, while the industrial port welcomes in the big ships like cruise liners and commercial shipping barges. You probably wouldn’t want to wander the port side of it, but the marina is worth a visit for a relaxing walk while you window shop for your new boat.
Tarragona’s aqueduct, The Ferreres Aqueduct, is a bit of a way out of the city centre, but the scenic area is popular with people for a wander and picnic spot. It’s recommended to wear ‘proper’ shoes if you venture out to the aqueduct, but you can walk around the aqueduct while you appreciate the Roman history and Catalonian countryside.
If you’re all done sightseeing in Tarragona and find yourself with time for the beach, you’ve made a good choice. When looking for beaches in Tarragona, or specifically the best beaches in Tarragona, you’ll want to head to Playa de Arrabassada, Platja Savinosa or Platja del Miracle, all within easy reach of Tarragona city centre.
Extras to Fit in if There’s Time
If you’re a fan of theme parks, Tarragona is the perfect base to visit Port Aventura, one of Spain’s most popular theme parks. It’s just a short 10 minute train from Tarragona to Port Aventura World. The theme park is well known and the biggest one in Spain, attracting visitors from all over Europe and is the perfect way to have an adrenaline-filled day in Tarragona.
Festivals! Spain is a country that loves to celebrate; history, culture, religion, jobs, people…they seem to have a celebration for everything! And to make it even better, they celebrate so well. Parades, fireworks, community meals, dancing, music, the list could go on. Be sure to check if there’ll be any festivals while you’re in Tarragona, and if you can time it to coincide with a Casteller (human towers) competition you’ll be in for a real heart-in-the-mouth treat.
Make the most of the coastal location of Tarragona and explore the nearby marine life. We’re not talking an aquarium – the nearest aquarium is in Barcelona if that’s what you’re after – but going on a diving excursion. There are options for beginners as well as more experienced divers, so don’t worry if you’re a newbie!
Solo Travel in Tarragona
Some cities just aren’t well suited for solo travel, but the question is: is Tarragona good for solo travellers? I would say absolutely! I visited as a solo female traveller in the early autumn, so the days were still fairly long and the weather was perfect for t-shirt and shorts.
I felt safe the whole time I was in Tarragona, and being in such a Western country there’s no issues with wearing cooler summer clothes. I went out for dinner and drinks once it was dark, and although I wouldn’t have been wandering down any unlit streets, I felt safe in the main city centre. The good thing about Tarragona and Spain in general is that things happen later in the day, so there are plenty of people still milling about late in the evening.
In terms of sightseeing, there was plenty to keep me busy during the day with seeing the city and the sights. I actually enjoyed finding a quiet cafe away from the crowds to enjoy a drink as well as hunting out a coffee or tapas in the main squares.
My Top Tarragona Recommendation!
The Roman Circus and amphitheatre! Quick and to the point there haha!
The main reason I went to Tarragona in the first place was because someone had mentioned to me it had Roman ruins. I’d always connected Roman ruins with Italy, not Spain, so of course I had to go and see it. Let’s just say, I was not disappointed. Not only can you see a lot of the remains, but you can walk around the amphitheatre and walk through the tunnels that the Romans would have used to get to their seats for chariot races.
There’s something about being in the same place that people thousands of years ago would have been, walking the same paths that they did that really blows my mind. I loved the whole city, but this was definitely my favourite thing in Tarragona. Oh, and the tapas…
Is Tarragona Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! Tarragona is a city with the perfect balance of history, sights to see, character and beaches. Add to that the delicious food, Catalonian culture and gorgeous weather, it’s a no brainer and definitely worth visiting Tarragona.
Although this is a guide to a weekend in Tarragona, you could easily spend more time here to make the most of the surrounding cities and of course include a trip to Port Aventura, the popular nearby theme park.
Tarragona is often overlooked for a city break due to the popularity of nearby Barcelona, but that just means smaller crowds to explore the things to do in Tarragona.
How to Get to Tarragona
By air: There are two airports nearby, Reus Airport which is a 15-minute drive or 25-minute bus ride away, or Barcelona El Prat Airport which is located in nearby Barcelona.
From Reus Airport to Tarragona there’s a bus that takes about 25 minutes, or you can jump in a taxi. There’s a considerable price difference between getting the bus and taking a taxi for not a lot of time saved, so take that into account when planning your journey.
From Barcelona El Prat Airport to Tarragona, there’s a bus that leaves from the Terminal 2 to Tarragona or you can jump on the Aerobus into Barcelona and catch the train from Barcelona Sants to Tarragona.
By train: One of the most popular routes, Barcelona to Tarragona, is 1hr 20 minutes. The route stretches along the Costa Dorada coastline and is a lovely journey with gorgeous sea views. If you’re coming from Valencia to Tarragona by train, the fast train is 2hr 40 minutes, or you can catch the cheaper regional train that will take 4hr 40 minutes.
Just a heads up -> Camp Tarragona and Tarragona Estació are not the same station. Camp Tarragona is a 30-minute bus from Tarragona city that we’re talking about in this weekend guide, you want to choose the option for Tarragona Estació which is in Tarragona city centre.
By bus: From nearby Barcelona to Tarragona by bus it can take between 1hr 20 mins and 2 hours. Alsa is the national bus provider in Spain for long distance bus travel, and they have a route between the two cities running a few times a day for about €10 one way.
How to Get Around
Compact city centres are a dream for exploring by foot, but one thing to note with Tarragona is that it can be hilly in places. We’re not talking the same kind of hilly streets that you’d find in Lisbon and Porto, but there’s still an incline as you walk around the city.
There’s a bus network in Tarragona that you can use if you don’t feel like walking around, though the old town is fairly restricted to vehicles so you’ll need to walk around there if you want to explore that area.
Hop on hop off buses are a tourist’s dream on a city break for being able to see a lot in a short time. Tarragona is no different, except it’s a road train that’ll take you around the city. The Yellow Train (might not actually be yellow despite the name) covers a large part of the city, and you can jump on the start of the tour at Plaza de la Unesco (near the amphitheatre).
As the city is quite compact, you might like to explore Tarragona on a free walking tour.
Where to Stay
Tarragona isn’t a huge city so you won’t go too far wrong with where you choose in the city, but my personal recommendation would be to base yourself in/near Plaça de la Font. It’s super central in the old town, close to a lot of sights and has plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants nearby to check out. If you’re not staying in the actual square, be sure to check whether the side streets you might be staying on are lit.
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