tarragona spain travel guide · tarragona spain travel guide by jackie de burca &...

TARRAGONA SPAIN Travel Guide

BY JACKIE DE BURCA & COLLABORATORS

TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE1. Introducing Tarragona

Introducing Tarragona

By Jackie De Burca, author of Salvador Dalí atHome, who has lived in Spain since 2003 – withcontributions from travel bloggers and locals.

As a huge fan of Barcelona, I can understand whyso many visitors gravitate to this wonderful city andlive in blissful ignorance of the fascinating city ofTarragona. I can only strongly encourage you tothink again, and visit Tarragona, it’s a gorgeous city.

Arrabassada Beach © Alberich Fotògrafs

Tarragona is an hour from Barcelona by train or car,and only a few minutes away from Reus Airport(10 km), and was once the capital of the RomanEmpire here in Spain. Today Tarragona is a placewhere history and culture are crowned withMediterranean blue skies, blessed with beautifulbeaches and adorned by an abundance of �ne wineand cuisine.

Tarragona UNESCO Heritage

Walking around the area where you can see theamphitheatre, the views are absolutely amazing, asthe amphitheatre is right by the sea. There’ssomething both odd and awesome about seeing it.Behind you are parts of Tarraco, which is one ofCatalonia’s 9 wonders of UNESCO sites andheritage, but there’s just so much more besides inthe city, as you’ll discover in this Tarragona SpainTravel Guide.

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Tarraco is an impressive sight from many places, asare the views from the Mediterranean Balcony(Balcó del Mediterrani). The city has tangible historythat palpitates around you, modernist architecture,a magni�cent cathedral and Ramblas, not unlikethose of Barcelona. In the Rambla Nova you’ll �ndsome unique Modernist buildings.

Rambla Nova

Bubbling With Contrasts &Experiences

Tarragona is a city �lled with light, colour andcontrasts, bubbling over with sensations for you toexperience. On a Sunday go to the market, justoutside the wonderfully impressive BasilicaCathedral. The contrast of the grandeur of thecathedral with the buzz and colour of the market isreally something else.

Filled With Festivities (All dates below are for2018 but they can be used as roughguidelines for other years)

Would you believe that there’s hardly a month thatgoes by in Tarragona, when there’s not at least onefestival on? It’s hard to say which is the best monthto visit Tarragona. Maybe go in May if you’re afoodie or a history buff, and be there for theTárraco a Taula (Roman foodie festival) (11th-27th May).

Around the same time you can experience thefamous Tarraco Viva Festival (13th-27th May)–the wonderful ancient Roman festival, where youcan check out re-enactments, gladiators and muchmore. This is really out of this world.




Amphitheatre Tárraco Viva © Manel Antolí (RVEdipress)

One year we were in Tarragona on 11th March, so wewere there for the Tres Tombs – Three TurnsFestival. This is a tradition that is linked to SaintAnthony Abad, a patron saint of animals. Theanimals do a particular route three times with theirowners, and get blessed. Tres Tombs translates intothree turns. There were horses and Shetland ponies,some pulling chariots and others being ridden orled. It was so colourful and striking.

Or you could always visit in June, when you will haveCorpus Christi (3rd June) where the traditionaland religious elements are intertwined in the paradethat features towering giants, dances and adrummer, who announces the beginning of thefestival on horseback

Then on the night of the 23rd June (eve of the FeastDay of St. John) is the Noche de San Juan –Night of Saint John – which is a fantasticsummer solstice celebration. This is the ideal timeto get rid of your bad stuff from the year before, bygoing into the water at midnight – in the midst of�reworks, witches, bon�res and parties that go ontil dawn. In case that’s not enough, the HumanTowers (UNESCO culture) kicks off in Tarragonaon the 24th June until the 20th October.

2. Tarragona Top Sights & Experiences

1. Tarragona Cathedral Santa Thecla (SaintTecla)

This magni�cent Cathedral was declared to be aNational monument in 1905. In the year 1171construction began, and as is often the case, the sitechosen had already been home to other spiritualbuildings, such as a Roman Temple, a MoorishMosque and a Visigothic Cathedral. Today theCathedral of Santa Tecla looms over the old quartermajestically in the region’s typical sandstone, withits emblematic soaring entrance and its façade’srose coloured window.

Cathedral © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE2. Top Sights & Experiences

The Cathedral just keeps on giving with its ever soimpressive tower, spectacular altarpiece andnumerous chapels.

2. Tarragona UNESCO Roman Ruins

Tarragona, formerly called Tárraco in Roman times,was a Roman capital of great importance.Archaeological excavations have revealed acollection of Roman ruins which present animpressive picture of how life was during that era. Infact this ensemble of exceptional importance wasdeclared to be a UNESCO World Heritage Sitein 2000.

Amphitheatre © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

Although its architecture began in the Romanesquegenre, later elements were created in the Gothicstyle, as construction carried on over a fewcenturies. In 1331, the Cathedral was consecratedbut building work ceased from 1348 because of thehorri�c impact of the Black Death.

Even though construction work started later againand continued for a number of centuries, theCathedral’s main façade, which features threebeautiful portals, remains un�nished. However theintricate, amazing stone sculptures of the apostleshave a suitably breathtaking impact to distract thevisitor for a while.

The amphitheatre is a marvellous sight overlookingthe Mediterranean sea, with a capacity for anaudience of 15,000 people. Each year in May, thefestival Tárraco Viva takes place for two weeksgiving visitors the opportunity to immersethemselves in Roman life reenactments andexperiences. The video below by the Tourist Boardof Tarragona is a taste of this, �lmed in theamphitheatre.

Other highlights include the Roman circus andtheatre, two integral aspects of Roman life, whichthe Romans considered essential for a good lifestyle.In our routes section you can �nd the Roman Route,but some relics are even hidden in restaurants androck bars in Tarragona’s historical centre, the PartAlta.

3. Tarragona Medieval Route

The Cathedral is part of Tarragona’s Medieval Route,which includes other highlights such as the King’sCastle, the Jewish Quarter, the Church of St.Lawrence and the city’s walls, which were originallyRoman.


https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/875

https://www.historytoday.com/ole-j-benedictow/black-death-greatest-catastrophe-ever



Mercat Central (Central market) © Manel Antolí (RVEdipress)

4. Tarragona Modernist Route

Throughout Catalonia there are numerousmarvellous examples of Modernist Architecture andTarragona is no exception.

The Tarragona Modernist Route takes you to twentythree examples of this genre dotted around the city,including the city’s slaughterhouse, the wonderfulXimeni’s house, the Central Market and thefascinating boat-type architecture of the MetropolTheatre.

5. Wandering Around Tarragona’s OldQuarter

5. Wandering Around Tarragona’s OldQuarter

Merceria Street Arches

One of my favourite streets is Carrer Merceria(Merceria Street), which takes you from the steps ofthe Cathedral to the Baixada del Patriarca, with itswonderful Gothic 14th century arches.

This was the location of the farmers’ market in theMiddle Ages. These days you’ll �nd a Sundaymorning antique market there.

6. Tarragona’s Castellers Experience (HumanTowers)

While the tourist authority of the city has adoptedthe theme of Living History, which is certainly true,Castellers are an absolutely essential aspect of theidentity and culture of Tarragona. Castellers, whichtranslates into human towers, is a tradition that canbe traced back to 1712, in the town of Valls in theprovince of Tarragona. The practice didn’t take longto spread to other places in Catalonia.




Incredibly impressive and of huge social importancenowadays in the Catalan culture, these humantowers can go up to ten tiers. Today acrossCatalonia there are more than 15,000 people in over100 groups passionately practising this amazingtradition.

Human castles © Manel R. Granell

As Tarragona was one of the earliest adopters ofhuman towers, the city is immensely proud of thistradition and visitors can marvel at this spectaclefrom late June until late October.

7. National Museum of Archaeology(Tarragona Museu Nacional Arqueologic deTarragona)

Website: https://www.mnat.cat/en/

Originally a provincial museum in the middle of the19th century, Tarragona’s National Museum ofArchaeology is home to a very important collectionof artifacts from the Roman era, including potteryand sculpture.

8. Tarragona Balcony of the Mediterranean(Balcó del Mediterrani)

A beautiful balcony overlooking the Mediterranean,when you visit you need to “tocar ferro” whichmeans to touch iron, on this special railing to bringyou luck. Apart from the luck it is rumoured to bringyou, the views are spectacular.

Balcó del Mediterrani (Mediterranean “balcony”) ©Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

9. Saunter and sample in El Serrallo

El Serrallo is the �shermen’s district of Tarragona. Itis living history of the city’s �shing tradition, whichhas been written about as far back as the 13thcentury.

Saunter around the labyrinth of cobbled streets withits characterful, colourful narrow buildings. Oncerather rundown, the Serallo district is a vibrantplace to sample some delicious seafood whileabsorbing Tarragona’s strong link to the sea.


https://festival.si.edu/blog/human-towers-a-visual-history-of-a-catalan-tradition

https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/tarragona-city-human-towers

https://www.mnat.cat/en/



El Serrallo © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

Located in El Serallo is a great �sh market and alarge �shing �eet. The only downside is trying todecide which restaurant to choose, from thenumerous ones on offer.

10. Tamarit Castle (Castell de Tamarit)

Located 10 km on the road to Altafulla, on the N-340at KM 1171, is the gorgeous Tamarit Castle whichstands majestically overlooking the Mediterraneansea. It can be traced back to the 11th century andcombines both defensive and residential elements.Today it is a wedding and events venue.

The whole walled village and the castle combinesGothic Romanesque and Renaissance architecture.In fact its church is one of the purest, earliestexamples of the Romanesque genre within theentire municipality of Tarragona.

11. The Devil’s Bridge (Pont del Diable)

The aqueduct called Les Ferreres is one of thelandmarks of Tarragona, and is known locally as theDevil’s Bridge. It gets this name from an interestinglegend, more about that in a moment. As well as theimpressive aqueduct, there is an eco-historic parkthere. It’s a lovely spot to explore the local natureand maybe bring your parents for a picnic. The �rstSaturday of each month is a big family day out theretraditionally, with parents and children gettingtogether to enjoy the privileged environment andfamous monument.

Les Ferreres Aqueduct Tarragona © Manel R.Granell

According to the legend, there was an elderly couplewho needed to cross the old wooden bridge, thatused to be in the same location, to go to marketeach day.

The couple had a donkey to help them carry theirgoods to the market. One night there had been avery dramatic storm, so when the couple reachedthe old wooden bridge the next day, it had beendestroyed. The man felt useless, knowing that hewas no longer young and strong enough to build anew bridge.




The couple were in shock and feeling really worriedabout their situation, when a mysterious strangerappeared, as if out of nowhere. He asked them abouttheir troubles, so they explained what hadhappened.

The stranger said he would build a new bridge forthem. The couple asked what he wanted inexchange for the new bridge. He replied that hewould want the soul of the �rst creature to crossthe new bridge. After some time, they agreed, asthey had no other solution. Of course they alreadyknew that if the man could build a bridge for themlike this, he had to be the devil himself.

Les Ferreres Aqueduct / Pont del Diable Bridge(Devil’s Bridge) © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

The next morning they walked to the place of theold wooden bridge, and there was a �ne impressivenew bridge there.

The stranger had carried out his part of the bargain,now it was their turn. The woman used the rod toget their donkey moving and the three startedwalking over the new bridge. The donkey was the�rst one to cross. The devil was very angry, but there was nothing hecould do, except take the soul of the poor creature.

One of the biggest draws to visitors in Tarragona arethe gorgeous beaches. The city boasts 15 km ofcoastline, with numerous beaches and a �neselection of pretty, easily accessible coves. The beaches of Tarragona are well known for their�ne, golden sands, which isn’t a huge surprise asthis part of Spain is known as the Costa Dorada, orGolden Coast.

The mild climate here means that between June andSeptember you can enjoy some fun in the surf,while those who like nothing better than relaxing ona beach can indulge in this passion for a great dealof the year. Some days during winter can even be around 20degrees celsius, but other days could be a good bitcooler, plus we do get very interesting storms. Thatsaid, you can often enjoy some winter sunshine. A major bonus, and a top reason why these beachesare so favoured by families, is that they graduallyslope into the sea – as there are no sudden drops,they are perfect for little ones to paddle in.

3. Tarragona Beaches



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE3. Tarragona Beaches

There are many sporting activities organised on thebeaches throughout the summer by the city’s SportCouncil. This combined with the fact that manybeaches are proudly displaying their Blue Flagsmake Tarragona a �ne beach destination, apart fromits immense beauty and culture. What many do notrealise is that these beaches have a diverse and richecosystem, which is formed thanks to the life formsthat live in the sea, meeting those which live on theland.

This in turn gives rise to a rich diversity of dunesand saltwater plants as well, and many differentspecies of marshland wildlife and birds. Thedownside of mass tourism is that it damages thisover the years, but Tarragona is very proud of thefact that they have two areas of conservation, whichare legally protected.

The �rst reserve is called Punta de la Móra, knownas PEIN locally. Here you can see a variety of �ora,which also has a dense underbrush, with fan palmsand Kermes oaks, plus gorgeous pines and junipers.Along this area, as in some other places on thecoast, there’s the unusual sight, because of the wind– of some trees that have been bent into almostpoetic shapes. In the sea there are several differentstrains of seaweed thriving along with a hugeexpanse of Neptune grass, which is a plant offeringsustenance to a vast range of �sh.

Punta de la Mora

The second reserve is the Gaià River Delta andTamarit Beach, where you’ll have the chance to seemore than 80 different species of bird. Inland onthis reserve is a coastal forest, primarily populatedby poplars. Moving closer to the shoreline, thenature is dominated by beds of reeds. Theauthorities have a launched a programme torepopulate the area with native species, like willowsand black poplars also.

Whether you’re travelling by yourself, as a couple orfamily, both of the nature reserves are wellorganised, offering routes, which show the visitorthe reserve, but also aim to educate. They also dothe same for bigger groups, including schools anduniversities.




Here are some of the Tarragona Beaches – by theway the word “platja” is beach in Catalan and “cala”is cove:

1. Platja del Miracle/Comandancia

Yes this is a busy beach, but not without goodreason, it is the one by the amphitheatre, right inthe centre of all the activity. Let’s face it, whodoesn’t want to sunbathe, at least once in their life,with the backdrop of an amphitheatre? It’s 500metres long and 75 metres wide, with regeneratedsand, which is cleaned on a daily basis. Access is viaPg. Rafael Casanova / Robert d’Aguiló and thenumber 22 bus stops here in the summer. The redcross are in attendance during the summer andthose who come by car can access the beach fromPasseig Marítim Rafael Casanova.

2. Platja de l’Arrabassada

Arrabassada beach © Alberich Fotògrafs

Platja de L’Arrabassada stretches for 550 metres andis 65 metres wide. The sand here is very �ne andcleaned daily. Access to the beach is off Pg. RafaelCasanova / N-340 and the buses which stop herethrough the summer are the 1, 9, 1E and 1M. The RedCross are here during the summer months andaccess by car is via the N-340a, at the end of ViaAugusta.

3. Platja dels Capellans

The �ne, soft sand is cleaned every day on this tinystretch beach which measures 60m long and 50mwide. Access is gained via the N-340, km 1166-1167and the buses which serve the beach through thesummer are 1, 9, 1E and 1M. The Red Cross are onthis beach in the summer months and those comingby car can access by beach by N-340a, Cala Romana.

4. Platja Llarga

Daily cleaning takes place of the �ne sand whichmakes up Platja Llarga. This is a massive expanse ofbeach measuring 300 metres in length and 30metres in width. Access is gained here via the N-340, km 1167 while the buses that will drop you offhere are the 1, 9, 1E and 1M, the Red Cross are onhand through the summer and those in cars canaccess the beach via the N-340a, residential area.

5. Cala Fonda/Platja Arboçar




Compared to some of the other Tarragona Beaches,Cala Fonda is a relatively small beach at 200 metreslong and 25 metres wide. It’s a lot quieter being aseparate cove, rather than part of the main beachand the �ne sand here is only cleaned on a weeklybasis.

Access is by Platja Llarga, just head north; or fromCala de la Roca Plana, you need to go south. Thebuses which stop here are 9, 1E and 1M. There areno Red Cross attendants on Cala Fonda at any timeof year and the beach is only accessible on foot.

6. Platja de Savinosa

We overlooked this beach from the Hotel Sant Jordi,and did wonder if it is nudist. Apparently it is, butthere were also people who were not in theirbirthday suits, so it is obviously �exible. It measures350 metres in length with a width of 30 metres. Thesand, which is cleaned daily is very �ne and it’s easyto access from N-340, km 1165-1166.

There are several buses which stop here throughthe summer namely the 1, 9, 1E and 1M. The RedCross are here throughout the summer and accessby car is gained via the N-340a, Savinosa.

7. Cala de la Roca Plana

Cala de la Roca Plana is like Cala Fonda in that it is acove away from the main stretch of beach. It is 205metres long and 26 metres wide and the �ne sand iscleaned weekly. You can �nd this beach by heading north from CalaFonda and it is only accessible by foot via Bosc de laMarquesa. There are no Red Cross attendants hereand if you catch the bus the numbers you are wantare 9, 1E and 1M.

8. Platja de la Móra

The Platja de la Móra is part of the second mainstretch of beach in Tarragona north of Cala de laRoca Plana and is 520 metres in length and 65metres wide.

The �ne sand here is cleaned, by hand, every dayand the Red Cross are in attendance through thesummer to make sure all is well. Access by foot andby car is via the N-340 La Móra housingdevelopment or urbanisation. Coming on the bus?Then the number 9 will drop you here.

9. Cala Jovera

North of Platja de la Móra you will come across thetiny but very pretty cove that is Cala Jovera.Measuring only 40 metres in length and 8 metreswide, the �ne sand here is once again cleaned dailyby hand.

Access on foot in north from Platja de la Móra orsouth from Platja de Tamarit. The Red Cross do notattend this beach, the bus you need to catch is thenumber 9 and those coming by car will have tocome along the Tamarit Castle route.




10. Platja de Tamarit North of Cala Jovera is the longest singular stretchof sand attributed to being one beach. Platja deTamarit stretches for 1750 metres and is 45 metreswide. Access is gained by the Tamarit exit off the N-340and by car you will come along the Tamarit Castleroute. The sand is cleaned by hand daily, the RedCross is here in the summer and the number 9 buswill bring you here.

4. Tarragona Family Days OutIn this Tarragona Spain Travel Guide, we have a fewsections about enjoying Tarragona as a family. Hereis the �rst section, but you will �nd moreinformation in the guide that we wrote for youryounger family members: Tarragona: 9 coolplaces to take your parents

Additionally there is also a day trip section fromTarragona – plus your children might enjoyreading about a local legend with a twist: Danielthe donkey and the devil’s deal

Roman Amphitheatre © Alberich Fotògrafs

1. Roman Amphitheatre, Tarragona

Start off with the striking ruins of the RomanAmphitheatre that overlook the Mediterranean sea.Get the kids in the mood by telling them a bit aboutwhat used to happen in Roman amphitheatres. Youryounger family members might enjoy learning about14 facts about the Roman lifestyle.

It pays to plan ahead and get a pass that covers all ofthe venues, see more here.

2. Explore Tarragona’s Roman Ruins

Praetorium © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)


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https://travelinspires.org/tarragona-spain-travel-guide/#romanfacts

https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/monument/roman-amphitheatre-mht


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE4. Tarragona Family Days Out

The remains of the Roman city of Tarraco(Tarragona) are both impressive and educational.After seeing the amazing amphitheatre, go along tothe circus, the city walls and the rest of the RomanRoute.

3. The Subterranean Tunnels of the RomanCircus and Praetorian Tower

Circus gallery © Manel Antoní (RV Edipress)

Discovering the long, subterranean tunnels that canbe found under the Roman ruins is a fun adventurefor your younger family members, and for you.These tunnels are situated on the route that goesfrom the tower to the chariot racing circuit.

4. Tarragona Land Train

Photo credit Monkey & Mouse

Another way of exploring the city is by theTarragona land train that you can hop on and offgiving you extra �exibility. Tour around Tarragonacomplete with an audio guide to tell you what you’reseeing.

5. The House of Festivals (Casa de la Festa)

A short walk from the Rambla Nova you’ll �nd theCasa de la Fiesta. Get up close and personal tolots of great festival characters, �gures of the cityand ceremonial beasts. Admission is free and youcan �nd the opening hours here.

6. The Eco-Historic Park of the Devil’s Bridge(Parc Ecohistoric del Pont del Diable)


Situated on the outskirts is the Eco-Historic Park ofthe Devil’s Bridge which is very popular withchildren. Its highlight is the impressive aqueductthat comes complete with its own fascinatinglegend. The park has lots of picnic areas and hikingroutes so it can be a great fun family day outdoors.


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https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/museum/casa-de-la-festa-house-festival

https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/museum/casa-de-la-festa-house-festival



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE4. Tarragona Family Days Out

Casa de la Festa © Manel Antoní (RV Edipress)

7. Sirenas Mediterranean Mermaid Academy

Photo credit: Sirenas Mediterranean MermaidAcademy

I just adore the concept of the SirenasMediterranean Mermaid Academy. The schoolenables visitors to transform themselves intomermaids or tritons. Imagine being a colourfulmermaid with a big beautiful tail. Once you’vebecome a mermaid or triton, you get to practise�rstly in the swimming pool before you are ready tomove out to sea.

8. Tarragona Old Quarter

Tarragona’s beautiful old quarter is fun to discoverhowever you decide to do it. As a family you couldget on board the city’s mini tourist train oralternatively go on a guided tour complete withstories and history with a company like SegwayTarragona.

9. Beautiful beaches

With 15 kilometres of golden, sandy beaches tochoose from along Tarragona’s coast, �nding theperfect location for your family day out at the beachwon’t be dif�cult.

10. Hiking Tarragona’s fascinating publicpaths

Tarragona has a marked network of public pathswhich are made up of trails, old bridle paths and oldcart tracks. Filled with history, these paths are awonderful way to experience nature and imaginelife in the old days. These paths cover an area of 75km (46 miles).

Download the official tourism map below:

1986919870mapa-del-camins-de-tarragona

11. Scuba diving at Torredembarra

Scuba diving at Torredembarra is a great day out.Not only is Torredembarra a lovely town worthvisiting in its own right, located only a short 16 km(10 miles) away, but it is also home to Odysea, whoprovide a variety of scuba diving experiencesstarting from €29.00


http://www.sirenasmediterraneanacademy.com/en/the-academy/

https://travelinspires.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1986919870mapa-del-camins-de-tarragona.pdf

http://odysea.cat/en/


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE5. Tarragona City Routes

Roman Route Tàrraco was founded in 218 BC, and this was thecapital of the Roman Empire in Hispania Citerior.This was the Romans logistical base here, andcovered an impressive space of 60 to 70 hectares,which included its own circus, a Romanamphitheatre, the provincial forum, amongst manyother elements.In 2000 this was declared a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site, and below is a breakdown of theTarragona Roman Route.

Plaça del Fòrum (Forum Square) © AlberichFotògrafs

Please note: In Tarragona city, on Mondays allmonuments are closed except for the Model ofRoman Tarraco, the Cathedral and DiocesanMuseum

Follow in the footsteps of the Romans, and �nd outabout life during the Roman Era. This route takesyou to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tarraco,where you can see the temple, walls, amphitheatre,circus, local forum and much more.

Maqueta de la Tàrraco Romana – Model ofRoman Tarraco – Antiga Audiencia, Plaça delPallol, 3 – This is a detailed model of what Tarracowas like at its peak.

Muralles – Walls – Avenida Catalunya,Phone: 977 245 796

The Walls (Archaeological Promenade) © ManelAntolí (RV Edipress)

3500 metres of walls were built in the 2nd centuryBC, of which around 1100 metres remain today. ThePasseig Arqueològic is the highlight of theremaining wall, which borders with the old quarterof Tarragona. Unusual megalithic foundations arerevealed in these very well preserved sections.

5. Tarragona City Routes




TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE5. City Routes

Temple – Temple – Pla de la Seu

The construction of the Roman circus and provincialforum had gained the city monumental status in thesecond half of the 1st century AD. In Tarraco theprovincial forum had been constructed around twosquares that were on different terraces – the upperone being the cult complex, which contained themagni�cent temple. Of course today’s cathedral isalso in this area.Fòrum Provincial – Provincial Forum – Plaçadel Pallol, Pl. del Forum and Pl. del Rei

The lower square of the forum measured 318 metresby 175 metres, and was enveloped on three sides bya portico, inside of which today you can still see anumber of inscribed pedestals.

Circ – Roman Circus – Rambla Vella

Front of the Circus © Alberich Fotògrafs

This is one of the best preserved examples of aRoman circus in the Western world, where once ourancestors would have seen chariot races.

Amfiteatre – Amphitheatre – Parc del’Amfiteatre Romà

As you may expect from �lms, this was where the�ghts and entertainment used to take place – soeverything from �ghts between gladiators, to wildbeast �ghts, and public executions.

Am�teatrvm © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

Museu Nacional Arqueològic – NationalArchaeological Museum (MNAT) – Plaça delRei 5

In the 19th century this museum was founded tomerge two earlier museums, and today there is afascinating, invaluable collection of ruins fromRoman times. The exhibition at the museumpresents a summary of eight centuries of Tarraco’s(Roman Tarragona) history. At the time of writing(October 2018) the main museum building at theabove address is undergoing renovations. Howeveryou can still discover Tarraco and view a selectedcollection of MNAT in the Port, at Tinglado 4.




Fòrum Local – Local Forum – Carrer Lleida

This was the forum of daily life, but a fair bit of itwas destroyed because of 19th century urbanexpansion.

Local Forum © Alberich Fotògrafs

Necròpolis Paleocristiana i ConjuntPaleocristià del Francolí – PaleochristianNecropolis and Francolí River PaleochristianComplex – Avenida Ramón y Cajal 84

A burial ground was started here in the middle ofthe 3rd century AD, which includes the remains ofSt. Fructuosus.

Vil·la de Centcelles – Centcelles Villa – 4km– Afores, Constantí

The remains you can see today are most likely of avilla which was thought to be built around the 4thcentury AD, although originally there are signs thatit dates back to to around the 2nd to 1st centuriesBC, of habitation.

Aqüeducte – Aqueduct – 4km on N240 toLleida

Of two aqueducts that were built during the 1stcentury AD, the one that the Francolí river fed,which was around 15 km long, is today the mostinteresting surviving stretch, with around 217metres remaining. Although it’s of�cial name is Les Ferreres Aqueduct,it is best known as the Devil’s Bridge. This is becausethere is a legend that the devil built the bridge. Wehave modernised that legend for 21st centurychildren and you can read it here: Daniel thedonkey and the devil’s deal.

Tarraco Viva © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

Torre dels Escipions – Scipio Tower – 6kmon N340 to Barcelona

Situated off the Via Augusta, this is a funeralmonument constructed with large ashlars, duringthe early 1st century AD.

Pedrera del Mèdol – Mèdol Quarry – 8km onN340 Barcelona direction, by the servicearea of Medol

You can actually see many walls here, from wherethe Romans would have extracted blocks of stone.





Vil·la dels Munts – Els Munts Villa – 14km –Passeig del Fortí, Altafulla

Just on the boundaries with Altafulla, you can see aRoman villa that is impressive in terms of some ofthe surviving rooms, and the fact that there wereactually three di�erent bathing complexes.

Arc de Berà (MNAT) – Berà Arch (MNAT) –20km from Tarragona, N-340 Roda de Berà

Berà Arch © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

The N-340 is the National 340 road that runs rightdown to the south of Spain, and the Berà Arch wasbuilt back in the late 1st century BC, dedicated toEmperor Augustus, on what was in those days theVia Augusta.

One of Catalonia’s best known monuments, becauseof its shape and location, originally it was decoratedwith Corinthian moulding and pilasters, crowned bya frieze, architrave, attic and cornice.

The Tarragona Tourist Board has created anapp which you can download by clicking onTarragona Roman Route.

Tarragona Medieval Route

Tarragona Medieval Route

There are a number of medieval monumentspreserved in the city of Tarragona, of rich artisticheritage. This route takes you to a number of siteswhich include the churches from this period, theKing’s Castle and the Provost’s castle, and of coursethe spectacular cathedral.

The Walls (Archaeological Promenade) © Manel R.Granell

La Muralla – The Wall, Arandes Tower,Montges Tower and Tintoré Tower

The city already had Roman walls, which bymedieval times needed some maintenance andrepair, although the southern closure needed to beentirely re-done. This was reinforced by the towersnamed above.

El Pla de la Seu – Cathedral Area – CarrerMajor 39 and Carrer Merceria

Here you’ll experience the city’s area which mostretains its medieval ambience. There are a numberof notable Gothic structures here, such as the CasaBalcells and the ancient rectory.


https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/imageen-app



La Catedral de Santa Tecla Tarragona –Tarragona Cathedral and the Cloister andthe Diocesan Museum- Pla de la Seu

A truly magni�cent cathedral, please refer to theTarragona Monuments Section (comingsoon) to read more about this, which also includesinformation on the Cloister and Diocesan Museum.

Tarragona Cathedral © Alberich Fotògrafs

La Capella de Sant Pau – The Chapel ofSaint Paul – Carrer Sant Pau 4This is one of a number of religious buildings whichhas been conserved from the 12th/13th centuries.Austere in the interior, it has a rectangular entrance,decorated with a mullion, with a rose window whichcrowns it.

Another one of the preserved 12th/13th centuryreligious buildings, inside of special note are twoarcosolia, each of which contain a sacrophagus.

L’esglesia de Sant Llorenç – The Church ofSaint Lawrence – Plaça de la Pagesia

This church is the only place of worship, which isentirely Gothic, left in Tarragona. Rebuilding wasdone in 1362 and inside there are two importantmedieval works – a late Gothic exquisite chalice andthe spectacular Saint Lawrence altarpiece.

L’Antic Hospital de Santa Tecla – TheAncient Hospital of Saint Tecla – Carrer lesCoques 3




Call Jueu Tarragona – Tarragona JewishQuarter – Plaça dels Àngels, Tarragona43003

Back in the 12th century the Call Jueu was entirelyseparate from the other parts of the city, linked onlyby four gateways to connect it to the outside world.From the 14th century, however, the Jewish Quarterwent into a decline, and in 1492 they were expelled.Today much of this interesting labyrinth of streetshas been partially destroyed due to old urbanplanning reformations, as well as some demolition.

El Castell del Rei – The King’s Castle – Plaçadel Rei

At the beginning of Christian re-settlement, theKing’s Castle was built on the site where there was aRoman tower and until 1171 it was the city’s Normanfamily’s residence. When it passed back to thecrown, it had restoration work done, and today youcan see its southern façade, as well as the walls andarcades of its interior.

El Castell del Paborde – The Provost’sCastle – Avenida Catalunya

In the early 19th century this was destroyed andtoday it’s only its northern façade that you can see,as well as the Archbishop’s tower. It is situatedwhere the Archbishop’s Palace stands.

L’església de Santa Maria del Miracle – TheChurch of our Lady of the Miracle – Parc del’Amfiteatre Romà

The remains of the church, which is actuallysituated at the very centre of the RomanAmphitheatre, date from the 12th/13th century.

Tamarit – 10km from Tarragona, N-340 KM1171 Tarragona to Altafulla

For more information please refer to theTarragona Monuments Section (comingsoon).

Tamarit Castle © Pau Lagunas

Tarragona Modernist Route

Find out about the city’s Modernist legacy, whichreveals the beauty of the architecture, as well as thelifestyles of the people of that period. The routeincludes 23 different examples, amongst them theTomb of King Jaume I, the Slaughterhouse, theCentral Market, the Metropole Theatre, the XimenisHouse and lots more.




1. El Teatre Metropol – Metropole Theatre –Rambla Nova 46

A modernist building constructed in 1908, theMetropole is a covered theatre situated at 46Rambla Nova. We can see in the work the of thearchitect, Josep Maria Jujol, a clear in�uence ofAnton Gaudí. The design intends to be a boat whichleads the spectators to the sea of salvation.

2. El Cambril del Convent dels ParesCarmelites Descalços – The Shrine of theConvent of the Barefoot Carmelites

In 1896, the architect Pau Monguió i Segura,designed the plans for this project. Outside visitorscan see a Modernist façade, along with Neo-Gothicelements on the church’s portal. The bell tower isstyled with sculptural and ceramic tiles decoration.

3. La Capella de l’església de Sant Francesc– The Chapel of the Church of St Francis

This convent of St. Augustine formerly belonged tothe Jesuits. It is classed as a cultural asset of localinterest and its artistic value is because of its linkwith works of Rome and as an example of what wasknown as the Escola del Camp (The School of theCamp – being the area). These days it belongs to theparish of San Francisco (Sant Francesc in Catalan.)

4. La Casa Ximenis – Ximenis House

Another work of the architect, Jossep Maria Jujol, isthe beautiful Modernist building, Casa Ximenis. Thiswork of 1914, was rather challenging as the buildingis attached to the Roman wall.

The striking Modernist building climbs up to three�oors, embellished with lots of beautiful sgraf�toand wrought iron railings which knot on itsbalconies.




Jujol left reminders of his religious fervour with aninscription of Ave Maria on the house’s entrancedoor and an inscription on the upper façade, inGreek letters fashioned from wrought iron, whichreads: JHS – Jesus Salvador de los Hombres (JesusSaviour of Men).

5. L’església de Sant Llorenç del Gremi dePagesos de Sant Llorenç i Sant Isidre

This Gothic Church su�ered during the Spanish CivilWar, and it was Jujol’s brother in law, whom gotJujol involved in restoration and design work. The various works of Jujol that can be seen there arelater examples of his work. One of which is the 1942passage of the Holy Sepulcher, made of wood andadorned with a �ne layer of gold.

6. El Santuari de Nostra Senyora del SagratCor – the Sanctuary of Our Lady of theSacred Heart

Another work of Jujols that was built in 1923, is theChurch of the Sacred Heart, located in the VistaBella neighbourhood of Tarragona.




Not only did was he responsible for its structure andarchitecture, but as he was a Professor at the Schoolof Arts and Craft, Jujol also designed the furnitureand decorative elements, including lamps, candleholders, rails, bars and doors.

Below are the remaining 17 Modernist highlightsthat you can visit in Tarragona.

7. El Mausoleu de Jaume I 8. L’ostensori de la catedral 9. L’escorxador 10. La Casa Ripoll 11. La Barana del Balcó del Mediterrani 12. La Casa Salas 13. La Casa Bofarull 14. El Convent de les Teresianes (Col·legiSanta Teresa de Jesús) 15. La Casa del doctor Aleu 16. L’edifici de la Cambra Oficial de Comerç,Indústria i Navegació 17. La Casa Rabadà o Casa Vallvé 18. La Casa Porta Mercadé 19. El Mercat Central 20. La fàbrica de la Chartreuse 21. El vell Hotel Continental 22. El rellotge del port 23. La Quinta de Sant Rafael



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE6. Day Trips from Tarragona

6. Day Trips FromTarragonaGoing south or slightly inland

1. Port Aventura & Ferrari Park, Salou 12km/7 miles

Photo credit. Ferrari Land

I’m pretty sure I don’t need to introduce you tothese famous theme parks! In our feature:Tarragona: 9 cool places to take yourparents you can �nd costs and other informationfor the theme parks.

Afterwards you can check out Salou, be warned it ispretty hectic during the season.

2. Reus: the birthplace of Anton Gaudí &Catalan home of Vermouth 15 km/9 miles(inland)

Not only is Reus the birthplace of Antoni Gaudí butthe pulsating heart of the city is packed withgorgeous streets, amazing architecture, stunningsquares and lots of tempting shops.

Apart from visiting the Gaudí Museum, in Reus youcan also follow a wonderful Modernist Route, as wellas the Gaudí Route. In fact Reus only comes secondto Barcelona in terms of the amount of Modernistarchitecture to be found in the city.

When Vermouth arrived in Catalonia from Italy inthe 19th century, Reus naturally became its Catalanhome of production. Reus was already an importantworld player in liquor production, ranking alongsidethe likes of London and Paris. Nowadays it even hasits own Vermouth Museum.

Reus Prim Square Spain

So whatever you do or don’t do in Reus, you shouldde�nitely sample the local Vermouth.

3. Cambrils: a lively, lovely beach town with agorgeous marina 22 km/14 miles



https://www.timeout.com/barcelona/travel/getaway-to-reus-a-passion-for-modernisme-and-the-origins-of-vermouth

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/the-spirited-history-of-the-vermouth-de-reus/


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE6. Day Trips from Tarragona

A lively seaside town which seems to attract lots ofIrish families, Cambrils has lovely beaches, agorgeous marina and areas with cute, cobbledstreets.

It also has a good reputation for food and with morethan two hundred restaurants to choose from, themain challenge is deciding where to eat. The Catalanauthorities have also classi�ed Cambrils as anof�cial Family Holiday Destination.

4. L’Ametlla de Mar: lovely coves, beaches andan authentic port 55 km/34 miles

4. L'Ametlla de Mar: lovely coves, beachesand an authentic port 55 m/34 miles

A relatively unspoiled �shing town with some idylliccoves along with blue �ag beaches, L’Ametlla de Maris a charming place to stop off for a while or a fewdays. The town also has some interesting sights tosee.

5. Delta de l’Ebre natural park: uniquelandscape with paddy �elds, sand dunes andbirds 106 km/65 miles

In my earliest days in Spain, I used to cycle fromL’Ampolla down into the unique landscape of theDelta de l’Ebre. Embraced by paddy �elds, withfunny little houses that seem to sit in the water, theDelta is home to a few small towns and has beautifulbeaches and sand dunes.

Although the drive is a little over 100 km, it is best tobe aware that the roads in the Delta are verynarrow, so the journey will take a little over twohours.

Going north

6. Tamarit: a beautiful castle overlooking thesea 13 km/8 miles

Sitting on the right hand side of the Gaià estuary isthe old seaside town of Tamarit, which boasts abeautiful castle that can be traced back to the 11thcentury that overlooks the Mediterranean sea. TheRomanesque style castle was constructed on a rockypromontory and is embraced by the little medievalvillage, Tamarit.

Originally the castle’s purpose was to defend thearea from Barbary Pirates and Ottomans. Downthrough the centuries it has had a number ofdifferent owners. Today it is a spectacular weddingvenue.



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE7. Eating Out In Tarragona

7. Altafulla: a gorgeous seaside town withabundant culture and history 15 km/9 miles

Altafulla is blessed with a lovely, sandy beach thatmeanders on for around 1 km with a backdrop ofauthentic �shermen’s houses that stretch down thepromenade.

The old quarter of Altafulla is a small distance awayfrom the coast, but is super impressive with itsRoman town, Els Munts, which is part of theUNESCO Tárraco Ensemble.

8. El Vendrell: a lively, lovely beach town witha gorgeous marina 35 km/21 miles

Best known as the birthplace of famous cellist PabloCasals, El Vendrell boasts interesting culture andheritage, sandy beaches and good wine and food. Infact once you travel to El Vendrell you have arrivedin the famous wine region, of Penedes.

Tarragona will spoil you for choice when it comes toeating out. From tapas to delicious evening meals,this Mediterranean city has plenty of foodie delightsto sample.

Photo courtesy of La Cuineta

However if you aren’t familiar with eating out inTarragona, it is really important to know about theMenu del Día that is on offer in most restaurantsat lunchtime, from Monday to Friday. This is a setmenu, normally of course choices of at least threeper course, of either two or three courses, oftenwith wine included. This creation was left behindfrom the days of General Franco. Originally set up toensure that the workers could eat a decent meal atlunch for not too much money, today it is aninexpensive way for visitors to Tarragona and otherparts of Catalonia and Spain, to enjoy the local fare.

The average price ranges from €10.00 to€15.00 and although our recommendation forMenu del Día, Reataurante La Cuineta, is at theupper end, we certainly feel it offers a superb pricequality balance.





Blogger and Freedom Mentor, Jane Clements, ofScarlet Jones Travels, will introduce you to herfavourite area to eat. Jane travels a lot but spendsquite a lot of time in Catalonia each year.

On the night we met him, he recommendedTakeaway Sushi TGN and although we were a bitsceptical, given that it is a takeaway with a handfulof tables, we had a fabulous meal and night there.More about that below! As well as his and ourrecommendations, we’ve collaborated withsome other travel and foodie bloggers tobring you some more handpicked choices.

Jane’s favourite foodie area in Tarragona: ElSerrallo

One of the nicest places to eat in Tarragona, if alittle touristy, is down by the port in what was oncethe area where the �shermen lived: El Serrallo.


Busy seafood restaurants serve paella, mussels and�deua to hordes of hungry people alongside thewater. Large white canopies have been set upoutside a line of restaurants along thepedestrianised street called Carrer de Trafalgar,where people can eat al fresco, although there isalways room inside if you prefer air conditioningand nice tablecloths.

Further below are a few restaurantrecommendations from one of our localcollaborators, Joan Maixé, whom we met a fewyears ago when he owned a bar called LaTabacalería (an old tobacco factory).

Staff rush around bringing traditional large �atpaella pans out from the kitchens and the drink ofchoice, which is vermouth is readily available.

If you want to eat seafood in Tarragona, this is theneighbourhood to aim for especially at lunchtimewhen it is a hive of activity with the loudchatter of Catalan, Spanish and foreignvoices, the sizzling of prawns and the clinkof glasses.

Restaurant Cal Joan

Photo courtesy of Cal Joan

Located in the waterfront district of the Serrallo inTarragona, you’ll �nd Restaurant Cal Joan. This placestrikes a very good price quality balance. Be awarethat there’s a lot of tapas bars in this area, but manyare not as good quality. This one may be in aninterior street, but it is good.

Another family restaurant that prides itself on greatcustomer service and very good food, with anunsurprising emphasis on seafood.


https://www.scarletjonestravels.com/



Photo courtesy of Restaurant Cal Joan

(Their �rst photo above says: Restaurant Cal Joanclosed for holidays until 15th October)

More information & contact details on:

https://www.facebook.com/caljoanserrallo/

Restaurante La Cuineta


Currently ranked no. 10 out of the 727 Tarragonarestaurants on TripAdvisor, La Cuineta has beenawarded the TripAdvisor Certi�cate of Excellence.

Located in the old town, near the cathedral, thefoodie offerings are terri�c, and there’s a superbMenu del Día for €15.00. This includes a starter,main course, dessert and a half bottle of wine perperson.The menu offers a good range of options, but someof our personal favourites are the Risotto and thePapillote de Salmón. La Cuineta is also a welcomingplace for families.


Most likely you’ll be served by the owner. If you dogo there, please let Celia know that Joan (this is ourfriend in Tarragona, it is pronounced Ju-an – it’sCatalan for John/Seán) from the La Tabacaleriarecommended her restaurant. You can be assuredof exceptional treatment in this charming, small, butwonderful place.

Raco de la Mora, Tamarit


https://www.facebook.com/caljoanserrallo/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187503-d1421447-Reviews-La_Cuineta-Tarragona_Costa_Dorada_Province_of_Tarragona_Catalonia.html



Photo courtesy of Raco de la Mora

Raco de la Mora is a spot where you can enjoy agood variety of tapas such as sardines, rice basedtapas, in a wonderful location.

It’s a family restaurant, that has been there on thatbeach forever. It is situated virtually on the sand ofthe beach, with a fantastic terrace.

Photo courtesy of Raco de la Mora

More information & contact details on:

https://www.facebook.com/RacodelaMora

Although the Walthamstowfoodies were inTarragona in 2013, many of their recommendationsare still relevant today.

1. El Tiberi

Photo: El Tiberi

Located in the lower part of Tarragona, is El Tiberi:a homemade Catalan buffet style restaurant, whereyou can eat as much food as you like. Prices rangefrom €14.30 to €15.01 (tax included) but drinksare separate. The cost depends on when you go,with the lowest price available during the week atlunchtime and the highest price during theweekends, evenings and of�cial holidays.

Starters include a wide range of salads, a mushroomrice, mussels, tomato bread and Tarragona sardines.

Main course offerings are plentiful with grilledmeats that the Walthamstowfoodies especiallyenjoyed, lots of seafood, paella, pasta dishes andspinach with pine nuts and raisins.


https://www.facebook.com/RacodelaMora



There’s a choice of sixteen desserts, featuring lots oftemptations such as chocolate and honey crepesand of course, Crema Catalana – Catalan cream,which is similar to Creme Brulée.

Website: https://www.eltiberi.com/

2. Racó de l’Abat

Situated in the upper part of Tarragona, close to thecathedral, Restaurant Racó de l’Abat is in awonderful sixteenth-century building that used tobe home to the Abbot of Poblet. The former palacewas a �rm favourite with the Walthamstowfoodies,where they had, “the best vermut (vermouth)that we have ever tasted, local sardines,and amazing homemade cannelloni stuffedwith hake.”

Photo: Raco de l’Abat

Enjoy a three course lunch with a drink includedduring the weekdays in a cool, medieval setting for€15.00. Be warned that there is no menu as such,the owner comes to tell you what is on offer on theday. The restaurant is run by a husband and wifeteam.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Restaurant-Rac%C3%B3-de-lAbat-141092402591303/

3. Méson Andalúz

Even though Tarragona is very de�nitely inCatalonia, I love the way the Walthamstowfoodiesdiscovered this place – even if it is an Andalucianstyle bar/restaurant in Tarragona.

Photo: Meson Andaluz

“We tried this backstreet bar out ofdesperation as we found most of Tarragona closedon Monday. They were offering a 4 course Menudel Día for 7.90 Euro including wine. It wasfull of older locals tucking in, seated in a cool, tile-lined dinning room.

On taking a closer look at the menu we found for asupplement of 8 Euro person we could upgrade to alobster rice – so our super cheap lunch just doubledin price!


https://www.eltiberi.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Restaurant-Rac%C3%B3-de-lAbat-141092402591303/



Lobster rice – Photo: Walthamstow Foodies

We should have probably upgraded on the housewine too. Anyway – fruit juice, a paella pan full ofrice and a whole lobster and other seafood, roastrabbit main, and dessert for only 16 Euro each!During the week the menu price drops to only 6Euro.”

Prices as checked October 2018:

Menu del Día-Daily Menu (Monday-Saturday) €7.90

Economic Menu (Tuesday) €7.00

Festive Menu (Sundays and holidays) €12.00

Rice with Lobster (sold by the portion, is notincluded in the menu as it is plentiful and people donot usually want more dishes) €12.00 per person

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mesonand

Be sure to head over to theWalthamstowfoodies blog, where in thesame article they also cover somerecommendations for Reus – a city that is full ofwonderful architecture, the hometown of Gaudí andis a very short drive from Tarragona (15 km).Warning: you can’t go there and not drinkVermouth!!

Take Away Sushi TGN

Having had an aperitif in Joan’s bar, we went off totry his recommendation Take Away Sushi TGN. Hehad kindly rung the owners for us, which given thesize of the restaurant, was a very good idea!

Photo: Take Away Sushi TGN

As the name suggests the restaurant is a takeaway,however there are a handful of tables. Small butperfectly formed, and the sushi is to die for!


https://www.facebook.com/mesonandaluzentarragona/

https://walthamstowfoodies.com/2013/08/09/our-top-10-places-to-eat-in-tarragona-and-reus-spain/



Although the food at Take Away Sushi TGN isstrictly speaking sushi, it comes with a twist. Thedishes are a fusion of sushi with Catalaningredients and creativity. Run by a husbandand wife team, the wife is the chef and she trainedwith her son-in-law, who had worked with themultiple Michelin star chef, Martín Berasategui,

Photo: Take Away Sushi TGN

Fresh ingredients are served artistically, in dishesthat taste perfectly balanced and are exquisite.

It has been a few years since we were there, but Iimagine the couple still remember us today.

My other half has a Miso Soup addiction andas the Miso Soup there was so divine, he ordered asecond bowl.

While the rest of the dishes had been served in atimely manner, around 20 minutes or more laterthere was no sign of the Miso Soup. I told him,“Maybe they thought that you were joking!” And yesthis turned out to be the case. I reckon they stilllaugh about the guy who wanted a second bowl ofMiso Soup. The atmosphere was super friendly, in fact we gotchatting to other customers at a nearby table. Highly recommended! Website: https://www.sushitgn.cat/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sushitakeawaytgn/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mart%C3%ADn_Berasategui

https://www.sushitgn.cat/

https://www.facebook.com/sushitakeawaytgn/


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE8. Tarragona Recipe

8. Tarragona Recipe –Romesco Sauce andDishes

Apparently it made its �rst appearance in the �shingdistrict, El Serrallo, on some small �shing boats,around the beginning of the 20th century. It is saidthat the sauce was created by using a bunch ofingredients that happened to be available at thetime.


Handed down from generation to generation

The concoction took off famously and each�sherman adapted the Romesco sauce to his ownspecial recipe. Some added in tomato, biscuits orchilli. Since then the Romesco sauce recipe has beenhanded down from generation to generation. Just asyou can do – especially if you love it as much as wedo!

Romesco has come to the attention of manyfamous chefs

Not only do I and lots of other people love Romescosauce, but over the years it has come to theattention of many famous chefs. We have a specialsection below for you to explore the links to theirrecipes that use Romesco.

© Sue from The View from Great Island

The photo above comes from Sue from The Viewfrom Great Island – check out her divine Shrimp inRomesco Sauce recipe.

Romesco mix

As well as Romesco sauce, there is also a Romescomix. This is what you will need to make if you intendto do a dish such as a �sh suquet or some other typeof casserole. The differences between the sauce andmix are mainly in the quantities used.

Below are the two recipes, which have been writtenby Matias Leandro, Master Romescaire in July 2012for the Tarragona Tourist Board.


https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/shrimp-in-romesco-sauce-recipe/

https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/tarragona-romesco



Cold Romesco sauce

Basic ingredients:

1 head of garlic 2 romesco peppers 3 slices of dry bread 2 ripe tomatoes 100 gr. roasted almonds and hazelnuts Oil, vinegar, salt and sugar

Preparation:

Roast the garlic heads, leaving a raw clove aside.Roast the ripe tomatoes and peel the skins off andremove the pips. Fry the bread (don’t burn it), andplace on kitchen paper to absorb the oil. Steep andblanch the romesco peppers in order to remove thepulp. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and blendadding a pinch of sugar, salt, some oil and vinegar (alittle). Add salt or vinegar to your liking and let itcool.

Romesco mix

Basic ingredients:

1 head of garlic 3 Romesco peppers 4 slices of dry bread 150 gr. roasted almonds and hazelnuts Oil, wine and salt

Preparation:

Fry the unpeeled garlic in oil, separate three clovesthat we will use raw. Afterwards, remove the garlicskin. Fry the peppers without seeds, a few seconds,taking care not to burn them. If they burn, startagain. Fry the slices of bread and remove oil onkitchen paper. Put all the ingredients in a bowl, asmall glass of good wine, a pinch of salt and blend.




How to make ��..Romesco

Once we have the Romesco mix we put it in acasserole where we will cook the Romesco. If thebase is a roast then we should sauté it a little in hotoil. If the base is fried then we should directly addthe hot broth that we have on top of the sauce, insmall amounts, with a wooden spoon we stir the mixwith the broth until it is liquid and the sauce isconsistent or clear, depending on whether the cookprefers it thicker or not. We add the �sh or meat inquite big cuts, about �ve or ten minutes simmering,add salt or broth to your liking, remove from hoband let it settle a while, and, let’s eat!!

You could add potatoes, better old ones than newones. Add them before the �sh, ten minutes so theysimmer with the mix and get the �avour, afterwards,add the �sh or meat, add salt or broth to your likingand the most complete Romesco is ready.

You can also add white beans which, once rinsed,can be added just before the �sh.

We have said all this to try to explain and transmitthat romesco is a dish that is alive, old and up-to-date at the same time, traditional but also avant-garde, a dish that is ours and that we hope will alsobecome yours: TARRAGONA ROMESCO.

Another Romesco sauce recipe:

We tried this Tarragona Romesco saucerecipe and loved it!

© Chef de Home

Recipes from well-known international chefs

Jamie Oliver

Braised octopus with romesco sauce

Gordon Ramsay

Grilled seafood with sweet pepper sauce(Gordon has re-named it, but it is Romeso!)

Martha Rose Shuman

Romesco Sauce

Nigel Slater


https://www.chefdehome.com/recipes/798/romesco-sauce

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/seafood-recipes/braised-octopus-with-romesco-sauce/

https://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/recipes/grilled-seafood-with-sweet-pepper-sauce/

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016089-martha-rose-shulmans-romesco-sauce


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE9. Tarragona Fiestas

9. Tarragona Fiestas Tarragona becomes even more vibrant andcolourful during one of its numerousfiestas. The festivities of the festivals takeplace in the streets of the city and thanks tothe many local and traditional Catalanholidays, you will be hard pushed to visitTarragona when there isn’t a festival takingplace.

Tres Tombs 2014

Please note that all dates are currently for2018, until the Tarragona Tourist Boardupdates the dates for 2019. To confirmdates click on Tarragona Tourism.

Three Kings: 5th January

The Three Kings is the biggest night for presents forchildren all over the country, making it moreimportant than Christmas Day in Ireland and theUK.

On this night in Tarragona, the Three Wise Menarrive by boat to Escala Reial, where they disembarkto tour in �oats. As they travel to the Town Hall, they throw sweetsfor the children. When they arrive, the Mayor givesthem the keys so that they can leave the presentsthat they brought

Gastronomic Sessions in the Old Quarter: 1stto 28th February

During February, the restaurants in the Old Quarterof Tarragona take part in this gastronomic festival,where there are many different menus to suit yourbudget.

Tarragona Carnival: 2nd to 13th February2018

“Capgrossos” (traditional festive characters) ©Alberich Fotògrafs

One of the biggest, best and most attended carnivalsin all of Catalonia, this is best known for thespectacular parades of every kind of �oat you canimagine and the dancing that takes places rightacross the city.

The parades you certainly don’t want to miss are theRua de Lluïment and the Rua de l’Artesania. Other highlights include the Judgement ofCarnestoltes, the “ King of the Carnival”, andbringing the festivities to a close is the Crema de laBóta, when the �gure of the Carnival King isceremonially burnt in a gigantic wineskin. Another amazing time to consider a trip toTarragona.


https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/holiday-calendar-2018



Els Tres Tombs: 11th March

This procession of horses and carts through the citystreets is one of the oldest festivals in Tarragona.After the procession the animals are blessed, giftsare handed out and there is a traditional “Coques deSant Antoni” – Cake of St. Anthony.

Easter Week: 25th March to 1st April

Easter Week © Manel R. Granell-

You haven’t experienced a traditional Eastercelebration until you visit Tarragona during this holyperiod. This is a huge celebration of the passion, thedeath and the subsequent resurrection of Christtold through processions, rosaries and masses.

On Good Friday afternoon armed ‘soldiers’ embarkon centuries old traditional marches as apreparation for the Holy Burial procession. Thisdates all the way back to 1550 and now has theof�cial declaration of being a Festival of NationalHeritage Interest.

St Georges Day (Sant Jordi): 23rd April

This colourful Catalan holiday is a celebration oflove and culture, which sees the city brimming withvibrant scarlet roses, numerous books, humancastles and sardana dancing.




International Dixieland Festival: 25th to 30thApril

The vibrant, infectious sounds of Dixieland come tothe streets of Tarragona, in a colourful festival thatcelebrates all that is great about the 19th centuryorigin of jazz. Around �fty concerts and activitiesare organised in bars, restaurants and theatres, aswell as out on the streets.

Tarraco a Taula: 11th to 27th May

Tarraco a Taula is the series of gastronomic eventsthat forms a major part of Tarraco Viva, theinternational festival which celebrates everythingabout Roman history. Numerous restaurants inTarragona take part in this, re-creating ancientRoman recipes in all their glory.

Tarraco Viva: 13th to 27th May


This symposium came about in order to raiseawareness of the history and culture of ancientRome in a spectacular way. There are workshops,conferences and re-enactments of what daily lifewas like in this era.

Also on offer are gladiatorial �ghts, period soldiers,music and theatre. You will �nd everything youcould imagine during this festival from re-enactments to food, wine and entertainment.Educational yes, fascinating; absolutely.

Minipop Festival 1st to 3rd June

There are three days of fun to be had here wherekids, and their parents, can take part in all mannerof activities.

A children’s design fair, creative workshops and popconcerts are just some of the highlights. Learn moreabout the Tarragona Minipop Festival

Photo: Minipop Festival website

Corpus Christi 3rd June


https://www.minipop.cat/



Corpus Christi 3rd June

The scent of freshly baked �at breads and cherriespermeates the air, while dancing eggs bounce onsparkling jets of water that emanate from thefountains. A massive parade takes place in the city, which isknown for both its traditional and religiouselements. These include towering giants, lots ofdancing and the Magi de les Timbales, who is thedrummer that announces the start of the festival onhorseback.

Corpus Christi © MANEL R. GRANELL

Tarragona d’Tapes 14th June – 1st July

Using local ingredients, many of the city’srestaurants take part in this tapas festival. Visit the2018 Tarragona Tapas brochure to feast youreyes on the offerings.

The DO Tarragona Wine Fair 15th to 17thJune

Several of the cooperatives and wineries from thefour different counties which make up theDenomination of Origin in Tarragona take part inthis festival. It provides a great opportunity not onlyto sample the wines that come from this region butalso to learn more about them.

DO Tarragona Wine Fair © MANEL R. GRANELL

Sant Joan (St John’s) Eve 23rd-24th June

The lively celebration of the summer solstice has itroots way back in time before the Christian era. Thisis a night of witches, roaring bon�res, amazing�reworks and partying ’til dawn.


http://www.dtapes.com/



Night of Sant Joan © MANEL R. GRANELL

Tarragona City of Human Towers 24th June-20th October

Tarragona, through this festival, brings us closer totheir ‘human towers’; the cultural element whichUNESCO designated to be included in their WorldHeritage list of Intangible Culture. Attending thisunique festival gives you the chance to experiencethe bravery, strength and balance of this amazingphenomenon and integral part of the local culture.

HUMAN CASTLES © MANEL R. GRANELL

Sant Pere (St Peter) 29th June

This is the main festival that takes place in ElSerrallo, the �shermen’s quarter. It is also one of theoldest and most traditional of all the local festivals,that take place in Tarragona, The main event of theday is the Sant Pere procession, where an image ofthe saint is paraded, accompanied by other wellknown �gures, through the neighbourhood streets.

Dining Under The Fireworks 3rd to 7th July

Running in conjunction with the InternationalFireworks Competition, is Dining Under TheFireworks. Set in the beautiful location of thePalmeres Promenade, visitors can enjoy good food,�reworks and music under the stars.

‘Sopar sota els Focs’ (Dinner under the Fireworks) ©Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

International Fireworks Competition 4th to7th July

The tradition of this �reworks extravaganza datesback to 1990 and has become one of the mostimportant of its type along the Mediterranean coast.The providers of the winning pyrotechnics are thencommissioned to take care of the �reworks forSanta Tecla, the city’s biggest �esta of the year.


https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/human-towers-00364



International Fireworks Competition © Manel Antolí(RV Edipress)

Mare de Déu del Carme (Virgin Carmen)-16thJuly

The Mare de Déu del Carme procession is another�ne example of a traditional event which takes placein the �shermen’s quarter, of El Serrallo. Sailors and�shermen ceremoniously carry the Virgin Carmenacross the Mediterranean before disembarking at ElSerrallo.

Virgin Carmen Festival © Patronat Municipal deTurisme de Tarragona

Sant Magi 14th-19th August

This is one of the major festivals on the Tarragonacalendar, that really highlights some fascinatingelements of the local culture.

You’ll meet all sorts of great characters here; thegiants, Magi de les Timbales, Gegantons Negritos,dwarves, the bastoners; which are dancers who hitsticks together in rhythm to the music, and manymore. The centrepieces of lots of other �estas cometogether in this festival, culminating in somethingpretty spectacular. The castells (human towers) alsoplay their part, as do a wide variety of culturalevents such as concerts and theatre productions.

Sant Magí © Manel R. Granell

Sant Roc (St Roch) 16th August




Sant Roc 16th August

As opposed to many of the other festivals inTarragona, this is not a celebration of a person but astreet. It isn’t just any old street however, this is oneof the most famous in the old quarter, Parta Alta.The start of the parade is signalled by a cannonblast, and then the merriment commences. The giants and many other popular �gures fromlocal culture then proceed to dance through thestreets and bring the neighbourhood to life. Sightsyou won’t want to miss include Cós del Bou giants,which are known as the Gegants Vells (the oldgiants). These were given to the city in 1825 and areTarragona’s oldest giants. They were gifts to theresidents of the Cós del Bou neighbourhood fromwhich they get their name.

Sant Roc © MANEL R. GRANELL

Catalan National Day 11th September

Elaborate and spectacular �ower arrangements arelaid out right across the city and historical eventscommemorated by Catalan nationalist acts.

Santa Tecla 14th-24th September

Santa Tecla © Joan Capdevila Vallve

The Santa Tecla Fiesta is an explosion of music,colour and happiness that courses through thestreets of the city for ten days. It blends all thetraditional elements of Sequici Popular with anendless array of human castles, dances, night timeparades, medieval treats, mythological beings and‘spoken dances’.

The latter are re-enactments, through verse, of theconstant struggle between good and evil. There areseveral of�cial declarations of Santa Tecla includingbeing a Festival of Tourism Interest, a TraditionalFestival of National Interest and a Festival ofNational Heritage Interest.

Human Castle Competition 6th to 7thOctober

The very best human castle troupes (colles) cometogether in the Tàrraco Arena Plaça to take part inthe most �ercely contested, most thrilling andexciting competition imaginable. You really don’twant to miss out on this one if you can help it.




Tarragona Medieval Market 11th to 14thOctober

Soak up the medieval atmosphere aroundTarragona’s gorgeous Cathedral. Enjoy juggling andother street performances, while you choose from awealth of artisan products on display.

Tarragona 1800 19th to 21st October

A festival that shows visitors how life was inTarragona from the 17th to 19th centuries, with aspecial focus on the Napoleanic Wars. Experienceand learn through reenactments about this period,including the 1811 Siege of Tarragona.

Tarragona 1800 © MANEL R. GRANELL

SCAN International Photography Festival 17thOctober-9th December

This festival is held on a biennial basis and gives thepublic an interesting and comprehensiveprogramme of screenings, exhibitions, workshopsand conferences.

All Saints Day 1st November

The aromatic smell of freshly roasted chestnutswafts from the numerous stalls that sell themaround the city, during All Saints Day. Another tastyhighlight of All Saints Day in Tarragona is thetraditional pine nut sweets known as panellets, thatare sold in the bakeries. Of course �owers fordeparted family and friends are an importantfeature also.

All Saints Day © MANEL R. GRANELL

Olive Oil Fair 30th November to 2ndDecember

This fair gives visitors the chance to sample thedifferent olive oils that come from the SiuranaProtected Designation of Origin. The festival is heldon the Rambla Nova, right in front of the St Theresaof Jesus college.

Christmas – December

In the middle of December, Tarragona is lit upcourtesy of thousands of twinkling Christmas lightsas it hosts its fantastic annual Christmas Fair.Whether you are want crafts, ornaments or somehand made nativity scenes to take back home, youwill �nd them all here as well as copious amounts offood and drink. It may not be as big as otherEuropean markets, but is is very charming.



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE10. Tarragona Hotels

Tarragona Hotels Hotel La Boella: romantic & family friendly

Photo credit: La Boella Hotel

Located around eight kilometres out of the citycentre, in La Canonja, this romantic, yet familyfriendly hotel is a mere two minutes drive from ReusAirport.

A very charming hotel situated on beautifulgrounds, La Boella is a boutique hotel at heart, withthirteen lovingly decorated suites. Modern meetsexquisite elegance, with guest rooms complete withBulgari and i-Pods.

Photo credit: Hotel La Boella

Website: http://www.laboella.com/en/

Hotel Plaça De La Font: most central choice &family friendly

In a fantastic central location, in Tarragona’s OldQuarter, only 500 metres away from the seaside,you’ll �nd the Hotel Plaça De La Font. The nametranslates into the Hotel of the Fountain Square.

Photo credit: Hotel Plaza de la Font

While the rooms are not elaborate, this choice is allabout location. A friendly place that has beenrecommended in the Guardian Newspaper, it isalso good value for money at a from price of €57 pernight for a double room. There are only twentyrooms, so you will need to book in advance.

Website: http://hotelpdelafont.com/en/

Hotel Sant Jordi: family friendly & sea viewsavailable

We stayed here a few years ago as a couple, not as afamily, to celebrate our anniversary.

We loved the friendliness, the sea views and thevalue for money. We had a room with views over thebeach and sea, where we enjoyed sitting out on thebalcony, trying to see if the beach was nudist or not!


http://www.laboella.com/en/

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/sep/26/catalonia-holiday-guide-hotels-restaurants-walking

http://hotelpdelafont.com/en/


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE10. Tarragona Hotels

Photo credit: Hotel Sant Jordi

Photo credit: Hotel Sant Jordi

There is parking available for guests. A taxi from thehotel into the city centre costs around €15.00.

Website:http://hotelsantjordi.info/en/


http://hotelsantjordi.info/en/


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE11. Camping Tarragona

Camping Las Palmeras

Photo credit: Las Palmeras

Close to the long golden sandy Playa Larga beach,Camping Las Palmeras has simple beachfrontbungalows, perfect for a family holiday. Situated 9km from Tarragona city centre, this campsite offersa lovely relaxing getaway that is still very close tothe amazing sights and the action of the city.


This friendly, low key campsite has white beachbungalows, as well as lodges and pitches embracedby pine trees.


Camping Las Palmeras has play areas for yourchildren, an outdoor swimming pool and tworestaurants. At the shop you can buy freshly bakedbread in the morning. It was recommended in theGuardian Newspaper.

Website: http://www.laspalmeras.com/en/

Tarragona – 9 cool places to take yourparents


https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jul/09/10-best-self-catering-holidays-spain

http://www.laspalmeras.com/en/


TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE12. 9 Cool Places To Take Your Parents

Tarragona is a lovely, lively city by the sea,with lots to see and do and it’s only 8 miles(12 km) away from the theme park, PortAventura.


The area has some great beaches, one of which isoverlooked by the Roman Amphitheatre.Tarraco/Tarragona was the capital of the RomanEmpire in Hispannia, and the amphitheatre that youcan see today is where they used to have all sorts ofentertainment, including gladiators.

In May there’s an amazing festival that brings theRoman period of Tarragona back to life. There arelots of re-enactments, and there’s not many otherplaces in the world where you can see somethinglike this – it’s called Tarraco Viva. Another unusualthing to see in Tarragona are the Castellers – theseare Human Castles. Tarragona is known as the Cityof Human Towers. Castellers are a Catalan tradition,you can check it out in this photo.

As Tarragona is on the Mediterranean, and has anamazing history, there are plenty of super places totake great photos. Before chatting to your parentsabout what you can do with them when you’re inTarragona, you may enjoy reading our 14 fun factsabout the Roman lifestyle

1. Port Aventura

If your parents have hired a car Port Aventura is ashort drive away, but if not there’s a train that runsaround ten times every day. You need to go toTarragona Estació (Central Station) to take the trainto Port Aventura.

Port Aventura has 42 different types of rides, 6different worlds and Ferrari Land Park opened therein 2017.

Cash facts:

Normal tickets: Tickets for one day cost €47.00 foreach adult (11-59 years old) and €40.00 for children(4-10 years of age) and senior citizens (60+)

Ferrari Land has a separate admission price, checkit out here.

Photo credit: Ferrari Land


https://travelinspires.org/tarragona-spain-travel-guide/#romanfacts

https://www.portaventuraworld.com/en/choose-your-experience-ticket/ferrari-land

https://www.portaventuraworld.com/en/choose-your-experience-ticket/ferrari-land



Large families:

If you qualify as a large family, you can get a one dayadmission ticket for a special price. A large family isconsidered to be between 3 and 6 children. You willneed to have relevant documents to be able to provethat you are a family.

PortAventura large family price: €155

Caribe Aquatic Park: €80

Large family tickets do not apply at night time.Discover more about pricing options.

Yearly club for unlimited visits and other perks:

Port Aventura has a Club, which offers lots ofdifferent options, that also include bene�ts outsideof the park itself, such as discounted car hire, butthere are lots of others.

This is a yearly rate, so your parents would need toknow that you would all get the use out of it.

https://www.portaventuraworld.com/en/area-privada/beneficios-club/pase-premium

2. Tarraco Viva – May


During the second half of May, the superb festival,Tarraco Viva takes place. Through re-enactmentsand experiences the whole family can enjoy and beeducated about all aspects of Roman life.

https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/tarraco-viva

Discover some fun facts about the Romanlifestyle

3. Human Castles

Human castle © Manel R. Granell


https://www.portaventuraworld.com/en/choose-your-experience-ticket

https://www.portaventuraworld.com/en/area-privada/beneficios-club/pase-premium

https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/tarraco-viva



De�nitely an experience that will be etched on yourminds, the human castles that you can see in thecity of Tarragona is really impressive. A traditionthat can be dated as far back as 1712, these humancastles go up in tiers of people doing this amazingbalancing act, sometimes to heights of between sixto ten tiers.

Human castles is an integral part of Tarragona’s andCatalonia’s identity. These days there are around100 groups with a total of over 15,000 people whopractise this across Catalonia.

4. Fishy fun


El Serrallo, the �shing district of Tarragona, is agreat place to take your parents one afternoon. ElSerrallo is packed with character. You need to getthere before 3.30 pm to see the �shermen cominginto the port with their catch of the day. You get tosee that �sh don’t just come from supermarkets and�shmongers!

It’s a pretty cool photo opportunity as well. You’llknow that the �shermen are on their way because ofall of the seagulls, that escort the arrival of thecolourful �shing trawlers.

Around the port, there’s plenty to do. If Mum andDad fancy a drink, don’t worry they will have plentyof places to go at the Moll de Pescadors – the�shermen’s dock. They can sit and have a beer,while you explore and take photos.

There’s a Port Museum as well, where you can learnall about the port’s heritage and the �shing arts. Themuseum opens at 5 pm in the evening during thesummer, and 4 pm in the winter. It’s also open in themornings. On Sundays it is only open in themornings. You can check out the opening hourshere.

Port Museum © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

Cash facts: Family tickets €3.00 – if you go with abrother/sister/friend and you are under 16 it is free.

5. Boat trips

Another idea for somewhere to take your parents inTarragona, is to get right into the sea spirit of thingsand head off on a boat trip! Sail along the coast andsee some amazing places, with a sailing instructor.

Cash facts: This is a 4-hour trip that costs €45 perperson. Please note that children must be 7+ yearsold. The same company also provide sailing andwindsur�ng courses.

http://cvplatjallarga.org/en/


http://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/museum/port-tarragona-museum

http://cvplatjallarga.org/en/



If by any chance there’s a big group of you travellingtogether, or you know enough people, this companydoes groups of 20 people. Or you can club togetherwith other people from your hotel/accommodationor campsite to make up the numbers.

The skipper’s name is Luis and his mobile is 619 819676 – if you are calling from out of Spain, you willneed to dial 0034- 619 819 676

Cash facts: €35 per person, includes lunch

http://www.tarragonablau.com

6. Kayaking

There’s another company, called TarragonaFamily Kayak, who, as the name suggests, dofamily kayaking during the summer months. You’lllearn some basics �rstly and then you’ll be off sailingalong the coast and by some of the best beaches.You need to be over 6 and able to swim to gokayaking. It’s great fun and gives you a whole newperspective on this wonderful city.

Cash facts: Children 6 to 12 years old: €15 & Adults;€25 – this is for 3 hours

7. Yacht spotting

If you happen to travel to Tarragona during winter,you can go yacht spotting in Tarraco Marina. Thereare some amazing, big yachts moored in TarracoMarina at this time of year.

8. Land turtles, ecological farming andmeeting the farm animals

Photo credit: Hort de la Sinia

Not far from Tarragona, you can �nd the Hort de laSinia Agroecological Park farm. (Parc Agroecològicde l’Hort de la Síni. Located in a gorgeous location,near Tamarit natural beach, at the mouth of theGaià River, you can spend a few fun hours meetingthe animals and discovering the farm.

The ecological farm is home to a land turtlebreeding centre, as well as lots of other animals,including ducks, hens, roosters and geese. If youand your parents book in advance, you can take partin feeding the birds and collecting eggs, if there areeggs! Also there is a season garden and aromaticplants.


http://www.tarragonablau.com/

http://kayaktarragona.com/es/tarragona-family-kayak/



Photo credit: Hort de la Sinia

Afterwards you can head back to Tamarit beach,which is lovely and overlooked by this cool castle.The last time we were there, we stayed in thecampsite that is just by the beach.

Cash facts:

http://www.hortdelasinia.com/

9. Visit the bridge that the devil made – TheDevil’s Bridge

The aqueduct called Les Ferreres is one of thelandmarks of Tarragona, and is known locally as theDevil’s Bridge. It gets this name from an interestinglegend, more about that in a moment. As well as theimpressive aqueduct, there is an ecohistoric parkthere. It’s a lovely spot to explore the local natureand maybe bring your parents for a picnic. The �rstSaturday of each month is a big family day out theretraditionally, with parents and children gettingtogether to enjoy the privileged environment andfamous monument.

Les Ferreres Aqueduct / Pont del Diable Bridge(Devil’s Bridge) © Manel Antolí (RV Edipress)

According to the legend, there was an elderly couplewho needed to cross the old wooden bridge, thatused to be in the same location, to go to marketeach day. The couple had a donkey to help themcarry their goods to the market. One night therehad been a very dramatic storm, so when the couplereached the old wooden bridge the next day, it hadbeen destroyed. The man felt useless, knowing thathe was no longer young and strong enough to builda new bridge.

Fun Roman FactsThe couple were in shock and feeling really worriedabout their situation, when a mysterious strangerappeared, as if out of nowhere. He asked them abouttheir troubles, so they explained what hadhappened. The stranger said he would build a newbridge for them. The couple asked what he wantedin exchange for the new bridge. He replied that hewould want the soul of the �rst creature to crossthe new bridge. After some time, they agreed, asthey had no other solution. Of course they alreadyknew that if the man could build a bridge for themlike this, he had to be the devil himself.



http://www.hortdelasinia.com/



The next morning they walked to the place of theold wooden bridge, and there was a �ne impressivenew bridge there. The stranger had carried out hispart of the bargain, now it was their turn. Thewoman used the rod to get their donkey moving andthe three started walking over the new bridge. Thedonkey was the �rst one to cross. The devil was veryangry, but there was nothing he could do, excepttake the soul of the poor creature.

If you would like to read a happier version of thisstory, then continue to our last section: Daniel thedonkey and the devil’s deal



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE13. 14 Fun Roman Facts

Way back around one hundred years before JesusChrist was born, Tarragona was called Tarraco,which was a massively important place for theRomans. In fact it is thought that it even became aRoman Colony. Today the Roman ruins, which arewell impressive, are so important that they are nowa UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tarragona -Roman amphitheatere Tarragona

Tarragona’s Roman remains are in pretty goodcondition and you can even see an amphitheatreright by the Mediterranean sea. When you visitTarragona with your family, it will be amazingto see those ruins and imagine how the people livedthere in Roman times.

Here are 14 interesting and funny facts:

1. The Roman Empire stretched from Syria toScotland – but Rome was originally founded byRemus and Romulus, two twin brothers that hadbeen abandoned and were found by a she-wolf, whotook them as her own and fed them.

2. Remus and Romulus were the sons of the GodMars.

3. The Romans worshipped many differentGoddesses and Gods.


4. These Gods and Goddesses were in charge ofthings like love, thunder, wisdom, war, fertility andthey even had a God taking care of the sewagesystem of the city of Rome.

5. They used to eat funny foods like �amingo ordormice.

6. Fifty �ve years before Jesus was born, the Romansinvaded Britain which they conquered.


7. They introduced concrete, straight roads, bridgesto transport water (aqueducts) and central heating.





TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE13. 14 Fun Roman Facts

8. Although the Romans were very family orientated,the lived according to a family system calledpaterfamilia. This meant that the male head of thefamily, normally the father, could make life anddeath decisions for his family members. So forexample if a baby was born with some abnormality,let’s say he was dis�gured, then his Dad may decideit was best to kill him.

9. A Roman father could also decide to sell a childinto slavery.

10. Roman mothers stayed at home, taking care ofthe family needs and even educating the children,until a tutor could be found.


11. Vestal virgins, basically like priestesses, werechosen when they were under ten years of age.After being seen to be vestal virgins, they started tolive in the temple. They took care of religiousceremonies and had to make sure that the sacred�ame of Rome didn’t go out.

12. The Romans used to eat their dinner lying downon a couch. They used their left arm to propthemselves up and would feed themselves usingtheir right hand.

13. Clothes were washed in urine (pee) as it bleacheswell because it contains ammonia.

14. Rich Romans used to work a six hour day andthen head off to events like chariot races, thetheatre, wrestling and of course the Roman baths.



TARRAGONA TRAVEL GUIDE14. Daniel the donkey and the devil's deal

Daniel the donkey & the devil’s deal: a locallegend with a twist

Thousands of years ago, in a magical forest, wherethe birds were so happy that they sang songs thatmade the leaves dance, an old man lived with hiswife.

The ancient man, David, and his elderly wife,Caterina, lived such a long time ago that there wereno planes, no trains not even cars, phones ortablets. No-one had even thought about making abicycle and only the rich people had horses to takethem places. The couple had the help of theirstrong, stubborn old donkey, Daniel, with his deepbrown eyes, big ears and funny hee-haw sounds.

Catarina and David lived in a beautiful land, calledCatalonia, where the sky was so blue sometimeswhen it met the sea below, the two seemed tobecome one. The elderly couple lived a simple life,surrounded by lots of gorgeous green trees, thatsheltered them. They loved the trees, the birds, andall the creatures of the forest who came to visitthem every day. The couple lived in harmony withall of nature. The squirrels were their friends andoften brought them nuts.

They woke up each day in tune with the beautifullight of dawn. While getting ready for the day, thecouple loved to watch the bright, yellow sun makingits entrance onto the azure blue sky.

As there were no supermarkets at that time, eachday they had to make their way to a nearby marketto sell products to be able to buy food. They wouldload up Daniel, their donkey, with as much as hecould carry without it being too heavy for him. Thenthe three would set off on their walk to the market.Although the journey wasn’t too long, the road tothe village went across an old wooden bridge, whichstood over a deep river. It was a long, scary dropdown into the gushing river.

This trip had become more dif�cult over the years.With legs that were no longer young and strong,David and Catarina had to walk slower than before.So did Daniel, the donkey. The three took their time,especially as they crossed over the ancient bridge.

But they also had fun on their journey. The deepwrinkles on Catarina’s face seemed to dance as shetold stories and jokes to her husband and donkey.When she smiled her eyes sparkled just like thestars that twinkled over their forest at night. Herinfectious smile sent ripples of joy and love to hertwo companions. It was clear that the three adoredeach other and their simple lifestyle. Little did theyknow that this was all about to change.

One evening, in early November, when the sky wasno longer blue, but dark and threatening, the couplewere sitting down after dinner, holding hands andrelaxing. “Look at how dark the sky is,” David said toCaterina. And just as she opened her mouth toanswer, a loud crashing sound of thunder clappedoverhead. Then the heavens opened up and downcame big sheets of rain. Suddenly there was somuch rain that they could hardly see the treesaround them, and all the animals of the forestdisappeared to �nd shelter.




Lightning made big zigzags in the sky above, and thenoise of thunder became louder and louder. Theywere terri�ed, and the animals stayed in the safetyof their shelters. The storm continued right throughthe night, making it hard to sleep much. The coupleused that time to talk about the many good timesthey had enjoyed during their lives.

In the morning when they woke up, there was afeeling of calm after the storm. Even though theyhad slept very little, they felt happy about their chatabout the good times. The birds were singingcheerfully again, as the sun was starting to peep outof the sky. The couple began to get ready to go tothe market.

Daniel, the donkey, stood patiently while theyloaded the goods onto him and then the three ofthem set off on their daily journey. The donkey hadno idea what a drama he would have that day.

When the three reached the place of the oldwooden bridge, the couple looked at each other inshock. Catarina said to her husband “Oh my love,what are we going to do?” He replied: “I have noidea, my darling.” They knew what they could see infront of them had entirely changed their lives. Theancient bridge had been washed away in the�oodwaters of the storm.

David’s head dropped down in sadness, and he saidto his wife: “This is a disaster. We have no way to getto the market, and now I am too old and weak tobuild a new bridge.” The couple felt defeated. If theycouldn’t get to the market, how would they sell theirgoods and be able to eat the food that they neededto survive. They both felt old and helpless.

As they were discussing their seemingly hopelesssituation, a strange looking man appeared, as if outof nowhere. He was too thin and too tall, and wore afunny pointy hat, that shot up towards the sky. Theyhad never seen this unusual man before, yet hespoke in the same way as them and the other localpeople. And although they both felt unsure aboutthe stranger, under their desperate circumstances,it didn’t seem important to enquire further aboutwho he was.

He asked David: “Why do you look so shocked andsad, old man?” So David explained to the stranger allabout the storm and the destroyed bridge. Thestranger simply replied: “Don’t worry, during thenight I will build you a new bridge. I will make itfrom stone, so that it cannot be washed away likethe old wooden bridge.”

“What should we do?” David said to his wife,“There’sonly one way that he could build a new bridge inone night, and that has to be some type of magic.”

“Ask him what it will cost us” Caterina whispered,“We need a new bridge to be able to survive.” SoDavid asked the weird stranger the question.

He replied: “I’ll build the bridge for free in return forthe soul of the �rst living creature to cross thebridge.”

The couple tried to hide their shock. Caterinaleaned towards David and told him, “I need to thinkabout this for a while.” She knew in her heart if hecould do what he promised, he could only be thedevil himself.




A short time passed and she looked very sadly at herold donkey, Daniel, who had not only helped themeach day in their lives, but had become a furrymember of their family. She whispered into Daniel’sbig �uffy ear, “I am eternally sorry Daniel, but I don’tknow what else I can do. I hope you can forgive me,my loyal friend.” Daniel looked at her with his bigbrown eyes, and hee hawed.

Caterina turned to face the stranger and said: “Yes,go ahead and build us the bridge that we need tosurvive.” She took her husband’s hand, and the threemade their way slowly into the enchanted forest.Back in this magical place, where the animals, birdsand trees were very happy, the couple startedpreparing something to eat. They made an extraspecial meal for Daniel. Both humans couldn’t stopthinking about how they could save their donkeynext day. That night the couple tossed and turned,too tormented and worried to sleep.

In the morning, the three walked back to where theold wooden bridge used to be. They saw a �ne stonebridge, with a double arcade that crossed perfectlyover the deep river below. At the other side of thebridge stood the stranger, that they had come torealise was the devil. He was waiting with a smugsmile on his face. The devil was looking forward toreceiving his payment, but he had no idea what wasabout to happen to him.

“Caterina, what are we going to do?” David said, in alow, scared voice to his wife. Even though they hadtried to make a plan to save Daniel, they wereunsure how they could trick the devil. Catarinahugged and kissed Daniel, the donkey, with tearsstreaming down her face. She drove Daniel, whopassed in front of her, crossing the bridge �rst.

The smile left the face of the devil, who was angry tohave been deceived. Yet he remembered that he hadsaid the words …”�rst creature”. And Daniel, thedonkey, indeed was a creature. The devil was angry,as it was a human soul he had wanted. Even thoughhe knew all animals had souls. The devil, like manyhumans, felt that a human soul was worth more.

Just as Daniel, the donkey took his last steps to theother side of the bridge, something strangehappened. The devil, with all of his evil magicalpowers, had let himself become overpowered withanger and hatred, because of this clever Catalanwoman. It was as if he had become a mere mortalfor a few moments, with his dark gifts dissolvedunder a cloak of negative feelings.

Daniel, the donkey, used his innate animal instinctsto sense the situation. He moved his strong bodysuddenly towards the devil, pushing him quickly,with special, stubborn donkey force. The devil felldown into the river. It only took the devil seconds torealise what had happened, and his evil magicalpowers were back, ready for him to use.

By Tim Leatherbarrow Click on image to go to Tim’swebsite




He levitated out of the river, �ying up into the airtowards the old couple and their donkey. Hisintention was to get his revenge and take all threesouls with him to hell. Below him, the couple andtheir loyal donkey seemed frozen by fear. The devil�ew around madly above them, gripped by angerand hatred for these simple beings. Possessed by hisugly need for evil revenge, the devil’s �ight pathbecame more manic by the minute.

The four feet of the human couple and theadditional four feet of Daniel, the donkey, appearedto be rooted to the earth. Paralysed by fear, itseemed impossible for any of the three to moveeven a milimetre. Scared of what the devil was aboutto do to them, the couple and donkey huddled closetogether. Even though they were all frozen by fear,as they touched each other, something magicalseemed to happen. Their unspoken communicationand love seemed to build an invisible bridge ofsupport between them.

Suddenly a beautiful, silvery light sparkled on theriver, that somehow seemed to hit the devil’s body,as if he was being struck by lightning. Caterina knewfrom her inner wisdom and intuition that an angelhad come to rescue their souls. She grabbed Davidby the hand and with her other hand nudged Daniel.The three moved with such speed, just as if theywere all young, fast and strong again.

The devil was so furious that he turned a weird,disgusting colour. At the same time his power to �ydisappeared. He came crashing back down to earthbumping the beautiful land below so harshly that heleft a big hole in it.

The devil had no choice but to accept defeat.Caterina and David hugged each other, and Daniel,the donkey. All three realised that a miracle hadhappened.

Each day after, for years and years, the threecrossed the Devil’s Bridge. It reminded them of howclose they had come to losing the soul of their furryfamily member, Daniel, to the devil. In fact theyremembered that all three of them had almost losttheir souls to the devil. Had it been their love thathad called on the angel’s miracle?

Today the Devil’s Bridge still stands in Tarragona.You can see it and explore the enchanted forest,where this couple lived with Daniel, the donkey,almost 2000 years ago.

Daniel the Donkey and the Devil’s Deal isadapted from a local legend

This story is based on the Legend of the Devil’sBridge, in Tarragona. In the popular version of thelegend, the devil takes the donkey’s soul, as thereare no “of�cial records” of an angel appearing.

© Jackie De Burca 2017-2018



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