Costa Dorada Tourism Guide - Tarragona

Tarragona Tourist Guide & Tourist Information

Tarragona's centre, a mix of Medieval and Roman architecture, is also one of the most attractive in Catalonia. Welcoming tourists well, there's a selection of small tourist info kiosks around Tarragona (one is on Rambla Nova), providing well outlined city maps on the centre's main historic sights. Well worth getting your hands on one so as not to miss any of Tarragona's numerous historic gems.

The Romans stamped their mark on Tarragona first calling it Tarraco. Tarragona during the Roman period around 27BC was a key Spanish centre. The Roman Route around Tarragona is laid bare in the Tarragona Roman Route booklet (available from Tarragona's tourist info centre or one of the kiosks).

It's not all Roman however in Tarragona. The Christians adopted it as a centre around 1089, and Medieval buildings and monuments here in Tarragona are equally absorbing - take the striking central old town Gothic cathedral with its intricate wall carvings, an old Jewish Quarter and a Medieval hospital. Add to this a long list of superb museums including a maritime museum, archaeological museums focusing on the Roman, a Tarragona harbour museum and a weapons museum, not to mention Tarragona's Museum of Modern art and its selection of beaches including town beach Platja del Miracle, oh and fantastic specialist shopping, Sunday markets and a choice of divine restaurants all come together to make Tarragona an exciting place to be!

Tarragona Municipal Tourist Office, C/Major 39-43003 Tarragona Spain. Tel. 0034 977 25 07 95.

Tarragona Cathedral & Jewish Quarter

Tarragona's stunning Medieval mostly Gothic, although there's a hint of Romanesque inside, demands attention both inside and out. The Christians built it on the site of an old Roman temple, with work beginning on its construction in the 12th century. It blends both the Romanesque and Gothic styles as its construction moves across both periods. It was finished and consecrated in 1331. Just inside is the Diocese Museum and Santa Tecia altarpiece.

Find the narrow streets and pointed arches of Tarragona's old Jewish quarter (the Jews were expelled in 1492) around Carrer Talavera and at Placa dels Angels.

Tarragona Cathedral, Pla de la Seu, Tarragona. See the Tarragona Tourist webguide right for opening times. The Cathedral is closed for a period over winter.

Tarragona Shopping/Restaurants, Tarragona Beaches, Tarragona Museums & Art

The best of Tarragona's shops are to be found off and along pretty Rambla Nova, and what delightful shops there are with unique boutique clothes shops, jewellers, accessories and shoe shops galore. Tarragona's main Mercat Central market sits just off Rambla Nova within a 1915 Modernist building designed by Joseph M. Pujol. The big Parc Central shopping mall sits between Parc de la Ciutat and the Francoli River at Av. Vidal i Barraquer 15017, Tarragona. Stores are open here from 10am to 10pm Mondays to Saturdays, closed Sundays.

Tarragona's fine choice of restaurants certainly won't disappoint (see the Tarragona webguide right for restaurant guide and listings). Seafood is particularly fine here. Tarragona has its own iconic dish the Cassola de Romesco, essentially a casserole with tomato nut sauce. Seafood paella in Tarragona also comes highly recommended.

Tarragona's museums and galleries also include topics outside of the Roman. Checkout the Port area of Tarragona and the harbour museum here at Refugi 2 Moll de Costa. This museum digs deep into Tarragona's close relationship with the sea both through maritime and its trade and fishing heritage, as well as sport.

The Museum of Modern Art stis on C.Santa Anna 8, Tarragona (see the Museum's webguide right) sits within two now combined old town houses. Sculpture is well represented here with work on display by the likes of Santiago Costa i Vaque (1895-1984) and the particularly interesting and ghoulish human figures of Lluis Saumells who spent some time as director of the Tarragona School of Arts.