Tarragona's Roman treasures
Tarragona, in the south of Catalonia, is a city with a history stretching back thousands of years. It was a major city at the time of Roman Empire, and the exceptional heritage of this ancient civilization can still be seen in the monuments to be found throughout its streets. Archaeological sites, statues, stones and structures that have been awarded the World Heritage designation... Strolling around this city overlooking the Mediterranean offers a chance to revisit the past.
Tarragona lies only 90 kilometres south of Barcelona. Its wealth of artistic and cultural treasures makes it a huge open-air museum, notable above all for its Roman remains.
The ancient city of Tarraco was founded in 218 B.C., but its golden age began in the year 26 B.C., when the Emperor Augustus moved there. Hundreds of years after this period of splendour, there is still abundant evidence of the importance of Tarraco in Roman Spain. Just take a walk around this quiet Catalan city on the Mediterranean coast, and observe the rich heritage of its Roman past that meets the eye on your route through the old city centre.
We suggest a stroll along the imposing walls of the Archaeological Walkway, the first major construction in Tarragona, to the theatre, which served for centuries as a place of entertainment. Step into the arena of the amphitheatre, the scene of combats with gladiators and wild animals... or imagine the chariot races in the circus, walk among the walls and buildings of the Forum, the hub of all Roman cities, with its columns, squares and halls that take us back through history to imperial times. Explore the most important early Christian necropolis in Western Europe, with its mausoleums and sarcophagi, and marvel at the spectacular Puente del Diablo (Devil's Bridge) aqueduct that loftily spans a valley in the outskirts.
These are just a few of the many options on offer in Tarragona, a city of history and culture, art, and outstanding monuments... but also of leisure, sports, beaches and entertainment.