Activities in Tarragona: all the things to do in town

Provincial capital of southern Catalonia, Tarragona is a place full of activities with friends or family.

This place sums up everything people love about Spain's Mediterranean coast.

Here you'll find a collection of UNESCO-listed Roman archaeological sites dating back to the time when it was Iberia's most important city.

From ancient monuments to PortAventura, I'll show you everything the city has to offer.

Activity in Tarragona: article summary

Tarragona Amphitheatre

The Tarraco amphitheater was an exquisite setting, carved into a steep slope between the Roman walls and the Mediterranean. As you leave the Part Alta, this elliptical arena lies before you, framed by the azure sea.

It was built in the late 100s and could accommodate 15,000 spectators. The basement of the amphitheatre is clearly visible, from where gladiators and wild animals would have been hoisted to the arena floor.

Activities in Tarragona: visit the cathedral

One of the great things about Tarragona's Romanesque and Gothic cathedral is the way it appears to you in the city's narrow streets. The surrounding streets, such as Carrer de la Merceria and Carrer Major, are compact alleyways with traditional stores, antique dealers and restaurants.

And then on the Plaça de Santiago Rossinyol, everything opens up and you can see the magnificent Gothic façade. I recommend a visit to the diocesan museum to see Renaissance tapestries and Roman artefacts recovered during excavations of the cathedral between 1999 and 2001.

Aqueduc des Ferrères

Five minutes north of Tarragona, spanning a pine-forested valley, lies a 250-meter section of an aqueduct that carried water from the Francolí river to ancient Tarraco.

The monument has 36 arches and rises to a height of 27 metres. above the valley. If you don't mind the heights, you can walk along the specus, where the water used to flow, even though the walls of this structure are no higher than your thighs!

The quarry is full of vegetation, as the high walls have created a microclimate with high humidity.

Activities in Tarragona: Tarragona Walls

On the west side of Part Alta, you can climb the original Roman walls and walk around the ramparts. Medieval coats of arms and 18thᵉ century cannon emplacements appear alongside original Roman towers and stones with inscriptions dating back 2,000 years.

The most interesting thing is how the lower parts of the walls are uneven and much older. Much of this stone is actually megalithic, which helps to reinforce the base properly.

The National Archaeological Museum

It wasn't until the mid-19ᵉ century that the city realized what it had and excavations began at all the different sites around Part Alta.

Almost all the objects discovered during the excavations are on display here, and there's a rich assortment of Roman sculptures, ceramics, clothing and coins. They even managed to preserve a 2,000-year-old peacock fresco found in the amphitheatre.

The mosaic room also deserves your attention, with its superb representations of Medusa and the muse Euterpe.

Activities in Tarragona: visit Part Alta

The highest part of Tarragona is also the oldest part of the city.

For hundreds of years, right up to the end of the Middle Ages, the town's entire population lived there.

Here, you can stroll between small houses with exposed stone walls. Some double as museums, like Casa Castellarnau, a XVᵉ century Catalan Gothic manor house with a pretty patio.

Le Serrallo

To see Tarragona's old fishing district, you can head for El SerralloThis unpretentious harbor-side neighborhood is also home to some of the city's best fish restaurants.

Halfway up the hill is the recently restored Mercat Central, a central feature of daily life in the city, housed in a century-old modernist building.

Activities in Tarragona: PortAventura

Considered one of Europe's most visited theme parks, PortAventura is just a ten-minute train ride from the train station. Renfe of Tarragona.

PortAventura is divided into several zones. There's a whole Sesame Street-themed zone, for example, with eleven rides for the young ones.

For older children and adults, there are roller coasters such as Dragon Khan, which offers up to eight loops, or the Hurakan Condor, which takes you on a free-fall ride of over 100 meters.

There are also shows for all ages, a water park and golf courses. Finally, you can spend some time in Ferrari land. Find out more about this exceptional theme park, I suggest you read the article I wrote on this subject.

Tarragona is a must-see if you're visiting Barcelona. It has a special charm that would be a shame to miss. You can also take advantage of your visit to this town to learn more about the history of Catalonia. You can enjoy a complete cultural tour of this region.