Tarragona Marina (Port Esportiu and Port Tarraco)

Tarragona has two marinas inside its big commercial harbour on the Costa Dorada: the Port Esportiu de Tarragona for ordinary leisure boats, and Port Tarraco, a berth complex built for superyachts. Both lie on the Moll de Llevant side of the port, about 400 m from Tarragona railway station and a short walk below the old town and its Roman amphitheatre, with pay parking beside the basin and a city bus stop about 200 m away. The leisure marina takes boats up to 20 m and has fuel, a crane, dry storage and a strip of restaurants and bars; Port Tarraco takes yachts from 30 m. It suits sailors, superyacht crews and anyone wanting a seafront walk from the city; skip it if you want a beach resort marina.

Quick facts

• Names: Port Esportiu de Tarragona (Puerto Deportivo de Tarragona in Spanish), the leisure marina; Port Tarraco, the superyacht marina. Both sit inside the Port de Tarragona, run by the Port Authority of Tarragona (Wikipedia).
• Where: the Port Esportiu backs onto the outer side of the Moll de Llevant, the eastern breakwater of the commercial port; Port Tarraco is on the east side inside the port, with its address on the Moll de Costa (Catalan tourist board).
• Coordinates: 41.1078, 1.2520 (Port Esportiu de Tarragona).
• Operators: the Port Esportiu is run by Nàutic Tarragona, according to the Catalan tourist board.
• Boat size: up to 20 m in the Port Esportiu; Port Tarraco is designed only for megayachts, from 30 m to 160 m long (tourist board).
• Entry: the quays and the Moll de Costa promenade are open to walk; we found no entry charge.

Access and parking

On foot: from the old town, walk down to the seafront by the railway station; OpenStreetMap puts the station about 400 m from the marina basin. The Passeig del Moll de Costa, a pedestrian promenade, runs west along the inner harbour towards El Serrallo, the fishermen’s quarter.

By train: Tarragona station is the closest; Port Tarraco’s listing also puts the high-speed AVE station 15 minutes away, and Reus airport 7 km away.

By bus: the city bus company EMT Tarragona has a stop called Nàutic – Platja Miracle about 200 m from the basin, and another at the Moll de Costa.

Parking: the tourist board says the Port Esportiu has a 400-space car park. OpenStreetMap marks a pay car park named Parking Port Tarraco about 250 m west of the basin, a free surface car park about 400 m west, and the large underground Balcó del Mediterrani car park (pay, open 24 hours) about 800 m away. We could not confirm prices.

What to expect

A city marina rather than a resort one. The Port Esportiu has a 7,000 m² commercial area with nautical shops, repair firms, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and the tourist board says it is lively at all hours in summer. A large shopping centre is 400 m away.

A few metres away, inside the commercial port, is the Reial Club Nàutic de Tarragona, founded in 1878, with rowing, sailing, swimming, powerboat and fishing sections; it runs courses, regattas and championships (tourist board).

Port Tarraco is a different world: berths for superyachts in a 150,000 m² basin, with a waiting quay and a small gym for crews only. The tourist board notes shops, restaurants, bars, banks and nautical suppliers around it.

The wider port is worth a look in itself. The Romans built a harbour at Tarraco, and Tarragona is today the leading fishing port in Catalonia (Wikipedia). The free Museu del Port, opened in 2000 in an old warehouse on the Moll de Costa, tells that story from the Roman landing to today, and a signposted heritage route leads through the commercial, fishing and leisure areas (Catalan tourist board).

Services for visiting boats

• Port Esportiu de Tarragona: slipway and boatyard, dry storage, a 7-tonne crane, fuel, a launching ramp, weather information and 24-hour security. The harbour mouth is 40 m wide and 6 m deep. The waiting quay is next to the red light at the entrance, together with the fuel station (tourist board).
• Port Tarraco: a waiting quay, crew gym and full services for large yachts (tourist board).

Prices and opening

We could not open either operator’s price list, so we give no berth rates; contact Nàutic Tarragona or Port Tarraco directly. Walking the quays is free, and so is the Museu del Port, according to OpenStreetMap; it is closed on Mondays, so check its hours before you go.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

For a walk and a meal, any time of year; the tourist board says the marina is busiest in summer, when it is lively at all hours. Combine it with the Roman sites in the old town, which are a short walk uphill.

Nearby alternatives

• Tarragona Amphitheatre, 0.9 km away: the Roman arena above the sea.
• National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona, 1.1 km away.
• Tarragona city guide, 1.4 km away: the old town and the Roman remains.
• Tarragona Cathedral, 1.4 km away at the top of the old town.
• PortAventura World, 8.3 km away: the theme park near Salou.
• Aquopolis Costa Daurada, 7.4 km away: a water park in La Pineda.

Distances are in a straight line from the Port Esportiu.

FAQ

What is the difference between Port Tarraco and the Port Esportiu de Tarragona?

The Port Esportiu is the city’s leisure marina for boats up to 20 m. Port Tarraco is a separate marina inside the port, built only for superyachts from 30 m long.

Is there parking at Tarragona marina?

Yes. The tourist board lists a 400-space car park at the Port Esportiu, and OpenStreetMap shows the pay car park Parking Port Tarraco about 250 m west of the basin.

How do I get to Tarragona marina from the train station?

Walk about 400 m along the seafront from Tarragona station, or take an EMT city bus to the Nàutic – Platja Miracle stop.

Is there a beach near Tarragona marina?

Yes. OpenStreetMap shows the Platja del Miracle, the city beach, about 700 m to the north-east.

Sources and freshness