Tarragona
TownTarragona is the historic capital of the Costa Dorada — a Roman city on the Mediterranean, where a seaside amphitheatre, UNESCO-listed ruins and a medieval old town sit above golden beaches.
Why visit Tarragona
Tarragona was Tarraco, the capital of Roman Hispania, and it wears that history in the open: a Roman amphitheatre looks straight out to sea, and the remains of the circus, forum and city walls thread through a lived-in old town. Add a Gothic cathedral, the café-lined Rambla Nova ending at the Balcó del Mediterrani viewpoint, and city beaches below, and you have the cultural anchor of the Costa Dorada — a proper city, not a resort.
Amphitheatre by the sea
A 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre set on the shore, looking out over the Mediterranean.
Tárraco
The Roman ensemble of Tárraco — amphitheatre, circus, forum and walls — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Gothic old town
A hilltop Gothic-Romanesque cathedral crowns the medieval streets of the Part Alta.
Balcó del Mediterrani
The Rambla Nova ends at a balcony over the sea — a classic Tarragona view.
Pont del Diable
The Ferreres Aqueduct, the 'Devil's Bridge', stands in a park just outside the city.
On the map
Practical information
- Getting there: on the Costa Dorada in Tarragona province; about an hour from Barcelona by train, with a station in the city.
- What to see: the Roman amphitheatre, circus and forum, the cathedral and Part Alta, and the Balcó del Mediterrani.
- Good to know: a walkable city with beaches below the centre — an easy cultural base for the Costa Dorada.
- Best time to visit: spring or autumn for sightseeing; summer adds the city beaches.
Explore more of the Costa Dorada
Tarragona is one of many destinations on the CostaMap interactive map — browse beaches, resorts, historic sites and viewpoints across the whole coast.
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