Tarragona Trip Overview
-The glory of the Roman monuments and the hidden gems of the medieval city.
-Relive the excitement of the chariot races.
-Get a 360º panoramic view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
-Trace the steps of the Romans along an underground passageway of the circus maximus.
-Learn about the gladiators and their fighting techniques.
Additional Info
Duration: 3 hours
Starts: Tarragona, Spain
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Tarragona Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Tarragona, Cataluña, Spain
-The glory of the Roman monuments and the hidden gems of the medieval city.
-Relive the excitement of the chariot races.
-Get a 360º panoramic view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
-Trace the steps of the Romans along an underground passageway of the circus maximus.
-Learn about the gladiators and their fighting techniques.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Circ Roma, Rambla Vella s/n, 43003 Tarragona Spain
Located between Via Augusta and the provincial forum, Tarragona’s circus was once used to hold horse and chariot races. An elongated structure measuring 325 by 115 metres, its original capacity has been estimated at 30,000 spectators. The complex was built in the 1st century. Unusually, it was located within the city limits and is thus endowed with several atypical architectural features. It is considered one of the best-preserved circuses in the West, although some of the original structure remains hidden under old 19th-century buildings. The Praetorium is a Roman-era tower that once housed the stairs that connected the lower city to the provincial forum by way of the circus, to which it is connected by means of underground passageways. It stands at one of the corners of the vast rectangle of the provincial forum square. In the 12th century, it was transformed into a palace for the monarchs of the Crown of Aragon. It was subsequently used as a prison.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Cathedrale de Tarragona, Place De La Seu, S/N, 43003 Tarragona Spain
As for the cathedral itself, construction began in the 12th century in the Romanesque style and continued throughout the Gothic period. The building was consecrated in 1331; however, it could not be finished due to the Black Death, which razed the region. The soaring entrance and rose window of its façade are one of the city’s most emblematic images. At the cloister entrance, visitors will also find the Diocesan Museum and spectacular Saint Tecla altarpiece. The cloister’s sculpture work is one of the most pre-eminent examples of Romanesque art in Catalonia and dates back to the turn of the 13th century. As for the Diocesan Museum, special attention should be called to the collections of mediaeval and modern religious art from Tarragona and its diocese, including altarpieces, stone sculptures and wood carvings, goldwork, wrought-iron work, textiles, ceramics, etc.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Murallas de Tarragona, Av. Catalunya S/N, 43003 Tarragona Spain
In the 2nd century B.C., a great wall was built around Tarraco, delimiting the municipal boundaries. The wall originally ran some 3,500 metres. Today, approximately 1,100 metres remain, bordering present-day Tarragona’s Old Quarter. The walls are the oldest Roman construction still conserved outside Italy. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, they were reinforced with bulwarks, a curtain wall and exterior fortifications in order to adapt the Tarragona defences to new forms of artillery.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Amfiteatre de Tarragona, Parc de l’amfiteatre, s/n, 43003 Tarragona Spain
An oval structure built in the 2nd century overlooking the sea, its stands were carved directly out of the underlying bedrock. The amphitheatre is 109.5 metres long by 86.5 metres wide and can hold up to 14,000 spectators. In its day, it was the scene of fights between gladiators and against wild beasts, as well as public executions. In the year 259 A.D., the Bishop Fructuoso and his deacons Augurio and Eulogio were burned alive within its confines. In the early 6th century, a Visigoth basilica was built on the site, which was eventually replaced by the mediaeval Santa Maria del Miracle (Our Lady of the Miracle) church.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Model of Tarraco, Antiga Audiencia, Placa del Pallol, 3, 43003 Tarragona Spain
Scale model of the Roman city of Tarraco at its peak (2nd century A.D.), made by the Tarragona History Museum.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Mediterranean Balcony, 43003 Tarragona Spain
Located at the top of Rambla Nova, rising 40 metres above the sea, this airy “balcony” offers a splendid view of the Mediterranean, the Tarragona port, Platja del Miracle beach and the ancient Roman amphitheatre. A place beloved by Tarragona natives, legend has it that touching its singular railing (“tocar ferro”) brings good luck. Outdoor point of interest.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Casco Antiguo de Tarragona, Tarragona Spain
Located in the upper part of the city, the Tarragona Old Town is a maze of narrow and short streets full of old buildings with a somewhat special decadent air. A very charming and definitely an unmissable spot on any visit to the capital of the province.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Museu Diocesà de Tarragona, Carrer de la Mare de Déu del Claustre, 5, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
It is located within the facilities adjoining the cloister, some from the XII-XIII centuries, amongst which we would highlight the old chapterhouse and the old Canonical refectory, covered by a pointed barrel-vault ceiling. We would also mention the Mudejar Gothic artwork from the mid XIV century in the Treasury room, with polychromic heraldic, geometric and figurative themes. Of special note are the collections of medieval and modern religious art from Tarragona and its dioceses: altarpieces, stone and carved wood sculptures, gold-work, wrought iron work, textiles, ceramics, etc. Some of the tombstone collection is kept in the Chapel of St. Tecla the Elder.
Duration: 15 minutes
