What to do and see in Tarragona, Catalonia: The Best Free Things to do

November 14, 2021 Oliva Fomby

A city full of surprises with thousands of years of civilization just waiting to be explored. Dine under the vaults of the Roman circus, lose yourself in the charming alleys of the historic quarter. Discover the true World Heritage of Tarragona, a heritage of historic monuments and locations from Roman, medieval and modern eras. But it is also a heritage made of people, of human stories, of small moments. Tarragona reveals the essence of the Mediterranean.
Restaurants in Tarragona

1. Pont del Diable

Tarragona Sant Pere Outside of Town on N240, 43006 Tarragona Spain +34 977 34 20 69 http://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/monument/les-ferreres-aqueductpont-del-diable-bridge-mht
Excellent
62%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,646 reviews

Pont del Diable

Reviewed By VadimM67 - Murmansk, Russia

The Roman aqueduct in Tarragona was my fifth aqueduct after the Valens in Istanbul, the aqueduct in Segovia, the Aqua Appia in Rome, and the famous Pont du Gard near Nimes. The aqueduct of Tarragona or the devil's bridge certainly did not get on the 5-Euro bill like the Pont du Gard, but it is the most picturesque I have seen, even if not the largest. Getting to the Devil's bridge is easy. You need to take the 5 or 85 bus on the ring at the bus station. The aqueduct Park is just 5 km from Tarragona. After getting off at the bus stop of the same name, go right for another 500 meters. And here it is: Wow! There are two things I admire most about Roman aqueducts. The ability of engineers to calculate the slope for many kilometers and the ability of builders to accurately perform it. This is the art of leading water (from Latin: aqua — water and ducere-lead).Roman engineers could determine the slope with an accuracy of 0.1 degrees — that is, 1 m of slope per 1 km of aqueduct. It is not easy to implement this in practice, so to avoid changing the angle of inclination, special reservoirs were created that accumulate and equalize water. The water trough is preserved in the aqueduct here. You can see it if you climb to the top. In fact, it was not necessary to build an aqueduct of this size. It would be possible to lay siphon pipes to the bottom of the gorge, following its profile and then lift it up to a height just below the original level. This is called a hydraulic gradient. Why did the Romans prefer to build giant aqueducts? The size is disorienting. We think if bigger and more massive means more expensive. However, pipes (lead pipes) have cost the Romans more expensive than bridges. Masonry was cheap, due to the cheapness of stone, brick, and mortar. Only if the depth of the gorges was great, the Romans stretched pipes to the bottom,and then up. In our case, the aqueduct is 27 meters high. The water was taken from the Rourell area, 92 metres above sea level, and carried more than ten kilometres The grandiose structure could not but cause mystification in the middle ages, when the Visigoths, and then the Spaniards lost the ability to build such structures. They named the aqueduct the devil's bridge, linking it with the legend that the devil will take the soul of the person who enters the bridge first. Local residents let a donkey on the bridge first... The donkey is not Faust, its soul is not interesting. Now you can walk on the bridge as you like. This is probably the most accessible aqueduct I've ever seen.

2. Model of Tarraco

Antiga Audiencia, Placa del Pallol, 3, 43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 24 22 20
Excellent
49%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 158 reviews

Model of Tarraco

3. Mediterranean Balcony

43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 25 07 95 http://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/es/monumento/balc%C3%B3n-del-mediterr%C3%A1neo
Excellent
58%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,290 reviews

Mediterranean Balcony

Reviewed By kenny10564 - Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom

what a fantastic view you get from this location. to the left is the roman amphitheatre to the right railway station and port. straight in front of you the beach and the med. another great place for photos.

4. Casa de la Festa

Via Augusta, 4, 43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 22 00 86 http://www.tarragona.cat/cultura/festes-i-cultura-popular/santa-tecla/casa-de-la-festa/casa-de-la-festa
Excellent
57%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
5%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 21 reviews

Casa de la Festa

5. Monumento a los Castellers

Rambla Nova, 43004 Tarragona Spain
Excellent
47%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 776 reviews

Monumento a los Castellers

Reviewed By stephanieevans4 - Catral, Spain

This monument, sculpted by Francesc Ingles y Garcia, was placed here in 1999. it is situated on the Rambla Nova and is one of many monuments on the Rambla. It is a tower of people representing the spirit of Catalonian people. And also representing the real towers that take place.

6. Casco Antiguo de Tarragona

Tarragona Spain
Excellent
58%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 544 reviews

Casco Antiguo de Tarragona

Reviewed By 31gba - Barcelona, Spain

If you love photographing cities as I do Tarragona is a wonderland. Short historic narrow streets abruptly end and provide compelling terminating vistas. Mediterranean light washes the city in an ever-changing interplay of shadow and light. Slightly decayed facades and rich colors frame textured streets worn over the ages. As if you were filming a car commercial, each morning the city washes the streets adding texture, reflection, sparkles of light and depth. And all the while people move in and out of these spaces punctuating the drama of being in and trying to capture the essence of Tarragona.

7. Playa La Savinosa

Tarragona Spain
Excellent
58%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 86 reviews

Playa La Savinosa

8. Playa de Arrabassada

43007 Tarragona Spain
Excellent
60%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 99 reviews

Playa de Arrabassada

9. Platja Llarga

43007 Tarragona Spain
Excellent
59%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 49 reviews

Platja Llarga

10. Mercado Central de Tarragona

Placa de Corsini s/n, 43001 Tarragona Spain http://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/es/punto-de-ruta/el-mercado-central
Excellent
47%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 171 reviews

Mercado Central de Tarragona

Reviewed By mje0250400 - Sydney, Australia

I was delighted to find the main food suppliers of Tarragona. This is a great shopping centre full of great local stores from fish to meat and a large supermarket. All placed on a big square outside surrounded with more dedicated shops and coffees. Transport to various part of the city.

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