Visit the Costa Daurada for the holidays? The absolute charm! This is our guide to the best neighborhoods to stay in Tarragona!
Located between Barcelona and Valencia , south of Catalonia, the city of Tarragona offers a special charm and a very rich heritage to the visitors who walk through its alleys. With 131,507 inhabitants (2017), the city was founded at the end of the 2nd millennium BC. Today, it has superb beaches, leisure centers, architectural and cultural richness that make it a top tourist center in Mediterranean Spain. Accommodation in Tarragona can be expensive: there are few hotels compared to the size of the city. If there is no room, opt for the living room, a good alternative solution for sleeping in Tarragona.
Tarragona is a city mixing tradition, history and modernity. The city is organized between its historic city centre and the modern city dotted with large shops, restaurants and avenues to modern architecture. Here is our mini-guide of the neighborhoods where to stay in Tarragona to magnify your holidays.
The historic centre
Photo credit: Flickr – Magnus Reuterdahl
The vestiges that can be dated with certainty date back to the Roman Empire, but it is known that the Phoenicians have established trading counters there from 1500 BC. Tarragona is part of UNESCO’s World Heritage as the second world city with the most Roman vestiges. You can enter the old town by the gate of Via de l’Imperi Romà. Enerrated and colorful alleys open to you, to drink a drink on a shaded terrace or to find craftsmanship in small designer boutiques.
Take a detour to the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Tarragona, built between 1170 and 1331 on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Augustus, a wisigoth cathedral and an Arab mosque. In the old town, don’t miss the Roman archaeological ensemble, classified as UNESCO’s world heritage: the amphitheatre, the ruins of the Roman circus, the archeological passage, the tower of the pretoire and the tower of the walls capturing the ancient city. Finally, the National Archaeology Museum will enhance your visits. History lovers are here to stay in Tarragona.
Find a hotel in Old Town
The modern city
Photo credit: Flickr – Xavi
In the new city, there is a typical feature of the cities of Spain and the countries of Latin America: the Rambla. Take a walk on the Rambla Nova, an avenue that doesn’t miss entertainment all day and evening: you will find small kiosks, a market, shops, bars and restaurants. The avenue is decorated with giant sculptures typical of Catalan culture: castelles .
To the west of the Roman amphitheatre, you will find the balcony of the Mediterranean and the beach of the Miracle: bathing in the city, a luxury! North of Rambla Nova, the city park – Parc de la Ciutat – is the largest greenery in the city. If you like shopping, snack – the tapas and bocadillos Legion in Spain! – and partying, it is in the modern city centre that you have to sleep in Tarragona.
Find a hotel in the modern city
Main photo credit: Flickr – Massimo Frasson
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