Tarragona, located on the Costa Dorada, 60 miles from Barcelona, is a popular day trip, particularly to see the Roman ruins. Tarragona is considered the most important Roman city in Spain.
Although there is an airport very close to Tarragona (Aeropuerto de Reus) and the main Barcelona airport is closer to Tarragona than the city of Barcelona, the public transport connections are really better from the city center of Barcelona to Tarragona .
From Barcelona to Tarragona by train
The train from Sants station in Barcelona to Tarragona costs less than 10 euros. There is a bus, but the train is better (and not more expensive). There is also a high-speed train that makes the trip in 30 minutes.
You can take a guided tour of Tarragona, combining it with a half day in Sitges, and leave the travel arrangements with the travel company. The tour company picks you up at Plaça Catalunya, in the center of Barcelona, and returns you there approximately ten hours later.
How to get from Reus airport to Tarragona
There is a bus, run by Hispano Igualadina, directly from Reus airport to Tarragona. However, the buses run only three or four times a day. Your best option from Reus airport to Tarragona is to take a taxi or bus to the center of Reus and then transfer to a bus to Tarragona. It is really more convenient to travel from the center of Barcelona.
How to get from Barcelona airport to Tarragona
There is a bus, operated by Bus Plana, from Barcelona airport to Tarragona, but it is cheaper and just as fast as taking a train from Barcelona city center.
How to get from Madrid to Tarragona
The direct high-speed train from Madrid to Tarragona takes just over two hours.
accommodation
Visitors enjoy staying in hotels near the sea, where the Rambla ends. The Hotel Lauria on Rambla Nova 20, centrally located and air-conditioned, is popular. Vacation rentals are also available.
What to see and do in Tarragona
The Roman and pre-Roman ruins are the main attraction in Tarragona. Well preserved Cyclopean and Phoenician architecture can be found in this ancient Roman settlement. The Roman amphitheater, the most impressive of the ruins, is located just off the Rambla Nova. Built on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the amphitheater dates back to the 2nd century AD during the reign of Emperor Augustus.
At the apex of Tarragona is the 12th century cathedral. Tarragona Cathedral was built in the 12th century on the site of a 10th-century Arab mosque. Inside is the Diocesan Museum, with a collection of Catalan art.
The Museu Necròpolis (Necropolis Museum) outside the city is one of the most important Christian burial sites in Spain, used in the 3rd to 5th centuries.
Tarragona has a beach and not far away is Salou, a tourist town with beaches ranging from small rocky coves to the busy main streets of Llevant and Ponent. It is popular for windsurfing, sailing, and golf.
Families can have fun at the Port Aventura amusement park and the adjacent Costa Caribe Aquapark.
