Roman antiquities in Tarragona (1)

One could think that Tarragona could offer nothing interesting to somebody coming from Italy and quite accustomed to Roman archeological ruins. Well, I can assure you that, despite having seen much about it in Rome and in the rest of Italy (just to mention one of them, the Arena in Verona), Tarragona and its Roman antiquities have been a really pleasant discovery.

Tarragona is located in the southern part of Catalonia, but it is quite easy and not too expensive to reach it by train from Barcelona (45 minutes and about 8 euro for a return ticket from Vilanova i la Geltrù).

Tarragona is caressed by the sun and blessed by a warm weather for most of the year: in the likeable event of a sunny day, you will enjoy your visit even more.

Fortunately enough, I had the chance to benefit from such a day on my first trip to the city, which I had the pleasure to share with my girlfriend during the first day of her staying in Catalonia. Though the train station is situated in the lowest part of the city, just a few metres from the sea, it did not take us long to get to the city centre.

Turning right just out of the station and following the road, indeed, we soon found the staircase leading up to the Balcò de la Mediterranea, a wonderful viewpoint offering views on the sea.

Heading northward along the promenade, you will soon spot the first, and probably most remarkable, of the many landmarks of the city. The splendid Roman amphitheatre, indeed, lies at the foot of a small hill with pleasant gardens from which you will be able to contemplate a superb sight. Dating back to the 2th century B. C., when it was built to house the bloody fights of the gladiators, the monument combines the historical heritage with the Mediterranean soul of the city, being therefore one of the symbols of Tarragona. Despite having undergone a partial reconstruction, the amphitheatre preserves much of its original charm and is really worth a visit.

Climbing hardly up to the top of the hill, we followed our tour which took us through the lush gardens in front of the Pretori. The colourful flowers of the above-mentioned gardens and the restored walls and tower on the background make a picturesque tableau, really worthy of a photo.

After going round the building, we ended up in Plaza del Rey, a gracious square offering the entrance to the Archeological Museum and to the Pretori i Circ Romans, besides several inviting restaurants. Having opted for the latter, we entered the building, which despite looking rather uninviting will offer to you a quite unique experience.