de-DEen-US
de-DEen-US

Tarragona

If you want to experience the real Spain away from the tourist crowds, then Tarragona is the place for you! It is not without reason that Tarragona's old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although Tarragona is only about 1 hour away from Barcelona, most tourists don't make it beyond Barcelona. That's why Tarragona is still a little insider tip!

20/05/2022

dear(travel)diary,

the break-in of our van in Barcelona had one good thing going for it: without it, we would never have stayed in Tarragona for so long. Originally, Tarragona was only planned as a short stopover. We wanted to visit a school friend who lives there. But after the incident in Barcelona (read the full story here), we decided to drive to Tarragona to get the car repaired and stay with Nils for two nights.

When we arrived in Tarragona, we were of course still a bit shocked by the break-in and had to do a few organizational things. But towards the evening, Nils and his girlfriend managed to distract us with delicious tapas.

Our extended stay also gave us the opportunity to really get to know Tarragona. And that was perhaps the only positive thing about the break-in. Because we liked Tarragona so much! It would have been too sad not to have discovered this Spanish city with its beautiful old town. And I'm sure that a trip to Tarragona is still a real insider tip!

xx Chiara

Overview:


What to see & discover

  1. Visit the cathedral of Tarragona
  2. Stroll through the old town of Tarragona
  3. Enjoy the sunset at the Balcó del Mediterrani and then walk along the Rambla Nova
  4. Visit one of the city's museums
  5. Linger in Plaça del Rei or another of Tarragona's many squares
  6. Relax on the beach of Llevant in Salou
  7. Experience pure adrenaline at Port Aventura Park
  8. Hike along the Devil's Bridge aqueduct
  9. Visit the Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet


Where to eat

We had the best dinner at the Continental restaurant in Plaça de la Font. There are various tapas there, which the four of us shared. Every dish tasted very good. We also recommend a cortado with a 43 after dinner - just like the real Spaniards do. This is also available decaffeinated, so you can sleep despite the coffee.

We bought a delicious lunch at the Mercat De Tarragona. There are various stalls selling either food to take home or ready-made dishes. In contrast to the markets in Barcelona, the market was pleasantly empty. We mainly saw lots of locals doing their shopping there.


Where to sleep

We stayed with a school friend of mine, so I can't say much about accommodation. However, as Tarragona is not so touristy, the accommodation shouldn't be too expensive. The city itself is not big, so you can easily do everything on foot. Accordingly, the location of the accommodation is not so important, as you can reach everything quickly.

Alternatively, you can also stay in Salou, a seaside resort near Tarragona. In Salou, you have a nicer beach on your doorstep than in Tarragona. However, Salou is much more touristy, especially in summer.

It is also possible to take a day trip from Barcelona to Tarragona. The journey by car takes around 1 hour. The cities are also connected by rail.


Costs

For us, our stay in Tarragona was cheap as we had no accommodation costs. We therefore mainly spent our money on food. Nevertheless, I have put together a small overview of our costs:

  • Toll route Barcelona-Tarragona: 15€
  • Fuel costs Barcelona-Tarragona route: approx. 20€
  • Tapas Restaurant Continental: approx. 20€ p.p.
  • Dinner Mexican Salou: approx. 20€ p.p.
  • Shopping market hall: 27€ (for lunch for 4 people)
  • Cathedral entrance: 3.50€ p.p. (student price; the normal price for adults is 5€)


I have put together a list of all the places on Google Maps.

You can find the list here.

From the community for the community

Tips from the community

Do you have a tip for Tarragona? Or a suggestion for the blog? Or would you simply like more information about Tarragona?

Then write to me!