Tarragona's mediocre main beach is separated from town by train tracks and is reasonably clean, but can get terribly crowded; there are more appealing choices nearby.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.37 MILES
Crowning the town, Tarragona’s cathedral incorporates both Romanesque and Gothic features, as typified by the main facade. The flower-filled cloister has…
Reial Monestir de Santes Creus
16.94 MILES
On approaching this majestic monastery, an atmosphere of awe descends in broad Plaça de Sant Bernat Calbó: its mix of architectural styles spans seven…
8.38 MILES
Visionary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus, 14km northwest of Tarragona, in 1852. Though there are no Gaudí buildings here, he was inspired…
26.76 MILES
Just 3km northwest of Vilafranca on the BP2121, this is the area’s premier winemaker, with a family winemaking tradition dating from the 17th century and…
Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet
20.6 MILES
The largest monastery of the Cistercian Route, Unesco-listed Santa Maria de Poblet was founded by monks from southern France in 1150, and rose rapidly to…
Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
0.22 MILES
This excellent museum does justice to the cultural and material wealth of Roman Tarraco. The mosaic collection traces changing trends from simple black…
0.1 MILES
Near the beach is Tarragona's well-preserved amphitheatre, dating from the 2nd century CE, where gladiators hacked away at each other or wild animals. In…
5.84 MILES
A massive, blockbuster amusement park, PortAventura lies 10km west of Tarragona. Divided into themed sections, it's crammed with exhilarating rides and…
Nearby Tarragona attractions
0.1 MILES
Near the beach is Tarragona's well-preserved amphitheatre, dating from the 2nd century CE, where gladiators hacked away at each other or wild animals. In…
0.22 MILES
This sizeable complex with two separate entrances includes part of the vaults of Tarragona's well-preserved, late-1st-century Roman circus, where chariot…
3. Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
0.22 MILES
This excellent museum does justice to the cultural and material wealth of Roman Tarraco. The mosaic collection traces changing trends from simple black…
0.37 MILES
Crowning the town, Tarragona’s cathedral incorporates both Romanesque and Gothic features, as typified by the main facade. The flower-filled cloister has…
5. Passeig Arqueològic Muralles
0.42 MILES
A peaceful walk takes you around the inland part of the old town's perimeter between two lines of city walls. The inner walls are mainly Roman and date…
0.58 MILES
For a time-hopping view of Roman archways framing modern tower blocks, visit Tarragona's main provincial forum, thought to date from around 30 BC. You'll…
0.78 MILES
Temporary exhibition space for major pieces from the Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona while the museum undergoes renovation (scheduled for…
8. Museu i Necròpolis Paleocristians
1.06 MILES
This sprawling Roman-Christian city of the dead on the western edge of town consists of over 2000 elaborate tombs. It was used from the 3rd century AD…