You can discover Tarragona’s historical heritage with a cultural route and other events such as the Tarraco Viva festival.
The city has an impressive historical heritage, which includes numerous monuments, ruins and ancient buildings. Among them, the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, stands out. It is a complex comprising several Roman buildings and ruins, such as the amphitheatre, the circus, the forum and the wall, among others.
The city of Tarragona has other tourist attractions of historical interest in addition to the archaeological site, such as the cathedral of Santa Tecla, the church of Sant Francesc, several museums, the Plaça del Rei, the Torre del Pretori and the Torre dels Escipions.
Roman Tarraco
For visitors interested in the history of the city and its role in the Roman Empire, the Tarragona Tourist Board is organising a festival and historical routes to showcase the city’s heritage.
Historical Heritage Route
This is a complete guided tour of the most outstanding monuments of the archaeological site that follows in the footsteps of Emperor Hadrian II on his first visit to the city. With the help of technology, the guides on this route show visitors what Roman Tarraco was like and the daily life of its citizens, as well as recovering historical monuments such as the Temple of Augustus, which was located where the Cathedral of Santa Tecla now stands.
The route also passes through other significant points in the history of the city, such as the City Wall, the Circus, the Forum and the Praetorian Tower, the Amphitheatre and other key points in the historic centre of the city, popularly known as the Part Alta. This guided tour takes place every weekend and costs 12 euros, 9.50 euros at a reduced rate and 5 euros for children under 12.
The historical monuments that form part of the route can be visited individually, along with other important points for understanding the history of the city, such as the Torre dels Escipions, the Museu Nacional Arqueològic or the Necropolis.
Tarraco Viva
The Tarraco Viva festival has been held for more than 20 years during the month of May and is dedicated to the dissemination of the Roman history of the city. It focuses on educational activities for children that aim to raise awareness of the history and customs of Roman times in Tarraco, as well as entertainment and educational activities for all audiences, historical re-enactments, a craft market and other activities that revolve around the history of the city.
For tourists and visitors interested in culture and history, getting to know Roman Tarraco is an opportunity to discover a great archaeological heritage and to learn about the expansion of the Roman Empire to the Iberian Peninsula.
Visiting Tarragona from Cambrils is easy and quick, as getting around by car is fast, and there are also several public transport options that allow visitors and tourists to explore the whole Costa Daurada area.
