Spain Walking Tours

Travel back 2,200 years in history to when Tarragona was Tarraco, one of Rome’s most important colonies and an ancient holiday destination – much like it is to this day. Over the years, the Romans, Moors, and Medieval Christians influenced the city and on this walking tour, I’ll point out where they left their mark in Tarragona’s Old Town. I’ll show you some of the numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites they left behind, and talk about some of the events that shaped them.

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Our tour starts at the Balcó de Mediterrani, overlooking the beautiful and tempting Miracle Beach. From there we’ll walk to Amfiteatre de Tarragona, Tarraco’s spectacular old Amphitheatre, and visit the Colonial Forum of Tarraco, the Roman wall of Tarragona, and Portal del Roser (a city gate). But it’s not all about Rome. Most of what you’ll see on your way to Mercat de Tarragona (the central market) where our tour ends was built in Medieval times. You’ll be amazed at how parts of the town still look and feel like a village from the Middle Ages. I’ll tell you how the Romans were more like us than you might realize – they were hygienic, loved to be entertained, built surprisingly modern-looking architecture, and were pretty open-minded.

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On this 75 minute walk, you’ll also:

• Relive what happened on an average day at the Amphitheatre
• Find out why the stunning Cathedral of Santa Tecla has remained unfinished since 1348
• See Maqueta de la Ciutat Romana de Tarraco, a precise model of Roman Tarraco at the height of its glory
• Walk through Carrer dels Cavallers, one of the ritziest streets in Medieval Tarragona
• Take in Casa Museu Castellarnau, a fancy palace that belonged to an iron forge mogul
• Discover the fate of Spain’s Medieval Jewish community in Tarragona’s Jewish Quarter
• Immerse yourself in a day at the (chariot) races, held at the iconic Circ Romà (praetorium)
• Learn how Tarraco’s most important leader was also one of the greatest leaders in the history of the world
• Get to know why the hilltop was the most important place for Romans

 

By the end of the tour, you’ll have fallen in love with Tarragona. You’ll leave the Old Town with a new appreciation for this relatively unknown (but once Spain’s most important) city!

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Preview Online:  Tarragona Walking Tour: A Guide to Tarraco, Rome's Other Capital