For me, Tarragona is definitely one of the most underrated cities in Spain. Of course Barcelona steals the Catalan thunder because of its size, but even Tarragona’s northern counterpart, Girona, gets more fanfare. (Especially since Game of Thrones films there, too). But Tarragona is so filled with history and culture. It was the Roman capital of Spain at the height of the empire. Tarragona was one of the most important city along Spain’s Mediterranean coast, and much more important than Barcelona.

I could write so many posts about Tarragona. I did live there for two years and it’s basically my second home. For Christmas 2014, my parents came to Spain. We visited Madrid, Barcelona, and Tarragona. Because I was a resident, I didn’t take many pictures while we were there. And then my mom left her camera in the backseat of a cab in Madrid, so unfortunately, I don’t have much to show from that trip.

Roman Ruins

The most jaw-dropping site to see is the Roman amphitheater. It sits right along the Mediterranean, with Platja Miracle and train tracks right next to it. I loved to walk past it on any regular day. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t have a lot of time in Tarragona and it was closed on Mondays! So we just had to observe from above. I’m pretty sure the entrance fee is 3.50 euros and you can buy the tickets right there on the property. I’ve actually never been inside, but I would still love to walk around.

The amphitheater is one of two entertainment structures in Tarragona. The gladiator fights and naval battles probably happened here, like the Colosseum in Rome. Around the corner from the amphitheater is the circus where they had the chariot races. I would say that is my number one favorite part of Tarragona: walking around your daily life and passing 2,000 year old ruins like it’s no big deal.

Catedral Chula

The Romans built a huge stone wall around the city and much of that wall still stands today. It forms the Ciutat Vella, or the Old City. There are a lot of restaurants, bars, and people even live there. There’s also another important tourist attraction: the Catedral de Tarragona. This is another one of those places that you really take from granted when you live there. But when you come from the US where you don’t normally see stuff like this, it’s pretty awesome.

From the front, it doesn’t seem to it’s that big, but as you enter and look around, you find out that it’s actually pretty big. When you enter through the gothic doors, there are a bunch of chapels that are dedicated to the different saints. There’s a giant pipe organ (my grandmother loves organs), and there’s also a lot of jewels. It was pretty amazing to see all the relics they have collected over the years. Unfortunately, most of those pictures were on my mom’s camera. Sigh.

Even though I had been in Tarragona for a while, I had never really had a chance to explore it. It seemed like such a touristy thing to do. I really enjoyed getting to look around, to experience the cloister outside, to see the jewels. It can be kind of pricey to get in, depending on the day, but I personally thing it’s worth it.

Christmas Market

If you want the Christmas feel, Catalonia is not the best place to go, or Spain in general. The Kings’ Day on January 6 is more important to them, and so is Caga Tió. Yet, they still have some Christmas markets on the streets to get in the festive mood. I loved walking down the Rambla Nova in Tarragona to look at their Christmas market. You can buy Caga Tiós, caganers (don’t ask, I don’t get it either), and poinsettias. I also loved getting fresh-made hot churros from the truck.

… i més.

What would a tourist trip to Tarragona be without hopping on the tourist train, or guiri tren, as the locals call it. I’m constantly amazed at how this tourist train can fit down the smallest of alleys with cars parked on the side. I listened to the commentary in Catalan to feel less guiri. If you go in winter, make sure to put on a light jacket because it can get chilly on the train!

If you’re looking for a place to eat, well you are in the right place. My personal favorite: The Plaça de la Font. It’s in the Old City and has an awesome vibe. My parents and I ate at Cappuccino which offers an amazing menú, meaning it offers a first course, second course, and dessert for less than 15 euros. There are many other amazing restaurants and bars located in that area. Bon profit!

I could talk about Tarragona forever. It just has this amazing atmosphere to it and the weather is almost always fair (except in March when it’s windy and I get whiny). I couldn’t recommend or encourage everyone to make a stop there sometime in their life. It’s just an hour off the train for Barcelona and would make a fantastic day trip. Go explore it!