From Roman Tarraco to nowadays Tarragona.
In this excursion we suggest you to discover one of the oldest cities in the Iberian Peninsula. The Roman Tarraco was born in the 3rd century BC in the context of the 2nd Punic War that confronted Rome with Carthage for the dominion of the Mediterranean. Afterwards it became the gateway of Romanization in the Iberian Peninsula. The moment of greatest splendour came in the first century BC when it was proclaimed the capital of the Roman province Hispania Citerior.
We will leave Barcelona to the south direction to travel the approximately 100 km that separate these two cities, crossing the Penedés region, famous for its production of wines and cavas. Soon we will see the sea. Before reaching Tarragona, a brief stop at the Médol will allow us to begin to know its history: we will talk about its quarry and we will see the old aqueduct that supplied water to the city.
Once in Tarragona, a pedestrian walk through the Upper Part will help us to discover the remains, some very visible, of the imperial Tarraco, declared in 2000 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
We will walk through the ancient Roman administrative area of Tarraco where we can see the remains of the walls that surrounded it. We will also see vestiges of the provincial forum and the esplanade where the cult site was located, now occupied by the Cathedral. Inside the Cathedral, one of the largest built in Catalonia, we find jewels of sculpture from the 14th 15th and 16th Centuries, but also some of the remains of the ancient temple dedicated to Augustus.
We will continue our walk to reach the place where the circus was, its stands have been preserved for almost 2.000 years protected and hidden inside medieval buildings. Afterwards we will arrive at the sea and there we will visit the Amphitheater.
At lunchtime, we will go to the Serrallo neighbourhood, the old fishermen’s quarter of the city and nowadays become a pleasant maritime neighbourhood. After lunch, we will visit some of the main streets of the city to have a more complete idea of how the city has arrived to our days and we will return to Barcelona traveling along the old Via Augusta, the road that linked the city with Rome. The Arch of Triumph reminds us where the jurisdiction of Tarraco ended at that time.
Details:
- Licensed tourist guide authorized by Generalitat de Catalunya during all this tour.
- The approximate duration of this excursion is 9 hours (leaving and returning to Barcelona). From other points of origin, please consult us the timing.
- The order of the tour could be conditioned by the opening hours of the monuments.
- Transport: A private vehicle is necessary for the realization of this excursion as we describe it. If you do not have transport avalaible consult us. We can put you into contact with some companies in the city who offer services of vehicles with driver
- Entrances included: Tarragona’s Cathedral and Amphitheater.
- Opcional visits: If you want to include some other entrances in this tour, like the Archaeological Museum, Circus and Pretorium, Necropolis…, ask us, we can shape up the program depending on your preferences.
- Meals are not included in the price of the excursion. Tell us what your preferences are and we will recommend a good restaurant in the area that suits them.
Ask for a budget
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