Tarragona is just over an hour’s drive south of Barcelona, and only around 15 minutes from Reus Airport.  It has shops, beaches (it is located on the Costa Dorada), Roman ruins (for which it has been neamed a Unesco World Heritage site), a 12th century cathedral and a beautiful old town.  All in all,  it simply has to be on the “to do” list of all visitors to southern Catalonia.

The main street of Tarragona is the Rambla Nova.  Running parallel and just to the east, is the Rambla Vella which marks the start of the old Town.  The Rambla Vella follows the route of the old Via Augusta, the Roman road from Rome to Cádiz.

From the Rambla Vella turn north east along Carrer de Sant Agusti and you’ll come to the large, welcoming square of  Plaça de la Font, a good spot for a bite to eat and drink in an outdoor cafe.

Once refreshed, head further north east along the pleasant old streets of Tarragona towards the impressive Cathedral.

It was built between 1171 and 1331 on the site of a Roman temple, and combines both Romanesque and Gothic features, as seen in the main facade on Pla de la Seu. The interior of the cathedral is over 100m long, and is Romanesque at the northeastern end and Gothic at the southwest. The aisles are decorated with 14th- to 19th-century chapels and hung with 16th- and 17th-century tapestries from Brussels. The cloister has Gothic vaulting and Romanesque carved capitals.

After your visit to the Cathedral, be sure to take your time viewing the old town walls and wandering the streets, which are reminiscent of Barcelona’s gothic quarter.

Don’t miss Carrer de Compte, with it beautifully painted bollards and crazy street art.

From there, stroll along to Carrer Major and Baixada de Misericòrdia.

My final suggestion is to wander back onto the Rambla Nova and grab an ice cream at one of its many cafes.

Do please leave feedback here  if you manage to visit Tarragona.  I’d be particular appreciative of restaurant recommendations.

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Posted as part of the Word a Week Challenge: Old.