Tarragona

Tarragona is the first large seaside town south of Barcelona. The town also offers a number of historical sites including churches from several different periods and a well preserved Roman colosseum. The town itself has the usual Spanish assortment of plazas sprinkled with cafes and tapas bars. Tarragona is a good choice if you only have a day or two to get out of Barcelona, otherwise the beaches further south or the remoter seaside villages to the north of Barcelona offer a more unique experience.

Tarragona is on the main train line between Barcelona and Alicante, and also on the main line between Barcelona and Madrid. Note that it's best to buy train tickets a few days ahead during the high season to avoid getting stuck in one place. However, you always have the chance to take a stop-train, which is reasonable when coming from Barcelona. Tarragona also has an airport close in Reus. Reus is mainly served by charter flights and Ryanair. Ryanair calls the destination Reus-Barcelona but it really is the airport of Tarragona.

There are not a lot of organized outdoor activities in Tarragona beyond strolling through the town, swimming at the beaches, and people watching in the plazas. One of the most beautiful parts of Tarragona is the old streets (Casc Antic), the ones near the cathedral, do not miss them.

Tarragona has a number of small bars, restaurants, and cafes serving the usual selection of tapas, bocadillos, and local seafood dishes. The best area to browse for tapas and full meals is from The Plaça de la Font along the Carrer Major up to the Cathedral, with Carrer Nau and the Plaça del Rei and Plaça del Fòrum particularly worthwhile.

The Serrallo neighbourhood near the fishing harbour has some excellent fish and seafood restaurants, which are particularly popular for Sunday lunch. There is a market hall just off the Rambla Nova in the middle of town where the basics of a good picnic can be bought cheaply.

The nicest place to spend and evening is in one of Tarragona's many plazas with a glass of beer and plate of tapas. At night if you want to have some drinks and dance you should go to "El Port", there are a lot of pubs and dance locals there.