Tarragona

Tarragona is just an 80-minute train ride south of Barcelona. We arrived in the early afternoon, and as our hotel was just 5 minutes walk from the train station, we were soon checked-in, at the TI for a map+info, and off on a 4-km walk north to the Roman Aqueduct.

The wealth of Roman ruins in Tarragona (the Roman city of Tárraco) is astounding. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and may well be the best preserved ancient Roman city outside of Italy. The UNESCO description here explains why.

We toured many but not all of the Roman sites in town, spotted some Modernista architecture, strolled the magnificent Rambla Nova, and ate some tasty veggie food from the 100-year old Market.

On the train.


The Roman Aqueduct...


...on which you can walk across. Cool!


The Nova Rambla ends at the aptly named Balcony of the Mediterranean...


...where we looked down and noted that REFUGEES are WELCOME in Tarragona.


The next day was Market Day on the Nova Rambla.


There is ongoing archaeology at the Roman Theater.


The lower Forum.


The Roman City Wall was built about 200 BC. Most of the stones you see here are from that wall. Amazing!


Some of the Roman wall sat on even earlier stones.


View from the Roman Wall to the city center where the Cathedral sits on top of a Roman Temple.


Cool passageway along side the Roman Circus.


More passages around the Roman Circus.




And looking down from the Roman Wall to the south end of the Circus.


The Roman Amphitheater, with remains of both a 6-century and 12-century Christian church inside.


The Cathedral.


Some Modernista Architecture.


Market Hall.


Former Slaughterhouse.