Barcelona Airport to Tarragona: Private day trip

Main attractions

• The Roman Amphitheatre sits directly on the sea cliffs, with views across the bay — gladiatorial games were held here from the 2nd century BC; a Visigothic church was later built within the arena
• The Circ Romà (Roman Circus) ran directly beneath what is now the medieval city — underground vaulted galleries are accessible and stretch 325 metres
• The Passeig Arqueològic: a walkway along the ancient city walls where Roman ramparts sit below medieval and 18th-century fortifications in visible layers
• The Cathedral of Tarragona blends Romanesque and Gothic construction begun in 1171 on the site of a Roman temple to Jupiter
• The Rambla Nova and fishing quarter (el Serrallo) give a flavour of contemporary Tarragona life — colourful boats, seafood restaurants and the Mercat Central

What to eat

• Romesco sauce — invented in Tarragona's fishing villages and now one of Catalonia's essential condiments — accompanies grilled fish and calçots throughout the harbour restaurants