The city of Tarragona is located on the coast of the Spanish region of Catalunya. It was called Tarraco in ancient times and became an important center of Roman power in the Iberian peninsula, starting with the many years it took the Roman empire to conquer the region. Later on, during the Pax Romana that came with the establishmant of the Roman Empire, Tarraco became the capital of a new province which covered most of the area of the peninsula.
There are several places around town where you can find the ruins of ancient Tarraco. The largest site is that of the amphitheater, located right across the avenue from the beach.
Less than a kilometer west of the amphitheater is another large archaeological site – that of the ancient forum of the city, where the ruins of many of the structures that stood there can be found.
Other smaller patches of ruins include a small part of the ancient circus (chariot track) 200 meters north of the amphitheater, and also the theater 150 meters south of the forum.
Tips for the Visitor
Tarragona is about an hour’s drive down the coast from Barcelona. There is regular train service connecting Tarragona to Barcelona as well as other cities in Spain.
Location Map