Following the Romans of Tarragona, Tarragona, Spain

On my last day in Barcelona this summer, I decided to leave! It was high time for me to reach beyond the borders of that awesome town, and, after many moments exploring Google Maps, I selected Tarragona for my daytime venture.

The €8,05 train from Barcelona-Sants to Tarragona was air conditioned and had plenty of seats. It took just over one hour to get to Tarragona, and the train tracks run along the Mediterranean most of the trip. There are some more expensive trains that may be a few minutes faster, but it's basically the same to take the regional train and pay half the price.

The Romans first called it Tarraco in their Hispania Tarraconensis province, and it was a popular fortification both for its position and great weather. It became a very wealthy Roman city and received much attention from various rulers. Tarragona passed through many different hands after the Roman Empire fell, and today is in the Catalunya region of Spain. There have been ongoing projects for archaeological excavations and preservations throughout the city since the 1800s.

Starting our walk from the Tarragona Main Train Station, our first stop is what's left of the Roman Theater. It's the best teaser for the day, as it is barely still visible, but has been well-cleared in the middle of the buildings. There is even a metal structure that does not impede the view to simulate how the theater would have been situated. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).