Side Trips in Tarragona
If you rent a car, you can make a 30- to 45-minute drive from Tarragona through picturesque mountain passes to one of Catalunya’s most evocative and atmospheric monasteries. As a side benefit, it’s smack-dab in the middle of an up-and-coming wine-growing district. Monestir de Poblet (tel. 97-787-00-89) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries and still in use, Poblet’s immense basilica reflects both Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles; its most striking feature is the pantheon of the old kings of Aragón—a catacomb of royal tombs. Re-established as a monastery in 1940 after remaining vacant since 1835, today Poblet is one of Europe’s largest Cistercian communities. The monks pass their days writing, studying, working a printing press, farming, and helping restore the building, which suffered heavy damage during the 1835 revolution.
The monastery is also surrounded by extensive vineyards, originally planted by Cistercian monks from Burgundy. The monastery’s winery was rebuilt by the Cordoniú group. It belongs within the D.O. Conca de Barberà wine region and is a leader in developing wines from the native grapes of the region, including some of Spain’s oldest Garnatxa (Grenache) vines, as well as Ull de Llebre (an ancient clone or maybe a cousin of Tempranillo), and Trepat (an indigenous grape used largely for rosé). Comparable in quality to the red wines of the Priorat, they usually sell for less than half the price.
Admission to the monastery costs 9.50€ adults, 7€ seniors and students. It’s open daily 10am–12:30pm and 3–6pm (opens at 10:30am on Sun), staying open until 6:30pm in summer. Self-guided tours are available with a free downloadable app, but you must bring your own headphones.
Along the Shore of the Costa Daurada
The main segment of the Costa Daurada consists of a string of sandy beach towns southwest of Tarragona, stretching from Salou, just outside Tarragona, roughly 60km (37 miles) to the old Roman port of L’Ampolla. The easiest (and least expensive way) to get on the water here is to take the catamaran shuttle service, with several departures daily, year-round, between Salou and Cambrils (14€ round-trip adults, 7€ ages 4-12). It is operated by Creuers Costa Daurada (creuerscostadaurada.com; 📞 97-736-26-69); other cruises are available on the company’s boats and catamarans, ranging from 35€–59€.
Salou, the largest beach town of the Costa Daurada, has managed to preserve the elegance of its main beach. The Passeig de les Palmeres, a broad promenade lined with towering palms, is said to have been modeled on the promenade in Nice. An impressive sculpture celebrates the departure of Jaume I from Salou in 1229 to recapture Mallorca, and Modernista villas line the promenade, attesting to Salou’s long-standing wealth and good taste. The counterpoint to that graciousness is the Port Aventura theme park (tel. 97-777-90-90; admission from 40€ adults, from 35€ ages 4–10 and seniors, located outside of town). Polynesia, Aztec Mexico, China, and Wild West areas have their own thrill rides and dance spectacles, and its Caribe Aquatic Park offers dozens of water adventures. It generally opens for the season in early April and stays open through early January; check the website for opening and closing times, which vary depending on the day and the season.
Just south of Salou is the salty village of Cambrils, where beachgoers and commercial fishermen share the strand, and tourists gather to watch the boats unload their catch around 4pm. In the hills above Cambrils, the Fundació Mas Miró (Finca Mas Miró, s/n, Mont-Roig del Camp; tel. 977-179-158) maintains the family property where artist Joan Miró spent seminal periods of his young life. You can visit the farmhouse and see some of the landscapes that inspired his early naturalistic paintings. The farmhouse is open during the summer Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 5:30pm to 8pm, Sundays from 10am to 2pm. In spring and fall, it’s open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 3:30pm to 6pm. Admission with audioguide is 10€ adults, 8€ seniors and children, free 8 and younger. Infrequent guided tours are offered for 2€ more.
Further down the coast, at L’Ampolla the shoreline changes character from golden sands to the broad, flat, and stunningly beautiful delta of the Riú Ebre (known elsewhere in Spain as the Río Ebro). Land and water are so interspersed here that it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. The delta is a major rice-growing region and an important habitat for water birds—so many thousands of flamingos breed here that they cease to seem like a novelty. Much of the delta lies within the Parque Natural del Delta de l’Ebre. Its Ecomuseu del Parque Natural (Carrer Doctor Martí Buera, 22; tel. 97-748-96-79; admission 3€, May-Sept Mon–Sat 10am–2pm and 3–7pm, Sun 10am–2pm; Oct-Apr daily 10am–1pm) has exhibits explaining the park’s human and natural features. The information desk can also advise on boat trips, bicycle rentals, and birding guides.
