How to Escape the Crowds at Tarragona
Ugh.
All you want to do is make your way down the street to find a little cafe to rest your tired feet, but there’s like 20,000 people here all wanting to do the same. Maybe Tarragona isn’t the best place. Maybe you should’ve just stayed in Barcelona, Sitges, or many of the other sites along the Costa Dorada. And you end up going home and thinking that your holiday in the city of Tarragona was a waste and a bad experience.
That’s the last thing we would want you to think. We love the city of Tarragona and think it’s very worthy of a good holiday spent here. It’s just that a lot of other people feel the same way about the city. And all those people in the city at one time make it feel like you’ve made a mistake in coming here.
On the contrary. This is a wonderful city with plenty to offer. You just have to know how to beat the crowds in Tarragona so that you can actually experience the best of the city. Let us help you plan out your trip so that you’ll never to feel crowded visiting.
What you should know about Tarragona
The city of Tarragona has a history and a reputation that goes back decades, centuries and even millennia. This city has been the site of some major historical empires and has seen thousands of years of civilizations come through here. Telling the story of Tarragona would take too long, so here are just a few highlights about the city that you need to know.
The city actually has roots dating back to 500 BC before the Roman civilization took over the known world. It has passed through a number of rulers and nations, serving as a seaside town and a base for fun and relaxation, much like it does today. You can see much of that history through the architecture of the city’s major buildings. There are also many remains and ruins that help highlight the history of the city, but we’ll cover that in a minute.
The city is a port city with the sea and tourism as its major industries. The cuisine of the area is showcased here, rich with seafood and unique Catalan dishes. It’s now a destination many Spaniards, especially from Barcelona, who escape the city and look to beachside resort towns like Tarragona to relax and soak up the sun.
When to Visit to Escape the Crowds
If you’re going to visit Tarragona, you need to know when the crowds will be there, so you don’t have to be. The region receives upwards of 300+ days of sun, although some of those days can be fiercer than others. The busiest times of the year are in the summer holiday season, usually ranging from mid-June to late August. The holidays of many countries line up during that time and tourists visit from all over to experience the Spanish sun on the coastline here. This also applies to locals who have summer holidays to spend on the beach. They tend to join the international tourists in visiting places like Tarragona to relax and enjoy the sand and sea.
If you visit during that time, you will assuredly be crowded for space. That means you’ll be competing for accommodation, for spots at restaurants and cafés, and that good deals will be hard to find. Prices can be extravagant during peak season, mainly because there is such demand for rooms and activities. If you absolutely MUST come during the summer months, escaping the crowds will require a bit more creativity and agility.
The best times to visit Tarragona to escape the crowds is during the off-peak seasons. This includes anything outside of those hot summer months. If you manage to visit during this time, you’ll be rewarded with fewer people and cheaper prices. The businesses here try their best to attract visitors and they lower their prices to suit. That benefits you immensely when you can save 30-50% on your accommodation, on any tours you take, or on anything else meant for the tourism industry. You might have to trade some guaranteed sunny days, but your experience with fewer people will more than make up for it.
What to do in Tarragona
So, now that you’ve found the perfect time to visit, you have to figure out what you’ll be doing during your stay. You can always have people around you, but if you plan smart and carefully, you can enjoy the best of the city without feeling like you’re packed in with everyone else.
Let’s look at some of the architecture you can visit. It’s good as a walking tour and allows you to go at your own pace, skipping the stuff you don’t care for and enjoying the sights that you want to linger at. The major sights include the Pont du Diable, an aqueduct that has stood in this city for hundreds upon hundreds of years. You can also visit the Amphitheatre ruins to see more relics from Roman times. The Tarragona Cathedral and the old town quarter are also great places to wander and spend your time.
The beach is always a great way to spend your day, and luckily there are several beaches to choose from. Some of the best include Llarga Beach, Savinosa Beach, or Milagro Beach. But of course, the best beach is the one you’re visiting that day, so you don’t need to think too hard about this one.
Looking for something a little more eventful? How about the Museum of Modern Art or the Necropolis Museum, and escape room, or some golfing nearby? You have your choice of several activities to choose from. And because there will be fewer crowds, you’ll have free reign over anything that you choose.
Where to Book Your Stay in Tarragona
Now that you’ve planned your time and your activities, it’s time to find the best accommodation in Tarragona. The city has its fair share of hotels, motels, hostels, and resorts. But those will often be teeming with people, even more so during the peak tourist seasons. Plan, instead, to book a private villa in Tarragona, the perfect way to escape the crowds and have some privacy. In the security and sanctity of your private villa, you’ll have an entire place to yourself, often for less than it would cost for a hotel room. A room? Or an entire villa? Hmmmm…seems fairly obvious.
Not only does a private villa ensure that you have an exclusive place to yourself, it’s much more affordable to base yourself in one spot, have the ability to cook your own meals, swim in your private pool, and have all the luxuries and amenities of a house when you’re on holiday. Plus, you can’t really factor in how cool it is to say that you stayed in a private villa on your holiday in Tarragona.
If having tons of people at your holiday destination isn’t your thing, you can still have a fantastic time in Tarragona without the hassle of the hoi polloi. Experience one of the best sites in the Costa Dorada without getting bumped and squeezed at every turn. Enjoy the hassle-free holiday exactly the way you’d like it when you plan a vacation in Tarragona.
