Tourism, communications and the economy

Each year, thousands of tourists visit Tarragona to enjoy its privileged combination of historical heritage, gastronomy, culture, good weather and beautiful beaches. Its fifteen kilometres of coastline offer a variety that ranges from urban blue flag beaches to little coves with fine sand which are easily accessible.

In addition, the city is located on a strategic point of the Gold Coast, with excellent links with Barcelona, just 92 kilometres away, and whose nearby surrounding area offers visitors a whole host of possibilities, from the fun of Universal Studios Port Aventura theme park, just 9 kilometres from the city, to the nearby natural areas, which are ideal for family excursions, such as the Ebro Delta Natural Park, the caves of Benifallet and the Montsant Mountains.

All of this not forgetting the routes of great cultural interest such as that of the Cister monasteries of Poblet, Santes Creus and Vallbona de les Monges, a trip to the medieval town of Montblanc and the Priorat wine producing area, the quality of which is recognised world wide.

Getting to the city is quite easy indeed thanks to its excellent communications network. Two motorways and three national highways crisscross the region. It also has a train and a bus station and, since December 2006, it has been connected to the High Speed Train network. Thanks to the Camp de Tarragona station, in less than three hours you can cover the more than 500 kilometres that separate Tarragona from Madrid, the Spanish capital.

Transport by air is also a part of Tarragona’s excellent communications network. Reus Airport, just 7 kilometres from Tarragona, is constantly growing, and the company Ryanair has made it its second operating base in Catalonia. We must also stress Tarragona’s proximity to Barcelona’s El Prat International Airport.

Tarragona is a maritime city, and as such, the Port is another key point in its communications infrastructure. It is an entry point for both goods and passengers.

For all of the above, tourism is one of the pillars of the region’s economy. The other, equally or more important pillar is the industrial sector, led by the chemical industry and its oil refinery, which have turned Tarragona into the second area for economic development in Catalonia, only surpassed by Barcelona.