Tarragona - Definition and Overview

Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name. As of the 2003 census, the city had a population of 121,076, and the population of the entire urban area was estimated to be 348,921.

In Roman times, the city was named Tarraco and was capital of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis.

Tarragona is home to one of the most important maritime ports in Spain. Tarragona is also home of important universities, such as the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.

Tarragona touristic attractions include the Museum of Archeology and the archaeological ensemble of Tarraco, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is also situated close to the nearby holiday resort of Salou and the Universal Studios theme park Port Aventura, one of the largest in Europe.