After the hustle and bustle of Barcelona, Tarragona (about an hour’s drive to the south) was a relief. We parked up near the beach where I had my first paddle in the Mediterranean. We then walked up the steps into town.
First paddle in the Med 
Accidental arty shot
Tarragona is relatively small, but was very important in Roman times. From the beach we could see quite a few old structures including an amphitheatre.
We also had a look around the Roman ‘circus’. This was a 300m x 100m track for chariot racing, the second most important sport in Roman times after gladiatorial combat and basically the ancient equivalent of Formula 1. What was amazing was that despite being abused, re-purposed, buried and re-discovered, so much of it was still in excellent condition nearly two millennia later.
One end of the track, still intact 
Roman walls 
A 100m long underground Roman gallery
We then had a wonder around the old city, inside the walls. The back streets are tiny, most of them too small to fit a van through (as another drive found out!) but it’s still all occupied. The small squares are now full of cafes, bars and restaurants, but it’s a much slower pace than Barcelona.
Panorama (click to view) 
Now driving south to a nature reserve.