Barranco de la Porquerola

For our final stop on the Spanish coast, we headed to the Costa Dorada (Golden Coast) and checked into Camping Playa Montroig.

The campsite had just re-opened for the summer season and is located close to the towns of Cambrils and Salou, is 30km south of Tarragona and about 100km south of Barcelona. The site is the largest (1200 pitches) and swishest we have ever stayed at, as well as being the most expensive on the continent at €31 euros per night. But it is right on the beach and has great facilities while further north it is windy and raining. So, we decided to stay down on the coast where the sun is still shining and then do a quick dash up to the north coast to catch our ferry back to the UK next week.

During our stay here, we took the opportunity to visit the bustling port town of Tarragona, home to Spain's second most important Roman ruins. Chris negotiated the twisty, busy roads of the city centre while I tried to read the road signs over his shoulder. Between us we managed to park up right next to the historic centre with panoramic views down to the port and big container ships moored out to sea waiting their turn to come in to load up.

We wandered around a corner and came upon a very well-preserved Roman amphitheatre overlooking the beach. Within the arena were the remains of 6th & 12th century churches built to commemorate the martyrdom of a Bishop and two deacons believed to have been burnt alive here in AD259. Not sure which is worse, that or being hacked to death by gladiators or wild animals!

The small historic centre had plenty of ruins to see with good story boards to go with them so that we could easily picture the chariot racing that took place there.

In September each year, the city celebrates the Santa Tecla Festival where teams of castellers build human castles by standing on each others shoulders up to 9 levels high. We saw great photos of this event but will have to come back too see the real thing.Lue lisää