The Costa Dorada has many historical sites for those who want to discover the past of the places where they spend their holidays.
With a well-known Roman legacy as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, Tarragona is the oldest Roman settlement of the Iberian Peninsula. The archaeological wealth of the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco includes walls, an amphitheater (built above a circus where some sections can still be seen), an aqueduct and a sepulcher, in addition to the many remains around the city. From the Middle Ages stand out the monasteries of Poblet, Santes Creus and Scala Dei, towards the inland of the area, which you can discover through the Císter Route.
In the city of Reus there are an endless number of churches, monuments and a big variety of unique buildings, among which stand out the ones from the modernist era, which you can visit following the Modernism Route.
With a casco antiguo (old part of town) declared Artistic-Historical Emsemble, Montblanc is a town that boast of the title of Villa Ducal, and on top of that has remains of the Paleolithics, the Iberians and the Middle Ages. Tortosa, episcopal seat of the region, is worth visiting because its astonishing castle and its different adjoining fortifications, its cathedral, the Episcopal Palace (Palacio Espiscopal), the Royal Colleges, its Medieval Market and the different palaces and buildings that go from the slaughterhouse to the houses with great artistic value.
In Salou, you can visit many points of historical interest, all of which are easy to find thanks to their identifications with a monolith with characteristic information in eight languages, and a map of the region to make easier their locate them.
HEADQUATERS (CAPITANÍA)
It is building of historical beauty from 1820 that harmoniously assembles a rustic stable with an elegant fountain. It was part of the Salou infrastructure, natural port with and intense commercial activity. At the beginning of last year, it was disentailed becoming a private property; a central building of the Port of Salou.
THE DOCK (EL MUELLE)
At the beginning of the 19th century, an ambitious project was developed for a navigation canal that will join Salou with Reus. This small and pretty dock was built as part of the necessary infrastructure for the construction of the canal. The fisherman monument of the artist Ramon Ferran is here; it was raised in 1990 and recalls the roots of the sailors and fishermen of the port of Salou.
ILLUMINATED FOUNTAIN (FUENTE LUMINOSA)
This is a work of the engineer Carles Buïgas and dates from 1973; he is the author of the famous fountain from Barcelona in Montjuïc. The spacious square with gardens, where this attractive fountain is located with 210 combinations, is dedicated to Frances Germá Sanz, pioneer of the remodeling of the port of Salou. Add another oneiric detail to your visit to the port of Salou and go to this beautiful sight.
CATALONIAN COUNTRY HOUSE (MASIA CATALANA)
This Catalonian rustic country house was created in 1974 with architectural materials used in old constructions of the area. It is an ensemble of buildings that among many provocations has recalled from its origin a monumental manger; the traditional Christmas demonstrations are celebrated here.
MONUMENTAL OLIVES TREES (OLIVOS MONUMENTALES)
Leafy and millenaries, this group of olives trees, coming from the region of Maestrazgo, are part of the ornamentation with which was urbanized this area of the port of Salou. 16 olives trees stand out mainly and they are impossible to overlook.
JAUME I MONUMENT (MONUMENTO JAUME I)
Symbol of the modern Salou and opened in 1965. It is built in the middle of the Paseo Jaume I and its creators were the sculptor Lluis María Saumells and the architect Salvador Ripoll. It is one of the most well-known images of the beautiful port of Salou.
CITY PARK (PARQUE DE LA CIUDAD)
A beautiful park located in the Carles Buïgas street with an area of 169,531 square feet, ideal to isolate oneself from the racket. The aquatic plants and dense vegetation are predominant elements of this park, one of the main tourist facilities of the port of Salou.
VELLA TOUR (TORRE VELLA)
This cultural center dedicated to cultural exhibitions was created in 1573. Originally, the archbishop of Tarragona, Pere de Cardona, ordered to build it to protect the port of Salou from the pirates’ invasions. Nowadays, the building, that still maintains the Heraldic emblem, also hosts the Contemporary Enamel Art Museum (Museo del Esmalte Contemporáneo).
CARRILET TRAIN STATION
It began to operate in 1857 to facilitate transship of merchandise to the city of Reus. Then it was used so the people from Reus could get to and enjoy the beautiful beaches of Salou. The last train of Carrilet stopped running in 1975.
CHURCH OF SANTA MARÍA DEL MAR (IGLESIA DE SANTA MARÍA DEL MAR)
In 1776, when it was built, it was a small chapel with only one nave and bell gable bell tower. This mystic church of the port of Salou was enlarged and it currently is a building of distinguished character. It has beautiful murals of Lluís Maria Güell and of Josep Grau Garriga.
