Tarragona, roads, beaches and green spaces
Since its origins, Tarragona has been connected to nearby fields and towns by roads, some of which are as old as the city itself.
The network of public roads in Tarragona is made up of old cart paths, bridle paths, trails and also other more modern paths.
The ancient paths are the threads of memory. The old roads keep the secrets of history, those of the humble people, those of the peasants who went to the market, those of the maids who served in the large farmhouses or the children who went to sell the fish. Roads along which the ice from the Prades mountains arrived at dawn, which was used to reduce fevers or to prepare slushies mixed with brandy. Roads along which French soldiers also arrived, for example.
Many are humble, unpaved roads, but when it rains, they smell like the ground. Paths that keep an important part of the city's memory. A true and extraordinary heritage.
They are suitable paths for walking, walking, cycling, horseback riding and interacting with the landscapes, horizons and heritage of the surroundings of this city.
75 kilometers of these roads have been signposted and their traditional names have been recovered. Some are old royal roads that connected towns, others led to farmhouses and settlements and others - such as the coastal path or coastal path - served to monitor the dangers that came from the sea and smuggling.
Another of the great attractions for visitors is found in the 15 kilometers of coastline that give rise to the beaches and attractive coves with crystal-clear waters and easy access.
The beaches of Tarragona are characterized by the very fine, golden sand, which has given its name to the Costa Daurada. The sand is soft, smooth, and adapts to the body when you stretch out to sunbathe with a simple towel to prevent it from sticking to your skin. If this happens, just wait for it to dry and the sand will fall by itself, although most beaches have showers to cool off.
The temperate climate It allows swimming from June to September and sunbathing or walking practically all year round. The beaches and coves of the Costa Daurada have a very gentle slope that allows you to walk in the water or swim without risks. You just have to take some basic precautions, such as checking the weather forecast, checking to see if the Red Cross has put up the yellow or red flag, which alerts you to the bad state of the sea, and not going too far from the coast.
Our comfort on the beach is guaranteed by a wide range of services, from cleaning and analysis of the water and sand, to restaurants and rental of hammocks and different elements for practicing sports. All this offer is recognized annually with blue flags for urban beaches and environmental protection on ecological beaches.
The beaches are also a very rich ecosystem, where sea and land living beings meet, so there is great diversity: plants adapted to salt, plants that fix the sand dunes, birds that take advantage of the water. wetlands, etc. In Tarragona you can find two very well preserved areas, which are protected by law:
In the Plan of Areas of Natural Interest (PEIN) of Punta de la Móra there are different plant communities: in the interior, a kermes oak maquis with palm heart, then a forest of junipers and white and stone pines, often inclined by the breeze Marine. Already in the sea, there are algae and a meadow of Posidonia, a plant that is the basis of a multitude of fish.
In the natural area of the mouth of the Gaià river and Tamarit beach, more than 80 species of birds have been identified. In the interior, the riverside forest is dominated by poplars, and further towards the coast by reeds and reeds, which are being replaced by replanting of native trees, such as poplars and willows. In these areas, there is the possibility of carrying out itineraries and pedagogical activities for associations, groups, schools, institutes and universities to learn about the characteristics of the natural space.
