During one week the streets are filled with colour and music to celebrate the great festival of the king of debauchery. The highlight of the festival is the float-filled parade on the Saturday, and of particular note are the Disfressa d’Or, the concerts, the tasting of botifarra d’ou (egg sausage) and the crema de la bóta, the burning of the Carnival King figure in an enormous wineskin at the festivities’ end.

One of the manifestations with the most solemnity in the city of Tarragona is Easter Week, which main event is the Holy Burial Procession on Good Friday.
Currently more than 4000 people group in 12 associations, brotherhoods and congregations and carry 20 pasos (episodes of the Passion of Christ) in this procession. The procession is preceded by the armed soldiers who break the silence with the sound of their kettledrums.

The only festival in Spain dedicated to dixieland, the origin of Jazz, popular music from New Orleans from the end of the 19th century. Every year it holds more than fifty concerts and activities in different areas as theatres, bars, restaurants and also in the open air.

Tarragona travels in time up until a period of great splendour for the city: the Roman times. During these international symposiums to raise awareness of ancient Roman history, the visitor lives the All of this within an incomparable setting: the monumental sites declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

The coca de cireres (flatbread with cherries) and the ou com balla(dancing egg) are the most rooted traditions in the celebration of this religious festivity where one can also enjoy some traditional elements of the parade such as the towering giants and the Magí de les Timbales (a drummer on horse who announces the festival).

Some wineries and cooperatives from the four counties that make up Tarragona’s Denomination of Origin take part in this event, providing an excellent opportunity to taste and get to know wines.

Tarragona, city of human towers, offers human tower exhibitions and additional activities related to the human towers world.
A magnificent chance to live out this tradition with over 200 years of history that is still very much present in our area’s traditional festivals.

Musical proposals, theatre, dance and much more for all types of public and tastes.

The Fireworks Competition has a long tradition (1990) and it has become one of the most important on the Mediterranean. The winning pyrotechnics will be commissioned for the fireworks during the city’s biggest fiesta (Santa Tecla).

The procession of Mare de Déu del Carme is an excellent example of a very traditional event in Tarragona’s fishermen’s quarter. Fishermen and sailors carry the Virgin of Mount Carmel ceremoniously across the waters of the Mediterranean, disembarking in the El Serrallo neighbourhood.

This is one of the city’s major festivals and is celebrated with fascinating elements of local popular culture, such as Magí de les Timbales, the giants, the Gegantons Negritos, dwarves, bastoners (dancers hitting sticks together in rhythm) and more.

Tarragona lives the Catalan National day with the Catalan traditions par excellence: Sardana dances and human towers.

The Castells Competition is an event with the best colles (human tower groups) in the country, held every two years in Tarraco Arena Plaça (ancient bullfighting ring).
The most important human towers groups from around Catalonia, together with the local ones, gather to participate in the most contested and attended human castle day of the entire season.

The streets abound with stands selling fresh-roasted chestnuts. This holiday is best known for the panellets (traditional pine-nuts sweets) that fill the pastry shops and for the flowers for the departed.

At this fair visitors can taste different olive oils from Siurana Protected Designation of Origin.

Some restaurants in the city collaborate by offering menus based on this product.

From the beginning of December Tarragona is decked with festive Christmas lights and hosts its annual Christmas fair. Two very rooted traditions are re-enacted: el Tió (log that gives presents) and the nativity scenes exhibited in premises of different associations and in the city’s parks. The festivities are completed with different Christmas activities: Performance of the theatre show Els Pastorets (The Little Sheperds), Christmas carol singing, and the children’s park, among others.