Chariots in Tarragona raced beneath the walls of the upper city, and the great circus where they ran is still there, though it is hard to see as a whole, because the medieval and modern town grew over it. The Circus was built in the late first century AD, and it was well over three hundred metres long, with room for many thousands of spectators. Today you find its vaulted corridors under the Plaça de la Font and its curved stands incorporated into the buildings around it, with a tower, the Torre del Pretori, rising over one end. The legend says that Pontius Pilate was born here, or at least lived in the tower, a story with no historical basis but which the Tarragonans like to repeat.
The circus was part of the Roman capital's panoply, and it is on the list of Tarraco monuments that UNESCO protected in 2000, together with the amphitheatre, the forums, the walls and the necropolis. Tàrraco was founded in the third century BC as a military base during the war with Carthage, and under Augustus it became the capital of a province that covered much of the peninsula. Its remains are scattered across the city, stitched into modern streets.
Riding to Tarragona from the north brings you down off the hills of the Camp, through a landscape of vines, hazelnut and almond. A short climb takes you through the pass at the Coll de Lilla, with a view of the coast, and then the road drops to the city. The AP-7 motorway is fast but dull, and the older N-340 along the coast is more fun but busier. Inland, the Prades mountains offer twisty roads and a good day's ride.
In the city itself, fuel stations ring the centre, and the old upper town is walkable, with plenty of bars and restaurants. Fish and seafood are the strength, notably the romesco sauce made with roasted peppers and almonds, and a glass of local white. The best moment to visit is early evening, when the heat has gone out of the stone and the lights come on. Parking for bikes is possible in marked bays, and the old town streets are best explored on foot.