Surroundings, Tarragona

From Tarragona the coast road runs east. 6km/4mi from Tarragona, to the left of the road, is the Torre de los Escipiones, a square structure 8m/25ft high dating from the first century A.D. There is no basis for the association with the Roman generals of that name, Gnaeus and Publius Cornelius Scipio, who were killed in the third century B.C. There are two statues of the Phrygian divinity Attis.

2km/1.25mi farther on past the Torre de los Escipiones, a road branches off on the left to the Roman quarry (cantera) of El Medol, in the center of which is a monolithic block indicating the original height of the rock.

Continuing along a pleasant road flanked by lemon-groves from the Cantera del Medol, we come to Tamarit, which preserves part of its 14th century circuit of walls. The Castillo, directly on the sea, is now a museum.

Beyond Torrembara the N 340 passes the Arco de Barà, a 12m/40ft high triumphal arch of the A.D. second century dedicated to Lucius Licinius Sura, a wealthy friend of the Emperor Trajan.

N 340 leaves the coast at Arco de Barà and runs inland to El Vendrell (alt. 50m/165ft). This little town, attractively situated on a hill was the birthplace of the cellist Pau (Pablo) Casals (1876-1973). There is a Prehistoric Museum in the town.

From Tarragona N 240 runs north, passing under the expressway, and comes in 4km/2.5mi to a path leading to the Roman aqueduct of Las Ferrera, popularly known as the Puente del Diablo (Devil's Bridge), which carried water from the Río Gayà over a side valley of the Río Francolí. Probably dating from the early Empire, this is one of the most impressive Roman remains in Spain. The 25 arches cover a total length of 217m/712ft, with a lower tier 73m/80yd long at the deepest part of the valley. The water channel had a total length of 35km/22mi.

The N 240 continues from the Acueducto de las Ferreras up the valley of the Río Francolí to Valls (alt. 215m/705ft), with a much revered image of Nuestra Señora de la Candela in the parish church, which is partly decorated with azulejos.

From Valls a secondary road leads 18km/11mi north to the Cistercian monastery of Santes Creus, founded in 1157. The Romanesque church (1254) with its fortress like facade and octagonal tower over the crossing, contains the handsome tombs of a number of kings of Aragon, including Pedro III and Jaime II and his wife Blanche of Anjou.

From Valls the N 240 winds its way through the Sierra de Cogulla and over the Puerto de Lilla (581m/1,906ft) to Montblanch (alt. 310m/1,017ft). This picturesque little town, still ringed by its old walls and towers, is dominated by the large 14th century church of Santa María, which has a fine Baroque doorway. In the Casa Josa-Andreu, adjoining the church, is a small museum of pottery, prehistoric finds and craft products from the surrounding area.

After crossing the Río Francolí the road comes to Salou, a port and popular seaside resort in a bay sheltered by Cabo Salou, with holiday chalets and high-rise hotels and apartment blocks, good beaches and a boating harbor. King Jaime I sailed from Salou in 1229 on his expedition to conquer Majorca.

From Salou the coast road continues to Cambrils, which, like many other places on the Mediterranean coast, has developed from a fishing village into a resort with more pleasure boats than fishing boats in the harbor. The church in the old part of the town has a fortress-like tower. For bathers and sunbathers there is the beach of Cambrils Playa.

Southwest from Cambrils, past Miami Playa and a number of other beaches is Hospitalet del Mar, which owes its name to an old pilgrim hospice situated close to the sea. A short distance away is the Vandellós atomic power station, an accident in which - fortunately without serious consequences - made the headlines in October 1989.

After passing the fishing villages of L'Ametlla de Mar and Ampolla, both now developing holiday resorts, the road follows the west side of the Ebro delta. At Amposta-Aldea C 235 goes off on the right to Tortosa, 14km/9mi west. Soon afterwards N 340 crosses the Ebro and comes to Amposta, a little town noted for its rice. The Ebro delta in which it lies, a marshy area with countless little waterways and pools, is well suited for the growing of rice. The river has two mouths, the Gola del Norte and Gola del Sur, with the island of Buda between them. The whole delta is a paradize for birds, the haunt of many different species.