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Tarragona 2017 is looking to hold Mediterranean Games that extend to other well communicated towns in the region known as Camp de Tarragona, the vast majority located just a few kilometres from the capital. By doing so, the impact of the Games will be multiplied as regards the involvement of the surrounding territory, and structural improvements. Moreover, the project incorporates the experience of Barcelona and Castelldefels in the Olympic Games of 1992 for the organisation of specific events such as show jumping, canoeing and rowing. In addition to Tarragona, there are a further twelve towns that will be able to enjoy the experience of the 2017 Mediterranean Games:

Barcelona | Calafell | Cambrils | Castelldefels | Constantí | El Vendrell | La Selva del Camp | Reus | Salou | Torredembarra | Valls | Vila-seca

Tarragona

Tarragona is a city which has a long Mediterranean tradition, inseparable from the sea since it was founded in the 6th century B.C.

Tarragona is an open, friendly and hospitable Mediterranean city. Its legacy of over two thousand years of history beside the sea and its excellent climate have led to an increase in a variety of leisure, cultural and commercial pursuits Tarragona has to offer. Its golden beaches, its rich gastronomy and vast historical heritage welcome visitors to enjoy the town’s fiestas, traditions and entertainments.

Sports specialities to be held in Tarragona:

Barcelona

95 kilometres north of Tarragona, Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and with over 1.6 million inhabitants is the second most populated city in Spain. Modern and cosmopolitan, its cultural heritage ranges right from Roman to new avant-garde passing through modernism. The Sagrada Familia, the Paseo de Gràcia and the Ramblas are all must-sees for the 6 and a half million and more tourists who visit the city each year.

Barcelona enjoyed an experience that completely changed the history of this age old city: the organisation of the 1992 Olympic Games. The renowned success of the Games not only showcased the image of Barcelona throughout the world, but improved, its services and environment both quantitatively and qualitatively, opening up the city to the see for once and for all. Since then, the city has become one of the most influential urban areas in Europe, as far as art, culture and the economy are concerned.

Places such as the Liceo, the Palau de la Música, the National Theatre of Catalonia and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, MACBA, comprise just a small sample of the city's cultural wealth. Many such places, furthermore, are authentic monuments in their own right, with spectacular façades and amazing interiors.

In terms of sport, the city's best example is Fútbol Club Barcelona, which also has successful teams in other sports such as basketball, handball and roller hockey. Its stadium, the Camp Nou, has ended up becoming another of the city's tourist attractions. The city also has another century-old football club, Real Club Deportivo Espanyol, and is also the capital of a host of sports such as tennis and water polo.

The Barcelona Royal Polo Club is an entity strongly linked to Tarragona 2017, so much so that the organisational proposal for the Candidature forecasts that its installations - 29 hectares of gardened area in the centre of Barcelona city- will hold the equine events during the Games. Founded in 1897, the club now has over 10.000 members and five sports sections: Equine, Hockey, Paddle, Polo and Tennis. In 1992 it held the equine events for the Barcelona Olympic Games and its installations were considerable reformed. Nowadays it is one of the most important international sports clubs due to its variety, quantity and quality.

Sports specialities to be held in Barcelona:

Calafell

The pride of this municipal district, of some 23,000 inhabitants, is its seafront, whose more than five uninterrupted kilometres of beach is unique to Catalonia. But Calafell is not just sea and nice temperatures; it offers its visitors a wealth of possibilities. In fact, it has an age-old history: a cave, la Balma de la Graiera, already housed a small community some 22,000 years ago.

Calafell also preserves traces of its Iberian past such as the impressive Ciudadela, a fortress dating from the 6th century B.C., and such unique buildings as the Romanic church of Saint Michael and Santa Cruz castle, which, perched up on a hill overlooks the town.

This fishing town also offers us an exquisite dish: the so-called "arrossejat", a combination of noodles, monk fish and potato which has become a true symbol of the town. Furthermore, you can taste "xató", a salad based on curly kale and salt codfish which is really popular with the locals, not forgetting "cossetans", a delicious dessert comprising chocolate and caramelised dried fruits whose name is in honour of the Iberian tribe that inhabited the Calafell coastline.

Sports specialities to be held in Calafell:

Cambrils

Located in the heart of the Costa Dorada (Golden Coast), it is one of the main tourist destinations in Spain. It is bordered by gentle slopes descending down to the sea, its beaches extend over 9 kilometres by softly undulating hills.

Being an inherently open and friendly port town, Cambrils has successfully and harmoniously combined the different influences of new arrivals, be they from within or from outside Spain, with its own culture, which is essentially the product of a warm, temperate climate. The charm of its narrow alleys, its stone buildings, a section of the town wall dating back to 1359, all complemented by its beautiful seafront, which is one of the town's main business and shopping areas.

Cambrils offers its visitors a historic garden classified as a national heritage site, Parque Samá (Samá Park), it is a botanical garden with a wealth of highly varied flora. The Torre de la Ermita (Chapel Tower), a sixteenth century watchtower, and the Castillo de Vilafortuny (Vilafortuny Castle) also enjoy national heritage recognition. The Roman villa of Llosa, which is one of the most important archeological sites in the province of Tarragona, and the Torre del Puerto (Port Tower) which is an emblem of the town's maritime quarter, are just two of the area's landmarks.

Seafood cuisine and the excellent quality of the locally fished produce, make for a rich culinary experience. Every other year the town hosts the Congreso de Gastronomia (Gastronomy conference), which brings together the top professionals in the industry, and the Jornadas de la Galera y la Cocina Marinera (Mantis Shrimp and seafood Conference), which are aimed at raising the local crustacean's profile and to the continued development of the local food culture.

Sports specialities to be held in Cambrils:

Castelldefels

This municipal district, of some 60,000 inhabitants, owes its name to the castle that dominates the south side of the Llobregat river, the "Castrum Felix" (castle of the faithful), documented since the year 970. It is located in a park rich in exotic vegetation and boasting superb views. From the top of the hill where it is set we can take in the city of Barcelona, the Collserola mountain range and the Garraf massif.

Its proximity to Barcelona, just 25 kilometres away, has led Castelldefels to undergo spectacular growth and development in recent years, translated into the appearance of a wide variety of hotels and services that can meet all demands. All of this is carried out in a balanced, environmentally friendly way. Hence, in the town centre you can find 14 parks, totalling almost 240,000 square metres of green area.

Sports lovers have many reasons for visiting Castelldefels, such as places to go climbing, although its star facility is, without a doubt the Olympic Canal of Catalonia, the scene of the canoeing and rowing competitions of the Barcelona'92 Olympic Games. The Canal is kept in perfect working order and is visited by over 300,000 people each year.

Castelldefels lives facing the sea, proof of which is its pioneering initiative in Spain: since 2007 it has had WiFi access to Internet from anywhere on its beaches.

Sports specialities to be held in Castelldefels:

Constantí

Constantí is situated only six kilometers away from Tarragona, on the right bank of Francolí River, which favored the industrial development of the zone, especially in the chemical sector.

The foundation of Constantí dates back a long time ago, though the first settlement took place in the 1st century A.D., in Roman village of Centcelles. The edifice preserved till nowadays, as well as hot baths, dates back to the 4th century. The first constructions of the modern town were built in the 12th century. Espàrec de la Barca was the founder of the important building works like the castle, the church and the walls.

Agriculture, which traditionally had been the mail economical activity, was pushed into the background, although there remain the cultivations of vineyard, olive trees, vegetables, peaches and hazelnuts.

Sports specialities to be held in Constantí:

El Vendrell

El Vendrell is the the main town in the Baix Penedes region, it is located some 30 kilometres from Tarragona and 72 kilometres from Barcelona. Its beaches, which are its main tourist attraction, stretch over 7 km of coast, they have been awarded a 'blue flag' and stand out for the high iodine levels in the water, making it a particularly healthy area for bathers.

The origins of the settlement go back to the tenth century, it quickly grew thanks to its proximity to the Camino Real (an important route of the time) that led on to Tarragona. Music, culture, beaches, fair weather and great cuisine all come together in Vendrell, home to the cellist, composer and pacifist, Pau Casals. He was buried at the local cemetery, and his former home stands in the San Salvador neighbourhood, it is now a museum about his life and works.

The Casa Museo Àngel Guimerà, the Archeological Museum, the Deu Museum, the Apel.les Fenosa Foundation and Villa Casals make up an impressive museum route. Under the slogan 'El Vendrell. La Musica' the town organises a wide range of musical events amongst which the Pau Casals International Music Festival stands out. Vendrell also hosts a series of traditional music recitals, sardanas (catalan music and dances) and organ concerts, all of which cohabit alongside performances and shows by many groups from outside Catalonia.

Sports specialities to be held in El Vendrell:

La Selva del Camp

Situated in the heart of the region of Camp de Tarragona, the town of Selva del Camp has all the privileges of the district. The landscape, especially the lushness of its cultivations, the color and the light are worth admiring.

For many centuries the town, of Roman origin, had been an important centre of communications where all the roads that went down from the Prades Mountains met and leaded a voyager to the port of Tarragona along an ancient road that had been built about three thousand years ago to go with carts.

The town reached the pick of its splendor during the XIV century. The marks of the Middle Ages have remained in the architecture of the town surrounded by the walls with remains of the ancient castle inside.

The main economical activity is agriculture, with prevailed cultivation of hazelnut and olive trees. Since 1903 there has been an agricultural cooperative and nowadays there are two cooperative companies. Since 1992, when some international companies in alimentary and aluminum sectors appeared, the development has inclined more to industry than to agriculture.

Sports specialities to be held in La Selva del Camp:

Reus

To speak of Reus is to speak of culture and trade, the two major strong points of this town of over 100,000 inhabitants sat beside Tarragona, just 14 kilometres away. It is located at a strategic point, between the Mediterranean corridor and the Ebro axis, and, historically, it has been one of Catalonia's most influential towns, often only surpassed by the capital, Barcelona. It has its own airport, which is constantly growing, and in a short time has become a catalyst for tourism throughout the Camp de Tarragona area.

The old part of the town has everything a tourist needs. Its pedestrian streets, the area known as the "Tomb de Ravals", are full of historical shops and boutiques which offer a unique shopping experience. Its two large central squares, Mercadal Square and Prim Square, provide open spaces with ample terraces and majestic cafés. All of this in a setting of modernist buildings which Antoni Gaudí's mark can be intued.

Culturally, Reus boasts two theatres at the same time considered architectural gems of the city: the Bartrina and the Fortuny, as well as a new point of reference: the Reus Centre for the Performing Arts, a public body that produces on a national level. In addition, the town organises Trapezi - Catalonia's circus fair - and the "Cos al capdavant" mime and physical theatre festival.

Reus is also sport. Its biggest reference is Reus Deportiu for roller hockey, a century-old club and one of the most important in Europe, six times European champion. In 2008 the club was proclaimed winner of the World Championship, which was held at the town's Olympic Pavilion.

Sports specialities to be held in Reus:

Salou

A Mediterranean port since it was founded by the Greeks in the 6th century B.C., Salou was originally known as Salanrio (cleaned town) and then Salauris, under Roman occupation. The sea has always influenced the life of the municipality; first as a meeting point for commercial activity, and in recent decades, as a tourist attraction, the real key to the local economy.

And Salou is a well-known holiday spot throughout the country. It has 74 accommodation facilities, ranging from luxury hotels to camp sites, hostels. It is almost impossible for visitors not to find somewhere to stay for the night in this town of 25,000 inhabitants.

Its shallow waters and sandy beaches, small coves of great natural beauty, are some of the town's strong points, but it has a great many other places of interest. The Bonet Chalet, a modernist building dating from 1908, built by Domènec Sugranyes i Gras (pupil of Gaudí) and the luminous fountain, with as many as 210 combinations of water and light, are just a couple of examples of what you can see as you walk along the town's streets.

Internationally, Salou is also well known for being the site of one of the country's biggest leisure and theme parks: the Universal Mediterránea complex. Over three and a half million people visit it each year.

Salou offers a wide range of activities linked with the sea. The Nautical Station provides experiences such as windsurfing and water skiing, which you can tie in with an excursion on a mountain bike or quad.

Sports specialities to be held in Salou:

Torredembarra

Torredembarra is situated in the privileged point, 12 kilometers away from Tarragona and 80 kilometers from Barcelona. It has 15.000 registered inhabitants but in summer this number reaches 60.000 due to the great amount of tourists visiting Costa Dorada.

Torredembarra has been an agricultural and sailor village since the Middle Ages, which is reflected in its gastronomy. The number of leisure time activities is infinite: from nautical activities to walks in the nature and visits of cultural monuments and shopping zone. In the course of time, Torredembarra has become a distinguished place to spend the holidays, especially vacations in family.

The beaches represent one of the main attractions of the zone. Prized every year with a “Blue flag” (“Bandera Azul”) for their quality and fine golden sand, they offer their visitors an opportunity to enjoy the sea, nature and family sports all the year round.

Sports specialities to be held in Torredembarra:

Valls

The town of Valls, with 25,000 inhabitants, is the capital of the Alt Camp district, situated on the Banks of the River Francolí just 19 kilometres from Tarragona and 77 kilometres from Barcelona. Dating back to the medieval era, the old quarter of Valls retains the narrow, winding streets from the period and it is surrounded by neighbourhoods built on the old walls built at the end of the 14th century.

Three convents have survived on the outskirts, among which is the Sant Francesc Convent, currently used as a hospital which serves the whole district and surrounding areas.

The Roman Gothic church "Sant Joan", which dates back to the 16th century, is of great interest, as is the "Capella del Roser" chapel, with a tiled mosaic from the 17th century depicting the battle of Lepanto.

Among the most deep-rooted customs of Valls is the “castellera” (human castle) tradition, a practise which is enshrined in the context of popular cultural expression. The “Castells” (castles) are actual towers formed by men standing on top of each other’s shoulders, in an acrobatic game forming a “castle” which rises skywards.

With regards to cuisine, Valls is the birthplace of a typical seasonal Catalan delicacy called calçot, which are sweet, long onions consumed during the traditional calçotada.

Sports specialities to be held in Valls:

Vila-seca

Just 10 kilometres south of Tarragona lies Salou's neighbour, Vila-seca. In fact, the two used to form a single municipal district up until 1989, when they segregated. It has some 20,000 inhabitants, although this number can easily reach 70,000 during the summer season, as it is a town with a great many tourist attractions. Jointly with Salou, it houses the Universal Mediterránea leisure complex and also has its own water park, Aquopolis, which covers 14 hectares.

It is divided into three core areas of population: the historical part of the town, with its castle and the defence walls; the area of la Plana, which goes out westwards, as far as the boundary with Reus; and La Pineda, which covers the coastline and where Vila-seca's main leisure activities are concentrated. Thus, in La Pineda you can find a two-kilometre promenade and a park of over 25,000 square metres, Pinar del Perruquet park.

Culturally, Vila-seca also has a lot to offer, such as the Josep Carreras auditorium, designed to hold concerts of all kinds, but especially classical music. The venue has regular spring, summer and autumn season programmes. Then there are the two sets of sculpture which are notable for their originality: "Pineda", by the renowned Javier Mariscal, which symbolises the area's autochthonous pine trees, and the "Marca d'Aigua" (watermark), by sculptor Sergi Aguilar, homage to writer and editor Carles Barral.

Sports specialities to be held in Vila-seca: