If you love summer festivals, you can’t miss the Sant Magí Festival in Tarragona, a great event that, for 8 days, from 12th to 19th of August, its streets fill with life and activity to celebrate one of the most traditional festivals in the province, and a date eagerly awaited by all Tarragona locals. Enjoying the Mediterranean atmosphere, the background music, discovering popular culture and strolling through streets full of history are some of the sensations that you can experience during this week.
That’s why if you are planning to visit Tarragona these days, from Shuttle2Sun we offer low-cost and sustainable shared transfer services and private transfer services, so you can move, in a comfortable and easy way, from Barcelona airport, Barcelona port, Reus airport, Girona airport, and even from the AVE Camp de Tarragona train station.
Origin of the Sant Magí Festival
The Sant Magí festival is characterised by this saint and water. Its origin dates back to the beginning of the 4th century AD, when the saint retired to Sant Magí de la Brufaganya to live a hermit’s life in a cave, and finally died at the hands of Roman soldiers. Before his death, he gave birth to three springs and a river, the Gaià river, which runs through the entire territory of Tarragonès.
Legends also attribute to him the miracle of managing to extinguish the fuse that was going to explode the wall of Tarragona during the siege of the city during the French War in 1811, leaving the eastern sector of the upper part of the city standing. This scene is depicted in a painting on the right wall of the entrance to the church of Sant Magí in Tarragona.
More traditional programme
One of the most refreshing events for these days of festivities is the Sindriada, a charity event on the 12th of August, where you can enjoy music and taste slices of watermelon to cope with the summer heat. Another highlight is the Verbena Iluminada (Illuminated open-air dance) on the 18th, with the different elements that will be the stars of a light show. In addition, from the 11th to the 18th, the VI Sant Magí Street Food gastronomic and family gathering will be held on the Palmeras promenade.
On the other hand, you can get to know, first hand, the elements that make up the popular culture entourage, such as the Nanos and the Gigantes, with the parades; and the Guided Visit to the Casa de la Festa, on the 13th of August. As well as souvenir shopping at the craft and art market in the Camp de Mart gardens.
The most important of the public holidays is the day of Sant Magí, on the 19th of August. Around this day, you can see the most traditional events, such as the arrival of the water from Sant Magí de la Brugafanya, in carts and horses, at the chapel of Sant Magí, in the Portal del Carro, on the 18th. You can take home as a souvenir the jugs and bottles of miraculous water.
On 19 August, you can also watch the ‘castellers’ exhibition of Sant Magí in Plaça de les Cols, performed by the four groups of the city: Xiquets de Tarragona, Colla Jove Xiquets de Tarragona, Xiquets del Serrallo and Castellers de Sant Pere i Sant Pau.
The festivities will culminate that same day, at dusk, with the procession of Sant Magí, through the streets of the Parte Alta, until the return of the saint to the chapel of the Portal del Carro, accompanied by the ascent of the walking pillars of the 4 groups ‘castellers’. The event will end with a firework display, the dances of the festive entourage and the Matalassera Festival of Sant Magí, which will put the finishing touch.
Remember that if you are coming to Tarragona, Shuttle2Sun offers you its shared transfer services and private transfer services, so that you can travel low-cost and sustainably from Barcelona airport, the port of Barcelona, Reus airport, Girona airport, and even from the AVE Camp de Tarragona train station.
Concerts and shows
The Camp de Mart gardens will once again offer a varied programme of concerts, such as Berta Sala Riba, Fauna, Komando Sound, Anna Tréa and Clara Gispert (13th of August); Alèrgiques al Pol-len (14th of August); Maio and JazzWoman (15th of August), among other artists.
There will also be disco sessions, with renowned DJs, such as La Kultural (11th of August); Capri Session (15th of August); another remember session with local DJs, with music from the 80s, 90s and 2000s; and the 24th Capsa Music Festival, with several days of live music. As well as various vermouths, wine, sausage and beer tastings, during the festival days.
For the youngest members of the family
If you are travelling to Tarragona with the youngest members of the family at this time of year, you can take part in an activity for children to get to know Roman Tarragona, which takes place from 12th to 20th of August; a session of wooden games; storytelling workshops; board games; etc.
Make the most of your visit to Tarragona to discover its rich Roman archaeological site, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which includes the amphitheatre, the theatre, the circus and the early Christian necropolis, among other elements.
Discover the nooks of Tarragona
If you want to get to know the most hidden places in Tarragona in depth, you can take part in the different routes organised during this festive week, such as the visit to the disappeared Tarragona; the visit to the Sant Magí sites in the Lower Part and in the Serrallo; and the route to discover the most unknown archaeological remains in the Upper Part of Tarragona.
Don’t miss the Sant Magí festival in Tarragona! Travel to the city from Barcelona airport, the port of Barcelona, Reus airport, Girona airport, and even from the AVE Camp de Tarragona train station, thanks to Shuttle2Sun‘s shared transfer services and private transfer services.
