The Santa Tecla Festival is Tarragona‘s biggest popular event, an annual celebration that combines tradition, culture and excitement in every corner of the city. Every September, it attracts thousands of visitors who immerse themselves in a programme full of processions, castells, correfocs and shows that transform the city into a vibrant showcase of Mediterranean identity.
Attending Santa Tecla means enjoying a unique experience that connects the past and the present, where religion and celebration coexist in perfect harmony. The atmosphere in the squares and streets is unforgettable, and each event reflects centuries of history and devotion that make this celebration one of Catalonia’s main cultural landmarks.
Getting there is easier than it seems. From Barcelona Airport, there are transfers that allow you to travel comfortably to Tarragona. An excellent option are the shared transfer services and private transfer services offered by Shuttle2Sun, which are low-cost and sustainable, available from Barcelona Airport, as well as from the Barcelona Port, Reus Airport, Girona Airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
100 Years of Amparito Roca: Tarragona’s Festive Anthem
In 2025, Tarragona will celebrate the centenary of Amparito Roca, the pasodoble that, over the decades, has transcended its origins to become the great popular anthem of the Santa Tecla Festival. What began in 1925 as a light-hearted piece of music by composer Jaume Teixidor is now a collective symbol that brings together residents and visitors in every corner of the city. Hearing its first bars means feeling that the festival is underway.
This year’s programme dedicates several special events to commemorate this anniversary. On the 13th of September, the traditional Baixada d’Amparitos will take place, a lively procession that will depart from the Plaça dels Sedassos to the Serrallo, accompanied by the Xaranga Tocabemolls. With stops at iconic bars and a route that crosses Tarragona’s iconic squares and streets, this event perfectly represents the union of music, tradition and social life that characterises Santa Tecla.
The climax will come during the middle of the festival. On the 21st of September, the Tradiband will perform the first Amparito Roca of the celebrations in the Plaça de la Font, marking the departure of the Gegants and Nanos. And on the 22nd of September, just before the eagerly awaited Cercavila parade, all the musicians of the Seguici Popular, together with the Banda Unió Musical de Tarragona, will offer a massive and memorable performance, conducted by maestro Jordi Masip.
Travel to Tarragona to experience this celebration like never before, with the low-cost and sustainable shared transfer services and private transfer services offered by Shuttle2Sun from Barcelona Airport, Barcelona Port, Reus Airport, Girona Airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
The Diada de Santa Tecla: Solemnity and Tradition in the Heart of Tarragona
On the 23rd of September, Tarragona dresses up to celebrate the Diada de Santa Tecla, the central and most emblematic day of the entire festive programme. It begins with the Anada a Ofici, a procession that starts from the Plaça de la Font accompanied by the Seguici Popular and culminates in the Pla de la Seu with the solemn entrance of the Senyera (official flag of Catalonia). At mid-morning, the Plaça de la Font becomes the stage for the Seguici Popular, where all the festive groups, from the gegants to the bestiari, show off the best of their repertoire.
The afternoon, however, takes on a more solemn tone with the Procession of the Braç de Santa Tecla (relic of Santa Tecla’s arm), in which the relic is carried through the streets of the city accompanied by “castellers”, musicians, dancers and the devotion of thousands of faithful. The climax comes at dusk, when the Braç de Santa Tecla returns to the cathedral amid an outburst of collective emotion. The Seguici opens as it passes, the “castellers” raise pillars, the bells ring and fireworks light up the sky over Tarragona, while the relic returns to its chapel amid cheers and applause. The day ends with the great Santa Tecla fireworks, set off from the Punta del Miracle and visible from much of the Tarragona coastline.
La Baixada de l’Àliga: the Festive Climax of Santa Tecla
La Baixada de l’Àliga represents the strength, passion and collective euphoria of the Santa Tecla Festival. At midnight on the 21st of September, from the Pla de la Seu, the “Àliga” (Eagle) begins a long-awaited and crowded descent, turning the streets of Tarragona into an explosion of emotions. One of the most iconic moments occurs when it reaches the Plaça del Rei, when the PD Pussies begin their repetitive round of Amparitos. This is not just an event on the programme: it is the heart of Santa Tecla at night.
Likewise, with families in mind, a few days earlier Tarragona organises one of the most endearing moments of the Santa Tecla Festival, the Baixadeta, featuring the Aligueta, the Mulasseta, the Lleonet, the Gegants Moros Petits, the Negritos Petits, the Gegants Vells Petits and the Cucafereta; as well as the Cercavila de la Santa Tecla Petita, which offers an authentic miniature spectacle with the Seguici Petit.
Other Popular Cultural Events during the Santa Tecla Festival
Other highlights include the Cucafera festival on the 13th of September, with a performance of the legend of the Cucafera on the steps of the cathedral and a subsequent procession to the Plaça dels Carros; and the Cercavila de Santa Tecla on the 22nd of September, which will bring the energy and character of the festival to the streets.
On the night of the 24th of September, the city will vibrate with the traditional Correfoc de Santa Tecla, in which the Ball de Diables de Tarragona and guest groups will participate, accompanied by fire beasts such as the Drac, the Víbria and the Griu. The finale will be a grand finale by “Pirotecnia Valenciana” and the exciting collective cry of Visca Santa Tecla!.
As for the Castells (human towers) events, on the 14th of September, the Plaça de la Font will host the Diada castellera del Primer Diumenge, with the participation of historic groups such as the Xiquets de Tarragona, the Jove, the Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls and the Castellers de Vilafranca.
The “Castells” atmosphere will continue with the Festa matalassera in the Plaça de la Rumba, which will combine music, tradition and popular festivities. Finally, on the 23rd of September, the local groups will take centre stage at the great Diada Castellera de Santa Tecla, reaffirming Tarragona’s status as the capital of “castells”.
Don’t think twice and book your transfer from Barcelona Airport to Tarragona today! Remember that Shuttle2Sun offers shared transfer services and private transfer services, which are low-cost and sustainable, from Barcelona Airport, Barcelona Port, Reus Airport, Girona Airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
