Sightseeing in Spain's coastal tourist hubs

Most people fly into the coastal towns of Valencia and Tarragona and then head straight to the beach. Their time in the city space is fleeting; some may head back of an evening to sample the nightlife, but most set themselves up on the coast under endless sunshine listening to the sound of the Mediterranean Sea rising and falling onto the beach. But missing these coastal cities on Spain trips is a real shame; aside from the nightlife, they boast some unique architecture, top-notch restaurants and culture overflows from every opera house, art museum and gallery.
On The Beach has Spain trips flying into to Valencia and Tarragona available right now so you can soak up culture and some sunshine before the summer's end. Here's what should not miss.

Valencia

The Moors occupied Valencia for centuries giving its architecture and much of its local cuisine a truly Arabic injection. Prior to the Moors, the Romans were rather fond of this city by the sea and there are many remnants of this history remaining today. However, while the old part of the city is wonderful and definitely worth a day of exploration, perhaps more unique and spectacular is Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences. This futuristic complex of science museum, IMAX cinema, opera house, marine part and planetarium is a sight to behold it's somewhere between the Sydney Opera House, the Scottish Parliament Building and The Guggenheim in Bilbao. Try and catch a show or film and definitely make time for the science museum, which is modern, interactive and constantly evolving, as well as the aquarium Oceanografic; it is the largest in Europe with more 45,000 species.

Tarragona

People on trips to the Costa Dorada might head into to Barcelona for a day, but they will generally completely bypass Tarragona, a little further along the coast. Like Alicante it has both Moorish and Roman history, which adds a richness and depth to the city's architecture. La Part Alta, the 'old part' on the upper level of the town is where you should devote your time. This medieval walled town is a 'site' in its own right. There are five main Roman sites dotted around the city including Roman columns and a forum.
The Museu Nacional Arqueologic is also worth a few hours of your time and the grand,
imposing Romanesque meets Gothic cathedral should not be missed either.