Have you ever ridden a Segway before? My relationship with the super-dorky transportation device has been an odd one. When they were first released years ago with much fanfare, I was naturally curious (along with billions of other people), but never curious enough to actually try one out. Over the years, Segways have made their way into shopping malls and tourist hotspots. In Tarragona, Catalonia, I finally had the chance to try one out for myself.
My verdict? FUN!
It was surprisingly easy to maneuver and after a short while, I was so skilled of a driver that I was simultaneously riding my Segway, snapping photos, tweeting and checking in on Foursquare—all at the same time! (Well, almost…)
The tour in Tarragona started out in the main plaza where we got a brief lesson in how to drive. After we all felt comfortable we went out into the city. Tarragona is famous for its Roman ruins scattered across the city (which have been listed as UNESCO world heritage sites). I was visiting over the summer when the city was especially alive with lots of pedestrians milling about on the sidewalks—easy targets :)
Tarragona’s Cathedral
The Tarragona Cathedral is one of the more interesting sites in town. It’s a mix of Baroque and Romantic architecture. Though it sits on top of a hill, my guide for the Segway tour found a way for us to get up close without walking up a lot of steps. Major benefit of being on wheels…
Going around Tarragona on a Segway was a fun experience and a great way to get around. The city’s not too far from Barcelona and, depending upon train times, would make for a great stopover on the way between Valencia and Barcelona.
During the summer in Tarragona, the city also hosts public events in the Roman amphitheater which sits right next to the Mediterranean Sea. You can visit the amphitheater during most days, but when I was in town they were actually putting on a summer festival of Gladiator battles. It was a bit bizarre to sit in an ancient Roman amphitheater and watch a classic Gladiator event. It was definitely targeted for children but was a strange and cool experience nonetheless.
The gladiators that were performing in Tarragona were professional performers who were very intent to put on a realistic performance. Quite the act!
One thing I noticed going around Tarragona was how picturesque and pretty the city is. So many ancient monuments, contemporary street art and intricate designs throughout the city. If the modernist style of Barcelona starts to give you a headache, try Tarragona’s classic beauty. @ArgosTarragona offers these Segway tours around Tarragona.
My visit to Catalonia was in partnership with @TravelDudes and the Catalunya tourism board.
How lovely. But still: the inventor of Segway died driving Segway :D
Ohhh I know Fede! Thankfully I didn’t go near any cliffs in Tarragona…
I took my first segway ride in Barcelona and was a tad worried that we would all look like a herd of geeky tourists, but we ended up being the cool kids. So many people were stopping us asking how they could take the tour too!
Hahah, really Annette? I still think I looked like a dork, but I’m used to it anyways :)
You’re a really good writer. I am sold on segway now lol. You oughtta send them this post and see if they won’t ship you one for free. I used to feel the same way. Super dorky. Couldn’t ever bring myself to pay for it. But now maybe I will give it a shot. Maybe I’m actually secretly jealous :)
Hahha, thanks Leif. I once was with my Dad and he wanted to try the Segway but I wasn’t interested because it looked so dorky! Took me a few years to finally decide to do it and it was so much fun!
Looks fun! I’ve always wanted to try a Segway tour even though I’m also scared of looking dorky. I think I’m just going to have to get over the dork factor and seek one out soon. :)
Definitely worth a try at least once!
I took one in Florida and they aren’t as lame as you think! They’re actually kinda cool, way cooler than I would have imagined and you can get cooking on em.
Ride or Die & I what you’ve done with the place design wise.
Thanks Rob!
And yep – Segways are way cooler than I would’ve thought. So much fun—especially with a group of fun folks to go around town with.
This sounds like so much fun, and WHAT a stunning place to explore on the Segway! It’s interesting to explore such a historic city with such a modern device too–perhaps that’s why they did it? Now adding Tarragona to the expanding bucket list.
Hey Charu,
Glad that you noticed the old/new comparison! Tarragona is a very cool city and relatively easy to get to from the nearby bigger cities. If you’re into ancient ruins, it’s a place you definitely should see!
I have heard so much about the segway that its great fun to be on. I love to read about the Roman Empire so the image of the gladiators makes my day. You’ve got some stunning photos here.
You should see some of the other photos I snapped of the gladiators! Sexy guys ;-)
I’ve seen Segway tours near me and have always wanted to do them. They look a lot of fun.
I’ve seen them so many times and always thought they looked ridiculous! But in fact it was a lot of fun!
Segways are awesome. I can’t imagine riding around all that beauty on one of those. You must have felt like a king.
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