A 500-year-old festival
This is definitely the best part of Semana Santa in Tarragona and one of the best in Catalonia as a whole. It's the oldest procession the region and a festival of national touristic interest (it's supposedly even going to be declared to be of international interest). More than 3,000 people bring this procession to life via 20 different “pasos” (a company of faithful carrying an altar and icon). The festivities begin in the morning when a route is made by all the major churches of the city to gather the pasos. Following the procession is actually a great way to see Tarragona's churches in one sitting. It's also interesting to learn a little bit about the history of each paso and its icon. Many of the icons have had to be rebuilt various times because the originals were burnt or destroyed. Even the rebuilt ones are old, though, and they're true treasures of local history. At midday and early afternoon, the festivities move through Plaza del Rey. It's an especially good moment to see the procession because it goes up a steep hill and the participants start walking faster and faster before arriving nearly at a full-on run. All the while, they’re being cheered on by the surrounding crowd. In the evening, the procession reaches its zenith, with all the pasos and their icons and flags on full display. The best way to see the procession at this point is from the top steps of the Cathedral. You'll be able to see the entire procession as it passes by the Cathedral and the Carrer Major.
