It will fall to King Felipe of Spain to officially open them on Friday (June 22), but his words will come against against a backdrop of political unrest in the wake of last October’s referendum on Catalan independence. 

The growing crisis had a knock on effect which led to the postponement .

Feelings in the region continue to run high and many buildings are decorated with political symbols and yellow ribbons supporting leaders of the Catalan independence movement who have been imprisoned.

Organisers remain uncertain whether the leader of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Qim Torra I Pla, will carry out his threat to boycott the Opening Ceremony. 

He vowed not to attend because the King and Spanish Government President Pedro Sanchez will both be there. 

Torra called for the King to retract a speech in which he firmly backed the Madrid Government position.

The King was an Olympic sailor at Barcelona 1992 and was, for a long time, President of the Spanish Olympic Committee.

"Spain has always been a committed partner of the Olympic Movement and this will be proved once again in Catalonia, this time in Tarragona," he said.

"No effort has been spared."

A group of 26 nations are set to take part and a record 3.600 competitors have been arriving at the Athletes' Village in Port Aventura, 15km outside Tarragona.

Jesus Garcia Bragado is arguably the best qualified "Village Mayor" there has ever been. 

A seven-time Olympic race walker, he won 50 kilometres gold at the 1993 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Stuttgart and has taken part in more major events than anyone else.

"I’ve been to many [Athletes'] Villages during my career and this is one of the best organised I’ve ever seen," Bragado said.

"I am confident that it will work very well."

Many locals view this event as the biggest thing ever to come to Tarragona.

The headlines in the local newspaper Diari de Tarragona translates as "On your marks" and the old town, looking out over the gleaming Mediterranean, is already festooned with welcome banners, including the mascot Tarracus, a Roman centurion.

Tarracus is the result of a competition was held in schools throughout the region.

From some 10,000 entries, the winner was 13 year old Aleix Girona from the Abel Ferrater school in La Selva I Camp, 14km outside Tarragona . 

His original drawing was adapted by French artist Jean Jullien to create the finished mascot.

Jullien had previously drawn the symbol for peace in the wake of the Paris terror attacks of 2015.

Tarracus wears a Roman helmet made of the water of the Mediterranean, with a plume in the colours of Tarragona. 

He also wears a scarf of the type worn by Castellers, who celebrate festivals by climbing to form human towers or Castells.

Even the medals have been inspired by the look of Roman coins with irregular edges. 

They are inscribed "Jocs Mediterranis" in Catalan, Spanish, Arabic, French and English. 

They feature a charioteer and the legend Reditum al Arena - or return to the Arena - although competition here is not expected to be quite as fierce as the gladiatorial contests.

The ribbons hang from an arch which represents the "Aqueduct de les Ferrers", commonly known as the Pont del Diable, or Devil’s Bridge.