Founded in the year 227 a. By Carthaginian Asdrúbal la Feria, Cartagena, a vibrant port city on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern Spain, has a long history with a large number of monuments documenting the passage of many civilizations.
Being a fairly small city, it is easy to walk from one place to another, starting with the remains of the Punic Walls, continuing to the second largest Roman theater on the Iberian Peninsula, enjoying the splendor of the Art Deco buildings and ending the day. with a panoramic view of the city and the harbor aboard a harbor cruise. In addition, lovers of all things maritime will delight in the Naval Museum and a model of the world’s first submarine, invented by Isaac Peral, born in Cartagena and launched in 1888.
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Tour the Roman theater
Direction
Plaza Ayuntamiento, 9, 30202 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 50 48 02
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Cartagena boasts the second largest Roman theater in the Iberian Peninsula. It dates back to the 1st century and was inaugurated in honor of the visit of Gaius Caesar, grandson of Emperor Augustus.
The theater could accommodate more than 6,000 people. It is accessed through a pink building that also houses the Museum of the Roman Theater. On three floors, the museum has a large collection of Roman statues and artifacts, which then lead across a glass bridge to the theater. Behind and visible from the upper level of the theater are the Cartagena Cathedral and the remains of a Byzantine wall.
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Understand ancient history at the Punic Wall
Direction
Calle San Diego, 25, 30202 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 50 00 93
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Cartagena has gone to great lengths to explain the sometimes complicated history to visitors. The Punic Wall Interpretation Center protects the remains of the oldest part of Cartagena, the Punic Wall, under glass walkways, while a video explains the founding of Cartagena. It has a particular historical value because there are very few Punic remains in Spain. During the excavations, the 16th century hermitage of San José was discovered. What remains is the monks’ crypt, with bones and skulls resting in various stories of burial niches and a rather macabre representation of the Dance of Death.
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Marvel at the Casa de la Fortuna
Direction
Plaza de Risueño, 14, 30202 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 50 00 93
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Cartagena lived its heyday when it was part of the Roman Empire. The wealth of the citizens derived from trade and abundant silver mines in the surrounding countryside.
La Casa de la Fortuna is a well-preserved Roman villa dating back to the first century. Marvel at the floor mosaics and colorful wall paintings, including a swan that is the most famous image in the village.
Furniture, tools, and mannequins dressed in the clothing of the time evoke a vivid image of how a wealthy Roman merchant lived. Newly discovered in 2000, the villa originally spanned 2,200 square feet. At the back of the house you can see part of a Roman road with huge stone slabs and remains of its advanced canalization.
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Climb the hill of Concepción
Direction
Parque Torres, Gispert, 10, 30202 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 50 00 93
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Dominating Cartagena’s skyline is the 13th-century Castillo de Concepción on top of the hill of the same name. Before King Alfonso X of Castile conquered Cartagena from the Arabs in 1245, it was the site of a Roman temple and an Arab Alcazar.
Access is from sea level at the King Charles III Wall via a winding path through a landscaped park filled with flowers, ponds, statues, and peacocks. The castle often hosts exhibitions, the most recent of which are splendid Renaissance costumes. Go down a walkway to the outside elevator, illuminated at night.
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Discover Art Deco along Calle Mayor
Direction
Calle Mayor, 30201 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Calle Mayor is Cartagena’s main pedestrian shopping street and the site of many prominent Art Deco buildings. In the early 20th century, the growing mining industry brought wealth to the city and with it richly decorated houses and public buildings.
The best examples are the triangular Town Hall and the casino. Casinos in Spain are not for gambling, but rather the headquarters of a cultural society.
Stop by the former Grand Hotel, now a bank, and the pink and white Aguirre House, which is also home to the Regional Modern Art Museum. Finally, take a break in Cartagena’s most traditional bar, La Tartana.
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Ride the waves on a harbor cruise
Direction
30201 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 50 00 93
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The natural and protected port of Cartagena is the main reason why so many civilizations fought for it. Enjoy the best view of the city from the sea with an entertaining harbor cruise. Drive past the cruise ship dock and commercial port into the open sea past two castles that guard the entrance to the port.
There are two options: a catamaran and / or a closed boat with a terrace. They both leave the pier crossing Paseo Alfonso XII and go down the stairs. The boat tour lasts about an hour, while the catamaran trip is three hours and includes a stop at the recently renovated Castillo de la Navidad.
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Learn about the naval history of Cartagena
Direction
Paseo Alfonso XII, s / n, 30201 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 12 71 38
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It is not surprising that a city so closely connected to the sea has several places dedicated to maritime history.
The Naval Museum, housed in a beautiful 18th-century building on the seafront, features a vast collection of tall ship models, naval uniforms, medals, and the Peral submarine, which was built in the late 19th century by Spanish sailor Isaac Peral. for the country’s Navy.
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Tremor in the Museum of the Spanish Civil War
Direction
Calle Gisbert, 10, 30202 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 50 00 93
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The Spanish Civil War, which was fought from 1936 to 1939, also brought suffering and destruction to Cartagena. Taking the elevator down from Concepción Hill, turn left and enter the Museum of the Spanish Civil War, a former refuge for citizens and a dramatic testimony to the difficulties of this dark time in Spanish history.
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Become Moor or Roman
Visitors in September will receive a gift as they have the opportunity to relive the story up close and personal. The largest festival, called Moros y Cristianos, takes over the city for two weeks with representations of the battles and thousands of “soldiers” and “civilians” in historical costumes taking part in plays and parades. They all wear elegant dresses and clink glasses in the Feria grounds (the football stadium) in one of the many tents.
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Explore underwater archeology at ARQUA
Direction
Paseo Alfonso XII, 22, 30202 Cartagena, Murcia, SpainGet directions
Telephone
+34968 12 11 66
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Further on, facing the sea, is the modern ARQUA building, which is the national center for maritime archeology. A museum and research facility for scientists, ARQUA’s most prominent exhibit is a treasure trove of 14.5 tons of gold and silver coins recovered from the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes fregatte that sank in the early 19th century.
