Cartagena

Cartagena is a coastal city of the Region of Murcia that has very ancient origins dating back to the first centuries BC when a Carthaginian general founded it with the same name as his hometown, Carthage. Later it became an important Roman colony whose remains of this civilization are still visible in the city: a large forum and a theatre. During the Arab era, people built a mosque and a fortress. Then, when the city was definitively dominated by the Catholics, they strengthened the wall and built coastal fortifications such as the Fuerte de Navidad (Christmas Fort). In the following centuries, people built military construction such as the Arsenal and the Hospital of Antiguones which also served as a military base.

Currently in the city you can see the remains of the Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine era, and military structures of the more modern era, as well as neoclassical and modernist buildings. Among the monuments that you can see there are:

  • the Roman Theatre;
  • the Augusteum;
  • the district and Museum of the Roman Forum;
  • the Punic Wall;
  • the House of la Fortuna, a Roman house from the first centuries BC;
  • the Byzantine Wall;
  • the Castle of the Conception, known as the Castillo de los Patos;
  • the Roman Amphitheatre;
  • the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Mayor, partially destroyed during the Civil War;
  • the fortresses of Atalaya, Concepción, Despeñaperros, Galeras, Moros and San Julián;
  • the military forts of Fuerte de Navidad, Santa Ana, Trincabotijas Alta y Baja, Castillitos, Roldán and La Parajola.

Furthermore Cartagena has two beaches: Cala Cortina and La Algameca Chica; and in its seabed people can do underwater activities that allow to know the great biological diversity of the plant and animal species that live in its waters.
As for the churches, there are some in the Baroque and Neoclassical style to see, and they are:

  • the Basilica of la Caridad
  • the Church of Carmen
  • the Church of Santo Domingo
  • the Church of Santa María de Gracia

Architecture is a very important aspect of Cartagena. In its streets there are beautiful examples of modernist buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and they are:

  • the Grand Hotel
  • the Palace of Aguirre
  • the House Maestre
  • the House Llagostera
  • the City Hall
  • the Casino
  • the House Cervantes
  • the Pedreño Palace
  • the train station.

To discover Cartagena origins and culture, you can visit some of its museums, which are:

  • the Municipal Archaeological Museum “Enrique Escudero de Castro”
  • the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology
  • the MURAM Regional Museum of Modern Art
  • the Naval Museum
  • the Cartagena Artillery Museum
  • the Carmen Conde Museum – Antonio Oliver
  • the Ethnographic Museum of the Campo de Cartagena
  • the Palace of Molina.

In addition to that, some important places and monuments of the city are:

  • Batel Auditorium and congress building
  • Refuge Museum of the Civil War
  • Peral Submarine
  • the Monument to the Heroes of Cavite and Santiago de Cuba
  • the Panoramic Lift

Among the feasts and festivals of Cartagena you should see:

  • Carthaginians and Romans
  • Holy Week
  • the carnival
  • the music festival la Mar de Músicas
  • the Jazz Festival
  • the Cartagena International Film Festival

Finally, among the typical dishes of its gastronomy there are some with fish and rice, such as caldero; but also with meat such as rice with rabbit (arroz y conejo). Among the desserts to try, we recommend: suspiros, cordiales and rollitos de San Antón.

OTHER CITIES OF THE REGION OF MURCIA TO VISIT ARE:

  • Lorca: the “City of 100 shields” (Ciudad de los cien escudos) for its important heraldic heritage, it is a city in the hinterland of the Region of Murcia famous for its castle, architecture and the Holy Week processions. Furthermore, it has museums, churches and convents of historical and cultural interest. Read more here about Lorca 
  • Murcia: its origins date back to the first millennia before Christ, and its gastronomy consolidated the local identity through delicious dishes that conquer even the most demanding palates. Read more here about Murcia
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