City of Cartagena

Cartagena, history wedged between the hills and the sea

One of Spain's oldest cities, a cultural crossroads on a rugged Mediterranean bay and a living history textbook, Cartagena is not to be missed on your Costa Blanca holiday. Unfortunately, its stunning skyline and surroundings have been increasingly threatened in recent decades by heavy mining and manufacturing industries.

Cartagena (over 200,000 inhabitants) is located 55 kilometres from Murcia and 100 kilometres from Alicante, a short distance from the mining town of La Unión, the Calblanque Natural Park and the Cabo de Palos cape. From the seaside resorts of Mazzarón, La Manga de Mar Menor and Torrevieja, it is easily accessible by motorway and rail.

Take a walk down memory lane in Cartagena
Murcia's second largest city boasts a thousand-year-old tradition. It was founded by the Carthaginian warlord Hasdrubal the Magnificent between 228 and 221 BC under the name of Qart Hadash (Latin: Carthago Nova - New Carthage). Soon afterwards, the Roman consul Scipio Africanus conquered the site, and just before the beginning of AD a Roman theatre was built here, today the most important archaeological jewel of the city.

The Vandals (425), the Visigoths (476), the Arabs (711) and finally the Spanish (1269) successively took over Cartagena.

Cartagena's main attraction is its historic centre, Casco Antiguo (Old Town), situated between the five hills of Monte de la Concepción, Molinete, Monte Sacro, San José and Despeñaperros. It includes the Punic walls, the Aguirre Palace, the bullring, the Roman museum, the Roman theatre (rediscovered in 1988), the university quarter, the town hall and elegant Art Nouveau villas from the early 20th century. From the lookout point at Concepción Castle, you'll enjoy spectacular views of the entire city and harbour.