Cartagena has been in existence for over 2,500 years, and goes back to Roman and Carthaginian times. Cartagena is a city port, the port being used today as a fishing port, as a naval port, as a leisure marina and most recently as a new destination port for cruise liners.

Cartagena is a bustling city, yet small and friendly at the same time. It looks and feels clean and proud of itself somehow. Cartagena is home to some of Spain’s better shops (El Corte Ingles, THE Spanish up-market department store have a large branch here) as well as to many small independent stores, the usual Spanish café bars and restaurants and it really feels like ‘real Spain’. Cartagena appeals to those in search of peace and tranquillity and the more sybaritic, those looking for comfort and all of the services that a city provides those interested enough to search them out.

Very few European cities have the rich and monumental history that is possessed by Cartagena. It was founded over 2,500 years ago under the name of ‘Quart Hadast’, but the name as it is known today is derived from its Latin name of ‘Cartago Nova’. As well as having an abundance of monuments and a fine cultural history, it is blessed with a coastline that is nothing short of spectacular. In particular its beach at ‘Calblanque’ is stunningly beautiful, the location for the Calblanque Nature Reserve.

The ancient city of ‘Cartago Nova’ was one of the major hubs of Roman Spain. As such it has many archaeological treasures, the remains of the Carthaginian city wall dating from 227 B.C. and the many surviving remains of Roman times like the Amphitheatre, the Paleo-Christian Necropolis of San Anton and the Roman Public Baths. There are also numerous items of military history to be seen, including the ‘Castillo de la Concepcion’ (the Castle of the Conception), the military arsenal, the Artillery Park, the Military Hospital (now the University of Cartagena) and the Marine School. There are another 3 castles surrounding the city, those of ‘Galeras’, ‘Atalya’ and of ‘San Julian’, all of which served in their day to defend the city’s strategic position. Then add to all of these are the various religious sites like the Baroque Church of ‘La Caridad’ which houses the ‘Virgin de la Caridad’ the statute of the city’s patron saint and it is clear to see why the city demands so much attention for so many visitors … and why it is now a cruise liner port of call. The liners appear to dock in the main street the liner terminal is that close to the city.

The port of Cartagena was of strategic importance in the War of Spanish Succession and also in the War of Independence. The city’s seafaring history is evident in many areas of the city’s architecture and in particular in its many monuments. One famous tourist attraction is located on the Promenade by the marina, that of the prototype submarine designed by the inventor from Cartagena Isaac Peral and launched in September 1888. It stands proudly next to the Museum of Maritime Archaeology.

Cartagena’s golden age was during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century and during these periods the city took the shape that it has today. During this period luxurious dwellings were constructed, once owned by rich mine owners, like the buildings which are today the Gran Hotel, the ‘Palacio Consistorial’, or the city hall, a real gem of modernist architecture, and even the railway station!

The best time to visit Cartagena is during the Easter Festivals when the streets are filled with crowds following the numerous processions. Then again the ‘Moors and Christians’ Festival from the 23rd September to the 1st October is an awesome Festival as well!
 
The city holds a place in the hearts of the Spanish, and countless Ex-Pats who simply adore it. It has “something for everyone”. It is very tourist-friendly, has a lot to offer, and is one of the oldest port cities in the whole of Europe. It is a real gem, a part of ‘Real Spain’, and it is well worth a day trip to go to see and enjoy it!

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