Holiday apartment in Cartagena: 3,000 years of history and a natural harbour

The Castillo de la Concepción opens up Cartagena’s 3,000-year history. The Castillo de la Concepción also offers the best panoramic view of the city of Cartagena and its natural harbour.

Culture

In the domestic setting of Roman Cartagena, the Casa de la Fortuna transports visitors back to the 1st century AD. Roman wall paintings and mosaics with mythological motifs can be seen there. The Casa de la Fortuna also offers an audio guide in Spanish, English, French and Russian.

The Muralla Púnica is one of the few Carthaginian remains discovered in Spain. When visiting the Muralla Púnica, the burial crypt of the San José Hermitage, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, can also be visited. The walls of the San José crypt display a distinctive iconographic programme featuring dances of death.

The museum complex of the Roman theatre integrates monumental remains into Cartagena’s urban fabric. The Museo del Teatro Romano offers guided tours approximately every hour. The Museo Foro Romano forms the entrance to one of Spain’s largest urban archaeological parks. The Archaeological Tour of Cartagena leads thematically to accessible remains of ancient Cartagena; the finds provide insights into aspects of ancient shipbuilding, trade and navigation.

The industrial, mining- and trade-oriented bourgeoisie shaped the present-day character of Cartagena’s old town by constructing new residences in the eclectic and modernist styles of the late 19th century. The exhibitions focus on artistic forms of expression from approximately 1870 to 1960.

History

The Fuerte de Navidad is the only coastal battery designed to show military and everyday life in a 19th-century fortress. A visit to the Fuerte de Navidad ends with a view from the terrace.

The Museo-Refugio de la Guerra Civil conveys Cartagena’s more recent history and presents an audiovisual display featuring authentic images and sounds from that period. The Fiestas Carthagineses y Romanos also place a historical focus: they last ten days and take place in the second half of September. Every day, at least one major programme item tells of Cartagena’s history and the events that took place there during the Second Punic War.

Nature and sea

Monte Roldán is used for hiking, cycling, mountain running and other leisure activities. In the wider area around Cartagena, the natural area of Sierra de La Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán is designated as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) and forms part of the Natura 2000 network.

In the wider area around Cartagena, the marine protected areas of Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas, as well as the Cabo Tiñoso marine protected area, offer opportunities for recreational diving. In the marine environment of Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas, there are seagrass meadows of Posidonia oceanica as well as rocky coral grounds.

Cuisine

Caldero, an important fish dish in the cuisine of Cartagena and its surrounding area, combines rice with fish from the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor. Asiático is a coffee speciality from Cartagena made with condensed milk, brandy, cinnamon, Licor 43 and lemon zest.

More destinations

More destinations: La Manga Del Mar Menor, Pozo Estrecho, Playa Honda, Isla Plana, Cabo De Palos, La Azohía, Islas Menores, Los Belones, Los Urrutias, Los Nietos.

To the higher-level travel overview: Murcia.