Our grand tour of southern Spain in a motorhome January 27th Day Thirteen What is here to do in Cartagena?

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Friday 27^th January Day thirteen

What is there to do in Cartagena?

We catch the bus into Cartagena from our motorhome site. It goes every half hour and costs 1.20 euro one way. Its line 6. And it's a 15-minute journey into the centre of the city. You need to walk 600 m down the road to the bus stop which is outside two tall blocks of flats called ‘Buenos Aires’...we kid you not! The road has no path but there is a cycle lane of sorts so you are relatively safe. Go directly to the Roman Theatre Museum and there you can buy a ticket which can get you into six museums across the city at reduced rates. It costs us 16 euros each.

We wander down to the sea front and then go for a coffee at a street café outside the city hall. Cartagena has a great naval history and you can see both the naval and commercial ports. The theatre museum is good with some interesting artefacts. The theatre itself is still being restored and we have seen better in Orange in France and in Vaison la Romaine in Provence, if we were to be honest, but it is still worth visiting.

From there we head to the Roman forum ruins - very interesting with some areas of wall murals and then down to the Roman Fortune Domus which is underground. It is amazing how much of Cartagena must be built over Roman ruins. This one has walls, a roman road, some artefacts.

We finish our city tour by visiting the castle where there are extensive views out across the city. Go up in the lift .... a bit of fun.

So, is the city worth visiting?

Yes – you can easily fill a day here. To do the place justice, give it two days.

The old town of Cartagena was constructed in 223 BC and was the great Hannibal's capital city. Rich and full of character there is plenty to explore from Belle Epoque architecture to memorials of the Spanish Civil War. You can even go see a section of Hannibal’s original city wall. There is an amphitheatre but it isn’t open to the public but can be viewed from the city castle.

Cartagena is one of the most important naval ports in Spain and has been the capital of the Spanish Navy’s Maritime Department since the arrival of the Spanish Bourbons in the 18th century. A tourist boat tour of the harbour takes around 40 minutes and you pass historic sites including lighthouses, forts, castles and the naval docks. If you visit the Naval Museum, look out for the sculpture of a whale tail close to the harbour; it honours the whales that navigate the waters of the Port throughout the seasons. Go find out about the Isaac Peral Submarine, the first battery-powered vessel launched in 1888. It was tested for 2 years but never fully developed.

Don’t miss ARQUA, the National Centre for Marine Archaeology, located on the main Paseo of the port Paseo Alfonso XII. Some incredible historical artefacts and it is also a research facility. Phoenician vessels, Roman wrecks, the treasure of the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, a frigate that was sunk in the early 19th century with 14.5 tons of gold and silver coins.

Cartagena was one of the most besieged cities during the Spanish Civil War. In 1878 a tunnel was opened on Gisbert Street that connected Conception Hill to the highest point of the city. This “tunnel” became an anti-aircraft shelter and in 2004 was converted into the Museum of the Civil War Giving tourists a glimpse into life in Spain during this period of time. We didn’t have time to visit but it was recommended to us by people back at the campsite.

That should give you plenty of ideas and here is another site which might whet your appetite further: https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-cartagena-spain/