Cartagena: Port & City. The Hidden Gem of Med?

Hello ,

Have cruised into Port of Cartagena a few years back on a Med cruise and thought it was a fantastic port of call  " a Hidden Gem".

Just received a bunch of brochures from a cruise company and noticed a huge increase in ships visiting CARTAGENA this year , P & O , Cunard and many cruises from the UK and med based. Looks like this will be a big boost to the economy of the region ..

Can anyone give information about good places to visit in the City of Cartagena ??

 It is a gem. Try this

www.murciatoday.com/where-to-go-in-murcia.html

Or visit tourist office in Cartegena itself.

Juan

 just wish it was easier to park in Cartegena, Any advice on that (coming from the North off the AP7)

 We park at the following.

On the port front underground car park which is handiest for touristic things.

There is a huge underground car park at Plaza de Espana

Otherwise Corte Inglese but that is a bit pricey unless you shop there.

Murciatoday once again knows all

www.murciatoday.com/parking-in-cartagena-locations-and-heights-of-underground-car-parks_3242-a.html

Juan

we went to cartagena for the first time last september from our house in almeria about an hour away, we went for the romans and carthaganians annual festival and even though it was cancelled and completely washed out with the floods we had a brilliant time. we stayed for one night in the NH cartagena which is right on the port, the first day it lashed it down so we went in all the exhibitions and museums which were all along the port, some free, and most were reduced because of the rain!!. then we went in one of the local tapas bars which was a great experience whatching the pace of the waiters. the roman theatre is right by the hotel that was good. the shops are all in one area and the town centre is beautiful, the tourist info building is a tourist attraction in itself. at night the city is beautiful and all the restuarants and bars are good. the next day the sun came back so we walked for miles, visiting the roman encampment and the submarine museum. we loved the city so much we are going again this september to try and see the romans again.

I have always felt that the way that the old and the new has so successfully been merged in Cartagena is a huge bonus, bearing in mind that allegedly the City was founded 800 years before Christ!!

Amazing place that I love to visit often.

Totally agree - we have been to the Romans and Carthagians festival and the Santa Semanda (Easter)  celebrations and a boat trip round the harbour and twice to the Roman ampithreatre - and still so much more to see and do!

Sandra

My favourite city- absoloutely beautiful. We go almost everytime we are at our apartment and have taken friends and family as well as recommending to anyone who will listen!

Love how they have kept the character of the buildings by keeping the outer facade and modernising the inside. The marina and harbour are so well kept and a great place for a coffee or a drink after a long stroll through town.

We have done the boat trips but will do them again this summer.

All credit to the Council for the sympathetic way they have pedestrianised the shopping area- can't wait till we get to go back in the summer and I was only there on Monday!!

We went to Cartagena last September and it was lovely, so clean and historic. The port is lovely too, we had family with us and took a trip on a catamaran for an hour which was amazing, would definitely recommend it. Looking forward to visiting this lovely city again this year.

Also forgot to say - you can take the train from either Balscias or Los Nietos into the old part of Cartagena (and the train from Los Nietos is well worth the ride alone as it take s you through the mountains via the old mining towns of Portman and La Union (you can get off at La Union and walk to the Mine Museum where they do tours on a dotto train and have flamenco in the undergroudn theatre).

Sandra