Auditorio Parque Torres and Castillo Arabe

These two spaces are open air spaces, used during the summer for outdoor concerts and events.

The Auditorio Parque Torres is a purpose built open air auditorium, located high above Cartagena at the foot of the Parque Torres. It’s primarily used during the Mar de Músicas festival which takes place in July.

The Castillo Arabe is a space slightly higher up the hill, behind the auditorium, in which a stage is erected and bars set in place for concerts which follow the main acts during the festival. Entrance to the main concert in the auditorio also gives free entrance to the concert afterwards in the Castillo Arabe.

The main disadvantage with these two venues is lack of parking nearby and therefore the necessity to walk up the steep hill leading to the venue.
During the festival the Panoramic lift which leads up from Calle Gisbert below is usually in operation, but it is highly advisable to contact the tourist office and check if planning to use the lift. ( 968 521 427 or 968 128 955). There is a fee for using the lift.

Otherwise, the best parking option is to park by the Extranjería, the foreigners office, with parking running around the foot of the large stone wall surrounding this part of Cartagena, or drive through the archway in the wall, then take a very sharp right up towards the top of it, then go immediately left and park in the University parking area next to the abandoned bullring. From here, it’s easy to cross the road and walk up the hill. This is also the best place to park camper vans as there is no height limitation.

Alternatively, use the underground car park in the Port area, cross the road and up the Victor Beltrí steps in the middle of the wall, along the top of the wall and then up the hill to the auditorium.

Or get a taxi up the hill. The taxi rank is opposite the underground car park.

Be warned, there is NO PARKING at the top of the hill by the auditorium, and on concert nights the police usually block off the bottom of the road. It’s highly advisable to allow a good 15 minutes to walk up from any of the parking options given here, as the road is quite steep.

This is not a particularly disability friendly venue, with a lot of steps, due to the terrain, and is particularly difficult for wheelchair users who want to go up to the Castillo Arabe afterwards. It’s also not particularly easy for those in wheelchairs to go down from the panoramic lift either, as the hill is quite steep down to the park.

Click for map, Auditorio Parque Torres  ( Click over to the satellite image and the auditorio can be clearly seen, as can the bullring and parking area opposite.)