Beautiful hand-made gifts from the Regional Artisan centre in Cartagena

Hand-crafted products can be purchased from dozens of regional artisans

Cartagena has been a centre for the trade and sale of hand-made products for over 2,000 years, and those wishing to purchase a gift or momento of a visit to the city, will find a vast selection of locally made products in the regional artisan centre, the Centro de Artesanía, which is located in the heart of the old quarter of the city.

This centre is very popular with cruise ship visitors and tourists, so sells a large number of practically compact items which can be easily transported in a suitcase, and the centre will giftwrap items free of charge as part of its service.

Those who are easily tempted by handmade jewellery will find an excellent selection in this centre, as the rings, bracelets, necklaces, scarves and accessories sold here by several skilled craftsmen take up little space in the even the most tightly packed travel bag, and there are many different styles available, using glass, stones, ceramics, wood and leather in their fabrication. Silver, of course, is also present in many pieces, once extensively mined by the Romans in the Sierra Minera of Cartagena, who employed thousands of slaves to extract and export silver from Cartagena across its vast Empire.

Cartagena is home to a glass blowing school and the Santa Lucía district was formerly home to the most important glass and ceramics factory in the region, so lovers of ceramics and glass will enjoy the wide selection of items made from these two materials, including glass inlaid boxes, glass and ceramic wall art and a host of practical small items which can be packed as gifts.

There are also many other disciplines represented, including Esparto grass, also a major export through the Roman Port of Cartagena leather, woodwork, metalwork, textiles, fans, paper craft and of course, local gastronomic goodies.

Address: C/ Honda, nº 10 / C/Jara, s/n.  30201 -  Cartagena (Murcia)

Telephone: 968 524 631

Fax: 968 321 157

Email: centroartesaniacartagena@gmail.com

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 20.30, Saturdays 11.00 to 13.30, closed on Sundays.

Admission is free of charge.

Click for further information about visiting Cartagena