Cartagena beaches: Cala Cortina

Cala Cortina is the nearest beach to the urban centre of Cartagena

Cala Cortina is the nearest beach to the urban centre of Cartagena and is a naturally secluded cove  measuring 250 metres in length and 25 metres in breadth, reached along the road between the city and the nearby industrial area of Escombreras.

As this is the closest beach for all those who live in the city it tends to have high occupancy during the summer months, although is fairly clear for the rest of the year. Cala Cortina is the only beach in the area, so there is no option for those who have walked or cycled here to spread out onto another stretch of sand should they find that large numbers of people have arrived before them.

As well as being popular, the beach is also very well serviced and has been awarded both Q for Quality and Blue Flag status in recognition for the quality of the installations, the clarity of the water and the environmental nature of the facilities. 

Cala Cortina is a Mediterranean coastal beach and is unusual in that it has protective netting, screening it off from the Mediterranean to create a safe swimming area which is protected from jellyfish.

The beach has a picnic area and a busy fish restaurant, which provides full meals as well as the normal snacks and drinks. Other restaurants are around 4 kilometres away, and there are plenty of them, entering the main city area of Cartagena, and the same goes for shops: there is nothing nearby but plenty on hand in the city itself. There are several traditional fish restaurants in the district of Santa Lucía, opposite the container fishing port, which serve plenty of varieties of fish dishes.

Many beachgoers choose to walk or cycle to this beach; in 2016 a new cycle lane was opened to the beach from the city of Cartagena, facilitating access, and in 2018 steps were taken to improve safety on the winding mountains road.

Those choosing to drive will find a purpose built car park on the roadside, which accesses the beach via a steep staircase, and there is limited parking at beach level, with a walk through tunnel for those with less mobility. However, in summer both parking areas become crowded very quickly.

How to get there

Cala Cortina is usually accessed from the port area of Cartagena. Drive east along the sea front from the city centre and bear around to the right, alongside the container port. At the roundabout with the old crane in the centre, bear around to the right, following the line of the port and carry on through the tunnel and you’ll find Cala Cortina on the right hand side about 4 km from the centre of Cartagena.

If you enjoy exploring, take the right hand fork at a point where the road curves off on a corner before reaching the tunnel, which leads to an area by the side of the great harbour walls of Cartagena. This is an area used by the Spanish Navy for mooring, and at the far end is a diving school. This is a popular fishing area for locals, as the water is deep but with good access, perfect for a quiet Sunday morning angling session.

The locals also like to fish further along the coastal road which heads into the industrial area of Escombreras. Carrying on along this road, here are quite a few secluded, rocky bays which are easily accessed, as well as large lumps of concrete supporting the industrial structure of the area which make perfect fishing points. This part of the coastline is little explored by tourists as it’s heavily industrialised, but it is impressive in its own right and the huge industrial installations are surprisingly photogenic.

Services

Children’s play area, picnic zone, kiosk, restaurant, foot washes, access ramps for those with limited mobility, wooden walkways on the beach, bins, recycling points and toilets, including adapted toilets for the disabled.

Lifeguard and auxiliary first aid facilities are open over Easter, then from mid-June to mid-September between 11am and 7pm.

The beach is classified as being accessible for those with disabilities and 2 parking spaces are reserved for disabled vehicles. Adapted toilets, ramps and wooden walkways assist those with limited mobility.

Click for further local information about Cartagena, or for an overview of the beaches of Cartagena.