Easily manageable sections of the 7,560-km route which runs from Cádiz in south-western Spain to Athens and Cyprus! The Region of Murcia has long been a preferred destination for cycling holidays, the varied terrain attracting tourists from all over..

Learn more about the most popular liqueur in Spain on a guided tour of the factory and museum The tour includes tastings and a chance to pick up a great gift pack. The Licor 43 Experience offers visitors the chance to get to know one of Spain..

Spectacular underwater experiences for all levels of diver in some of the clearest water of the Mediterranean The marine reserve of Cabo Tiñoso was not officially recognized until 2017, but for many years before that the village of La Azohía, on..

Wreck dives and spectacular underwater landscapes and abundant marine flora and fauna Without any doubt the marine reserve between the headland of Cabo de Palos and the small islands known as Islas Hormigas is one of the prime diving locations on..

Where to go in Cartagena: the Roman Theatre Museum or Museo Teatro Romano The Roman Theatre Museum is in many ways the jewel in the crown of Cartagena. It is the most visited museum in the whole of the Region of Murcia, a beautifully structured..

The remains of a thermal baths complex and a temple to the deities Isis and Serapis on the Molinete hill in Cartagena When the importance of Carthago Nova, the Roman city which evolved into Cartagena, became clear during the 20th century one of..

A small museum, great views and an insight into the military history of the port of Cartagena For millennia Cartagena has been a safe haven for sailors on account of its natural protected harbour, where the bay is surrounded by rocky outcrops..

Superb panoramic photos of Cartagena, a historic park and a local history museum in the castle The panoramic lift in Cartagena is by far the most practical way to reach the highest point in the city, where the 13th and 14th century fortress of..

This popular tour shows many of the hillside defence fortifications which have protected Cartagena over the centuries A stop-off at the Fuerte de Navidad is a popular option among visitors to the city The historical importance of the city of..

A great area area for walking with several wild and picturesque beaches 1,882 hectares of land in Calblanque have been a protected nature reserve since 1987 in recognition of the fact that the area is one of the most typical of the coastline of..

A temple to elevate the Emperor of Rome to the status of a deity in the city of Carthago Nova The Romans conquered the Carthaginian city of Qart Hadasht in 209 BC, renaming it Carthago Nova, and almost 150 years later (between 54 and 45 BC) the..

A glimpse into the lives of the wealthy merchants of Carthago Nova The Romans conquered the Carthaginian city of Qart Hadasht in 209 BC, renaming it Carthago Nova, and almost 150 years later (between 54 and 45 BC) the administrative and economic..

Remains of the 2,200-year-old Carthaginian "Muralla Púnica" which failed to protect the city from the Romans This centre contains part of the remains of the original wall which encircled the city during the period immediately before..

The Refugio Museo de la Guerra Civil in the centre of Cartagena Looking at the serenity and beauty of the port in Cartagena today it can be hard to envisage the destruction that the city suffered during the years of the Spanish Civil War between..

A city of up to 17,000 people lived off the wealth created by 40,000 mining slaves “If, soldiers, you imagine that I have brought you here merely to attack a city, you have given more thought to your task than to its advantages: yes, it is true..

Visits can be arranged to see the 18th century Arsenal of Cartagena, which remains operational The military arsenal in Cartagena occupies a large area of land on the seafront in the centre of the city flanked on the inland side by Calle Real..

The former Roman site was home to the “morisco” descendants of the Moors during the late Middle Ages The hill of Molinete is one of the five which stand on what was once the peninsula of Cartagena before the area to the north, previously a..

The last city wall of Cartagena was built on the orders of Carlos III Very few visitors to Cartagena will fail to be impressed by the huge wall which lies parallel to the seafront in the main port area close to the old centre, but few appreciate..

A 19th century fortification on the easternmost of the five hills of Cartagena The fortress of Despeñaperros, also known as the castle of San José, is a 19th century fortification which stands at a height of 55 metres above sea level on the..

Year-round and summer-only street markets in Cartagena Not all weekly markets are set in stone, and if they coincide with public holidays they may be cancelled or postponed. In addition, days can change, so if you're not sure a call to the relevant..

The local Town Hall office for the Lentiscar area of Cartagena is in La Puebla The OMITA (Oficina Municipal de Información y Tramitación Administrativa) is a branch office of the Town Hall at which many administrative procedures such as those..

The medical centre of La Puebla is also used by the population of El Carmolí The medical centre in La Puebla, which serves not only the population of the village but also the surrounding countryside and El Carmolí, is located just off Camino Los..

The church of La Puebla maintains the original façade The main parish church of La Puebla is the most important currently used religious building in the Lentiscar area of the municipality of Cartagena, but it has had a relatively short history...

Tennis, paddle tennis, gym and football in Playa Paraíso and Playa Honda The residential area of Playa Paraíso, next to Playa Honda at the southern end of the Mar Menor, boasts a  municipal sports centre on Calle Himilce, which includes a climbing..

Medical centre in Playa Honda on the shore of the Mar Menor The small medical centre in Playa Honda is located in the row of yellow apartment blocks on the northern end of Avenida Julieta Orbaiceta (see map), although it is not visible from the main..

An open-air church in Playa Honda on the shore of the Mar Menor The church of Playa Honda is a curious, modern, mostly open-air structure located just off the main Avenida Julieta Orbaiceta which runs diagonally through the development down to the..

La Puebla, Los Beatos and El Carmolí are the main villages in this part of Cartagena The “diputación” (or administrative sub-division) of Lentiscar in Cartagena is one of the largest in the municipality in geographical terms, but one of the..

One of two marinas in Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal  The marina, or Puerto Deportivo, of Islas Menores, is located on a small headland named Punta de los Barracones, and contains mooring berths for 102 boats. In spring 2015 much-needed renovation..

The surgery in Islas Menores also serves Mar de Cristal The small medical centre of Islas Menores is located on the corner of Calle Islas Columbretes and Calle Isla Ízaro (see map), and the dispensing chemist’s is almost next door on Calle Isla..

The southernmost marina on the inland side of the Mar Menor The marina (or “puerto deportivo”) of Mar de Cristal is one of nine inside the Mar Menor, its nearest neighbours on either side in the southern part of the saltwater lagoon being those..

Public health care in Los Nietos The local Consultorio (or medical centre) of Los Nietos is located on the main RM-F54 road, Calle Lobarro, as it heads out towards Islas Menores in a south-easterly direction. The medical centre is at the corner..

La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Los Nietos The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles is dedicated to the patron of Los Nietos, whose feast day of 2nd August is the centre of the town’s annual fiestas. It’s a small church..

Puerto Deportivo y Club Náutico Los Nietos The marina of Los Nietos provides over 400 mooring berths on the south-western shore of the Mar Menor, at coordinates 37º 39 17 N, 00º 47 05 W (UTM ED50-RE 50/92, X: 695650 Y: 4169718) (see map). The..

The journey between Los Nietos and Cartagena takes around 30 minutes The main railway station of Los Nietos marks the eastern end of the local FEVE line which runs between Cartagena and the Mar Menor, with approximately 15 services per day running..

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Los Urrutias The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Los Urrutias is a building of unusual appearance which, while obeying all of the usual rules regarding design and structure in the Region of Murcia..

An island marina on the inland shore of the Mar Menor in Los Urrutias The marina of Los Urrutias, officially known as the Club de Regatas Mar Menor, contains 258 mooring berths for boats with a maximum length of 12 metres and draft of 2 metres...

Doctors surgery and chemists in Los Urrutias  The Region of Murcia’s health service runs a small and rather forlorn-looking medical centre by the sports pitches near the seafront on Calle Ramos Carratalá, next to the Neighbours’ Association..

Community centres in the Mar Menor town of Los Urrutias The Local Social and Neighbours Association in Los Urrutias are housed in a small building next to the municipal sports pitches and the medical centre on Calle Ramos Carratalá (see map). ..

Football and basketball facilities next to the beach in Los Urrutias The municipal sports facilities in Los Urrutias consist of a five-a-side football pitch, a basketball court and a football pitch on rough ground behind the Local Social on Calle..

Modern developments stand alongside the older town centre of Los Urrutias The town of Los Urrutias, on the western shore of the Mar Menor, grew into a popular summer destination for residents of the cities of Murcia and Cartagena and further afield..

Chalets, townhouses and apartments in Estrella de Mar on the shore of the Mar Menor Estrella de Mar is a residential development just south of Los Urrutias on the western shore of the Mar Menor (see map) where the first streets were laid out in..

The more modern properties lie higher up the mountainside in El Carmolí The small village of El Carmolí on the inland shore of the Mar Menor is not one of the Costa Cálida’s largest beach resorts, but the residential area which occupies the..

Cartagena has a good selection of monuments and museums which can be visited in combination with exhibitions, trips out or concerts. The long and varied history of Cartagena has attracted a succession of different cultures, each leaving its own trace..

Los Nietos falls within the administrative district of Rincón de San Ginés, Cartagena municipality Cartagena is a vast municipality, covering 558 square kilometres, the City of Cartagena and port at the heart of the municipality. For administrative..

This plaza is in the heart of the main Cartagena shopping streets This is a plaza in the heart of the shopping area of old Cartagena, and is easily recognisable as the plaza containing the “sculpture of the boy with the fish”, correctly known..

Palacio Consistorial in Cartagena is also known as the Casa Consistorial Cartagena The Casa Consistorial, or Palacio Consistorial, is the building which houses the Town Hall of Cartagena. The modernist building was originally completed in 1907..

Auditorium and Conference Centre El Batel in Cartagena  Tickets for performances at the El Batel Auditorio and Congress Centre in Cartagena are available from www.ticketmaster.es or directly from the auditorium. The Auditorio y Palacio de..

The District of the Roman Forum, the Molinete El Barrio del Foro Romano Much of Roman Cartagena lies buried beneath the modern city, but archaeologists have a very clear idea of the layout of the Roman city and the elements it would have contained..

The first pre-human remains in Cartagena are among the earliest in Europe at 1.3 million years old The history of Cartagena is a long and fascinating one, providing insights into the mix of cultural and racial influences over thousands of years which..

The identity of Cartagena was forged by successive dominant cultures Cartagena may have been home to many pre-historic races and civilizations (see the first part of the local history), but it was in the first millennium BC that the first of the..

From the Visigoths and the Moors to the Reconquista and the  Catholic Monarchs By the fall of the Roman Empire in western Europe in 476 AD the city of Cartagena had lived through various periods of growth, wealth and splendor. The area had..

The millennia-old city of Cartagena becomes one of the most important naval bases in Spain At the start of the 16th century in Spain there was, for the first time since the Reconquista began almost 300 years previously, a sense of national identity..

The worst naval catastrophe of the Spanish Civil War took place in the harbour of Cartagena The story of the Castillo de Olite, sunk in 1939 in Cartagena It is generally agreed by historians that the final phase of the Civil War in Spain lasted..

Cartagena The Old Cathedral of Cartagena Cartagena Catedral Vieja de Santa María  Click for map; Catedral Vieja Cartagena ( shown on map behind La Catedral restaurant) Traditionally the Catedral Vieja de Santa María is considered to be in..

Oficina de turismo de Cartagena Cartagena tourism information Where to find basic tourism information and information about historical sites and places to visit in Cartagena, Spain. Cartagena has a wealth of historical sites, including the..

Cultural centres and galleries in Cartagena Biblioteca Centro Cultural Ramón Alonso Luzzy Calle Jacinto Benavente, 7 30203 Cartagena, Spain Tel: 968 128858 Built in 1994, this building is a combination of library and cultural centre..

Where to go Mar Menor, walk up to the lighthouse at Cabo de Palos or enjoy an ice cream in the busy marina Cabo de Palos is a small peninsula which juts out into the Mediterranean sea, on one side stretching out along unspoilt coastline towards..

Early 20th century defence fortifications around the port of Cartagena    Due to its sheltered natural harnour and the valuable mineral deposits nearby, Cartagena has always been an important port and strategical location and the doorway..

Discover the timeless fishing village of La Algameca hidden in a small rocky inlet Since its restoration and conversion into a small museum between 2004 and 2007 the fortress of the Fuerte de Navidad has become a popular destination for visitors..

Museo Arqueológico Municipal Enrique Escudero de Castro in Cartagena The archaeological museum of Cartagena is a fascinating place to visit in itself, having been built around the archaeological site of a burial necropolis which was in use for approximately..