Hola - Cartagena, Murcia, Spain - March 2023

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Cartagena is a small port city with a big history. Since its founding in 227 BC, the city has been ruled over by Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and finally the Kingdom of Spain - not to mention quite often overrun with gazillions of tourists. Its fabulous natural harbor has been used for thousands of years. Stand on the battlements of the castle that overlook this city and you can literally see layer upon layer of history spread beneath your feet: the wharf where Phoenician traders docked their ships; the streets where Roman legionaries marched; the plaza that once housed a mosque where Islamic Spain prayed to Allah; the hills over which came the armies of Christian Reconquista; the factories of the industrial age; the Modernista buildings; and the contemporary warships of what is still an important naval base. As archaeologists continue to reveal a long-buried and fascinating Roman and Carthaginian heritage, the city is finally starting to get the recognition it deserves as one of Spain’s most historically famous places. Its extensive network of pedestrian streets and lovely waterfront make it eminently strollable.

A Little Bit of History:

This city is home to 216,000 inhabitants and located in the southeast corner of Spain. Its wide bay is one of the best protected ports in all the Mediterranean. It was for this reason, as well as its close proximity to a silver mine, that the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal the Fair founded the city in 227 BC. Its original name was Kart Hadašt which was Phoenician for “new city.” This is the same name that was given to the original Carthage in modern day Tunisia. After the Carthaginian defeat in the second Punic War, the Romans gained control of the city which was renamed Carthago Nova. The Romans fully exploited the mineral reserves of the surrounding mountains and took advantage of Cartagena’s privileged defensive location on the coast. Most of the ancient ruins that can be seen in the city today date back to this time period. In 714 AD the Moors conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula and Cartagena was mostly forgotten. That is until the 1700’s when it became one of Spain’s leading naval ports. In 1873, Cartagena established itself as its own self-governing canton for a period of 6 months and put itself in the center of Spain. The city was heavily shelled, and it’s estimated that 80 percent of the city’s buildings were destroyed before everything was all said and done. Today, Cartagena is one of three main navy bases for Spain.

Following my usual sightseeing routine, I boarded the local HOHO bus and headed up to the open-air deck for a birds-eye view of this fascinating city. This particular bus company (Big Red Bus) is far cheaper than those of City Sightseeing (found in most major cities worldwide), with one day adult tickets for 7€ and by asking for a senior discount, I got mine for 6€ - let’s hear it for senior fare discounts!

Tip: when purchasing a ticket using City Sightseeing buses, retain your printed receipt to obtain a 10 percent discount when purchasing your next City Sightseeing ticket – receipts are good for 12 months from date of purchase. Be aware, many HOHO buses in different cities may look alike but they may not be the same bus company. Verify before purchasing that you are using the same company! And ALWAYS ask for senior discounts when shopping – if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Five of my top sightseeing suggestions for Cartagena:

Cartegena's Roman Theater is the city’s main tourist attraction and visiting it is at the very top of the main things to do. Built by the Romans in the 1^st century BC, the theater had space for about 7,000 spectators. Remarkably, houses were built on top of it, and it remained buried for almost 2,000 years, and remained that way until discovered in 1988! Access to Cartagena’s Teatro Romano is done through the theater museum, which occupies the Riquelme Palace located on the town hall square (Plaza del Ayuntamiento). The visit to the museum starts along an underground corridor with an exhibition of archaeological remains found while excavating the theater. After touring two more exhibition rooms, you cross one last corridor running under the Santa Maria church until reaching the imposing Roman Theater, which can be toured for free.

Every city has museums - sometimes too many in my humble opinion - because the reality is that many of them don’t have noteworthy collections. And if the collection isn’t very interesting, then why visit? With that said, rest assured that the Naval Museum (free access) is indeed something very special. The collection is world-class. The museum is divided into two buildings. The first building houses the original Peral Submarine, the main highlight of the museum. Designed by Isaac Peral, it was propelled by electric power and was the first of its kind to be used by the military. Did you know that the first submarines were made from wood? The second building of the Naval Museum won’t disappoint either. You will find military ship models, compasses and other historical navigation devices, ammunition, uniforms, old diving equipment, paintings, a huge torpedo, etc. The collection is very extensive. Even if the idea of a naval museum doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, I think if you give it a try you will be pleasantly surprised. Yes, entrance to the museum is free but there is a suggested 3€ donation. Be generous people, they need funds to keep this place going.

Unfortunately, Cartagena was mostly destroyed by bombings during the Cantonal rebellion that took place at the end of the 19th century. However, a big mining boom took place shortly afterwards that created a new local bourgeoisie excited to show off their newly acquired wealth. Luckily, they did so by building beautiful houses and thanks to them, strolling through the old town is an incredible experience. I recommend you walk from the San Francisco square to the town hall square along Honda and Mayor streets. The Plaza San Francisco itself is a charming square with several huge trees and incredible architecture on it (although a lot of it is quite neglected). A building that stands out particularly is the Casa Maestre, inspired by Gaudí’s Casa Calvet. Your walk ends at the elegant Plaza del Ayuntamiento (town hall square), located just a few feet away from the port. This square is presided over by the impressive Palacio Consistorial, seat of the city hall. This square is also where you will find the entrance to the Roman Theater Museum. Make sure not to leave Cartagena’s old town without trying the most famous tapa of the region, the “marinera”. This curved breadstick is covered by a generous scoop of Russian salad which is then topped with an anchovy. The marinera is the perfect tapa to accompany a cold beer on a sunny terrace.

The Castillo de la Concepcion is a medieval castle from the 13-14^th centuries located on top of one of the five hills that historically protected Cartagena. The truth is, there isn’t much to see of the castle itself. The best thing to do is to enjoy the great views of the city from the lookout area, including the port and the Roman Theater. Inside the fortress you will find the Interpretation Center of the History of Cartagena. It houses an exhibition about the 3,000-year history of the city and the different civilizations that have called it home. If you don’t want to walk up to the castle, you can use the panoramic glass elevator, which ascends 148’ and is located on Gisbert Street. The easiest option is to buy a combined ticket for castle + elevator.

The Palacio Consistorial is one of the main modernist buildings in the city and also one of the most beautiful ones. It was built between 1900-1907 by Tomás Rico. This unique triangular building stands out for its majestic white marble facade, which is topped with one zinc dome in each of the three corners plus a larger one on top of the main entrance. It was the first building in the city to have electricity. Today, for 1€ you can take part in a 20-30 min guided tour.

We all know (and probably adore) tapas along with a great glass of wine but are you aware there exists two tales regarding the birth of these delicious tidbits? One story tells of them being invented over 800 years ago by King Alfonso X, who ate small portions of food with a glass of wine between meals. The second (and most accepted theory) is that tapas originated as a snack for field workers during the long hours between breakfast and lunch. Whichever version you believe, these light appetizers are a gastronomic experience worth investigating.

And finally, for all shopaholics – make your way over to Calle Mayor, the city’s main street to browse for clothes, books, shoes, Knick-knacks and anything else that captures your fancy. It’s shop-til-you-drop time, make the most of it.

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Moorish Castle
I love the architecture.