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Cartagena Today

The city of Cartagena

Cartagena is a city of contrasts, its rich cultural and military history merely a backdrop for the industrial and commercial activity which supports the second largest city in the Region of Murcia.

Its natural strategic port has offered shelter to traders for thousands of years, and the rich mines of the Sierra Minera provided a reason for the frequent wars which were fought in order to possess it, Cartagena still being a major naval base today, as well as boasting a rich military heritage of patrimony. The history of Cartagena charts its development and the cultures which have shaped it today.

The city has developed a lucrative tourism industry based on the number of historical places which tourists can visit and enjoy, including the RomanTheatre Museum, ARQUA, MURAM, Casa de la Fortuna, Cartagena Municipal Archaeology Museum, the Augusteum, the Molinete and other well preserved Roman buildings and museums.

In addition there has been major investment in the creation of a new market for cruise ship tourism.

Cartagena

These days the port remains a major focal point for commercial activity, and the Escombreras industrial area has attracted major businesses including the Repsol refinery, SABIC petrochemicals and Holcim concrete plants within a concealed industrial zone. Cartagena is also the home of the regional parliament building of Murcia.

The Campo de Cartagena is a major source of agricultural employment, copnsisting of flat and fertile irrigated areas where salad crops, peppers, potatoes and courgettes are grown, while non-irrigated crops include olives, carobs and almonds.

The more mountainous outlying districts of Cartagena boast extensive areas of beaches, stretching around the coastline from Isla Plana in the west to Cabo de Palos in the east. Here, the spit of La Manga del Mar Menor encloses the Mar Menor, giving Cartagena an extensive offering of prime sandy beaches with safe bathing conditions in Europe's largest saltwater lagoon.

This in turn creates a varied leisure industry, with watersports, a motor racing circuit, some of the best diving facilities in Europe and one of Spain's most prestigious golf and residential complexes, La Manga Club, all creating leisure and tourism opportunities for local businesses.

Cartagena has a rich cultural offering, with important Semana Santa and Romans and Carthaginians fiestas, Carnival, the Mar de Músicas and Cartagena Jazz festivals. The El Batel auditorium and congress centre enhances an already rich cultural programme.

LOCATION

Click for map, Cartagena Spain

There is often confusion on map searches as there is another Cartagena in Columbia. Cartagena Spain is located in the south of the region of Murcia and is a major port and industrial centre.

The municipality of Cartagena covers an area of 558 square kilometres, with a population of 218,000 making it the second most populated municipality of the 45 in the Region of Murcia.

It shares boundaries with Torre Pacheco, Los Alcázares, La Unión, Mazarrón and Fuente Álamo.

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CARTAGENA

Cartagena brings in the big guns to tackle mosquitoesAll public parks, gardens and residential streets in Cartagena will be sprayed against the pests throughout the summer Mosquito populations are flourishing throughout the Region of Murcia following several muggy weeks with plenty of rain and.. 05/06/2023

4-star Hotel Occidental Mar Menor in Los Urrutias, closed during lockdown, to reopen this monthGuests can make bookings at the luxury Mar Menor hotel for June 15 onwards The Barceló Hotel Group intends to reopen the four-star Occidental Mar Menor hotel in the second half of this month, a hotel establishment located in Los Urrutias owned.. 05/06/2023

The Murcia beach competing to be crowned Best In SpainCondé Nast Traveler magazine has already shortlisted 50 spectacular Spanish coastlines The Region of Murcia is well-known around the globe for its spectacular coastlines which have won their own string of awards over the years, but this summer it..

Extra guided tours and escape room dates as the Ancient Egypt and Cleopatra season in Cartagena proves extremely popularThe main exhibition of Treasures of Ancient Egypt is at the Roman Augusteum in Cartagena The ongoing season of exhibitions and visits related to Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt in Cartagena are proving so popular that the local tourism authorities have decided.. 02/06/2023

Cartagena sails into summer with 15,000 cruise passengers on the docketEleven liners will cruise into the Cartagena port this month, one of which is a luxury ship The cruise tourism season has started with a bang in Cartagena, with each month bringing progressively more visitors to the Murcia coastal municipality, but.. 01/06/2023

Club MMGR Director of Padel travels to Chicago, Illinois to train and certify new padel coachesClub MMGR Director of Padel and General Manager, Alfonso Sernández travels to the USA to train and induct new coaches into the sport of Padel Mar Menor Golf Resort’s Club MMGR Director of Padel and General Manager, Alfonso Sernández.. 01/06/2023

7 Cartagena beaches to have summer lifeguards on duty from June 1The rest of Cartagena’s beaches will have lifeguards from mid-June onwards Despite the unstable weather in recent days, the City Hall of Cartagena has reported an increase in the number of people going down to the beaches of the municipality.. 31/05/2023

5 days out with a difference in the Region of Murcia!Treasures not far from the beaches of the Costa Cálida, selected by the Murcia tourist board We all know that the most common reasons for visiting the Costa Cálida are the warm climate, the fabulous beaches and the clear waters of the Mediterranean.. 29/05/2023

La Manga beachfront residents demand closure of hazardous sea dykeThe Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of Cartagena (FAVCAC) has warned the structure poses a "an obvious danger" to the public Concerned residents living close to Playa de los Alemanes at the beginning of La.. 25/05/2023

Boules, scuba diving, horseriding, skydiving and more alternative activities at Club MMGRClub MMGR, Mar Menor Golf Resort has expanded the facilities and activities on offer to include many new and thrilling experiences In addition to Club MMGR’s onsite facilities which include Basketball, Padel, Gym, CrossFit, Soccer, Mini golf, Swimming..

Where is the finest view in the Region of Murcia? The regional tourist board names 17 favouritesThere is a huge variety of views, from Yecla in the north to Águilas in the south, but is your favourite on the list? Choosing the best view in the Region of Murcia is an impossible task, partly because everyone is entitled to their own opinion.. 11/05/2023

Pickleball arrives at Club MMGR, Mar Menor Golf ResortThe fast growing sport in the US can now be played at Club MMGR on the new “Pickleball” court Played in 70 countries by 4.8 million players, this badminton/ping-pong/tennis derivative is the fastest growing sport in the USA, and &ldquo..

May and June 2023 Cartagena harbour tours with boat trip includedDiscover the beauty and history of the harbour of Cartagena with Mediterranean Cartagena Tours The fine weather appears to have settled in the Costa Cálida for the summer of 2023 and with it the superb Cartagena Harbour tours run by Mediterranean Cartagena..

Murcia politicians have 50 days to decide whether to extend Mar Menor planning and building moratoriumThe ban on new construction in La Manga del Mar Menor expires on August 3, but parliament has broken up for the next month and a half The parliamentary activity of the Regional Assembly in Murcia has come to an end for this legislature, and in the.. 27/04/2023

Gluten-free meals and a special breakfast offer at La Solana restaurant in La Manga Club!La Solana is the onsite restaurant at the prestigious La Quinta Club in La Manga Club La Solana Bar and Restaurant at La Quinta Club in La Manga Club has recently become the only establishment in the area to be fully recognised and accredited by the Celiac..

Safe and effective laser treatment for warts and moles with Clinica Diaz CaparrosThe CO2 laser removes most skin lesions in just 10 minutes and is virtually painless Warts, moles and seborrheic keratosis (benign skin growth), while not usually considered serious health conditions, can be bothersome and cause patients to feel self.. 25/04/2023

Leroy Merlin Cartagena Banner March 290 x 290