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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 announces date for big Christmas light switch-onMore than 750 glittering festive displays will illuminate Cartagena this holiday season Cartagena is gearing up for a dazzling holiday season, with the city announcing the official date for its highly anticipated Christmas light switch-on. .. 22/11/2024

Tickets are now on sale to watch Spain's national women's team take on South Korea in CartagenaThe world champions will play at the Cartagonova stadium on November 29 The women’s national football team of Spain are playing their last game of 2024 in Cartagena at the end of November. The team, which won the Women&rsquo.. 22/11/2024

6 ways to make the most of the December holidays and Christmas in the Region of MurciaFrom fiestas in Yecla to diving in the Med, passing through wine tours, cultural days out and medieval and Christmas markets in the Region of Murcia With national holidays falling on both 6th and 8th December, and the latter being a Sunday and postponed to..

Rising seas will consume large areas of the Murcia coast by 205018 square kilometres could be lost to the sea by 2100 due to climate change The coastal areas of San Pedro del Pinatar, San Javier, Los Alcázares and Cartagena on the Mar Menor are set to be the most heavily affected places of the.. 19/11/2024

Supermarket receipts could provide the clue to finding La Manga hit-and-run killersThe Guardia Civil are following leads from items found in the speedboat linked to fatal crash The Guardia Civil is in a race against time to track down the driver of the 4x4 which was responsible for last Saturday’s devastating crash on the.. 19/11/2024

Two Brits dead after drug boat causes crash on La Manga motorwayThe deceased were in Murcia for a golfing holiday when the accident happened Anoche un grupo criminal provocó un accidente en la autovía de la Manga a la altura de El Algar (Cartagena) matando a dos personas e hiriendo a otras.. 18/11/2024

Residents unconvinced by traffic 'improvements' in La AzohíaTraffic islands and accessible pavements exacerbate the car parking shortage by the beaches of La Azohía The Town Hall of Cartagena has proudly announced that work is complete on the creation of new “accessible pavements” in the San.. 18/11/2024

Tickets now on sale for Jimbee Cartagena matches in the Futsal Champions League!The entire group stage is being played in Cartagena between November 27 and 30 Tickets are now on sale for the matches to be played by Jimbee Cartagena in the Futsal Champions League as the local side make their debut in Europe following their trophy-.. 14/11/2024

Cartagena's parks change to winter opening hoursFor the next few months they will be open from 8am to 10pm Cartagena's parks are changing to winter opening hours. For the next few months they will be open from 8am to 10pm. These include local public park spaces such as .. 13/11/2024

Fortuna Vibes at Espacio Mediterraneo shopping centre, CartagenaHead down to the Espacio Mediterráneo shopping centre in Cartagena to try your luck in fun workshops Try your luck at the Espacio Mediterráneo, Cartagena. From November 8 to 24, you can head down to the shopping centres and.. 11/11/2024

Simon Griffiths clinches victory at 2024 Farmfoods European Senior MastersEnglishman Simon Griffiths has lifted the trophy for the Farmfoods European Senior Masters 2024 51-year-old English golfer Simon Griffiths secured his first Legends Tour victory at the renowned La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain this weekend at the Farmfoods.. 11/11/2024

Rent this excellently refurbished golf bungalow in La Manga Club golf resortLocated near the Grand Hyatt Hotel, this short-term rental accommodation is perfect for a golfing experience Do not miss your chance to stay in this fantastic 2-bedroom bungalow at the La Manga Club golfing resort in Murcia. With a.. 07/11/2024

Don't get left out in the cold: Make the switch with Spanish Energy this autumn for hot savings on your billsSpanish Energy offers a free, no-obligation comparison service that helps homeowners throughout Spain achieve substantial savings on their electricity bills All over Spain, people will have started noticing the days getting shorter and the nights.. 07/11/2024

New rubbish tip near La Manga Club and La Unión to open early in 2025The idea of building this new waste and recycling point is to provide garbage disposal services for people in Pozo Estrecho, La Palma and El Albujón Cartagena City Council has launched a tender to build a new rubbish waste tip, known in Spain.. 05/11/2024

La Manga scuba diver discovers 200-year-old shipwreckThe steamship recently discovered off the Murcia coast has a hole in it that could have been made by a cannonball It was mid-October and the conditions for diving in the Mediterranean Sea just off La Manga del Mar Menor were perfect. The sea was calm.. 30/10/2024

Cartagena City Council to modernise bus stationThe new station will have spaces for students and entrepreneurs Cartagena City Council has announced that it is to completely remodel its existing bus station. The aim is to give a sorely needed improvement to accessibility and to optimise.. 29/10/2024