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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

Evacuation after staircase collapse in historic Cartagena buildingOld property on Honda Street sealed off amid risk of further collapse An old building on Honda Street in the centre of Cartagena was evacuated on Saturday September 6, following the partial collapse of its interior staircase. The structure, which had been..

Murcia invests €14M in flood protection as autumn weather warnings hit the RegionStorm tanks, drainage systems and flood parks will be constructed in Cortillas, Lorquí and San Javier As autumn sets in and several towns across the Region of Murcia face orange weather alerts for torrential rain, the regional government.. 09/09/2025

Summer is almost over and Cartagena street awnings are still missingFestive lights are already being installed on Calle del Carmen, but summer has come and gone without any sun shade September in Cartagena brings a peculiar irony to Calle del Carmen, the historic centre's busiest commercial street. While workers.. 09/09/2025

Cartagena's port sparks a new era of hospitality and regenerationThe rejuvenation of Cartagena’s historic centre takes a leap forward as the AC Hotel Cartagena reopens after significant renovation. Renovation work is now underway at the port of Cartagena, marking the start of a wider transformation in the.. 09/09/2025

Gardens on Cartagena's Avenida del Cantón get a fresh new look ahead of festival seasonResidents’ complaints spur a welcome spruce-up just in time for the Carthaginians and Romans festivities Avenida del Cantón in Cartagena received a noticeable facelift this past Friday, improving an area that had been the focus of growing.. 08/09/2025

Cartagena blooms for Carthaginians and Romans festival with 12,000 new plantsCity launches major floral makeover to welcome one of Spain’s most colourful historic fiestas Cartagena has started a lively transformation ahead of the Carthaginians and Romans Festival, with the city set to receive a total of 12,000 fresh plants.. 08/09/2025

September holidays and festivals bring renewed joy to the Region of MurciaMurcia Fair, Carthaginians and Romans, and numerous local patron saint celebrations brighten the month As September arrives, many in the Region of Murcia find it a fresh start - a chance to ease back into routines after the summer break while continuing.. 05/09/2025

New drinking fountains installed in central CartagenaFountains installed at Paseo Alfonso XII and Plaza de España as part of wider hydration plan Cartagena is making staying hydrated easier with the installation of two new cold drinking fountains in the city centre this week. Following the launch.. 05/09/2025

Ensign Leonor takes flight at San JavierThe Princess of Asturias begins her final stage of military training as "just another student" with a strong bond to her classmates Princess Leonor, the Princess of Asturias and heir to the Spanish throne, arrived at the San Javier.. 04/09/2025

Cartagena to build between 15 and 20 new homes in La ConcepciónAffordable housing plans mark the start of a wider municipal strategy A previously unused plot of land behind the church in Cartagena’s La Concepción neighbourhood is set for new life, as the City Council prepares to build between 15 and.. 03/09/2025

Murcia photo of the month September 2025Here’s the top image of the month taken by the Los Alcázares Digital Camera Club (LADCC) Despite Spain’s intense heat the intrepid photographers of LADCC were out and about again last month! Entries for this month’.. 01/09/2025

People affected by La Manga hotel salmonella outbreak now total 190Origin of food poisoning or disciplinary action against hotel have not yet been confirmed The outbreak of salmonella at the Hotel Izán Cavanna in La Manga del Mar Menor last weekend has now been confirmed to have affected 190 people, according.. 29/08/2025

Cartagena city centre will soon look very different as redevelopment projects slowly reshape the old townTourism-focused building projects on derelict plots are slowly beginning to change the cityscape The city centre of Cartagena is currently undergoing a buzz of construction activity on many of its empty plots of land, which for years have been overgrown.. 27/08/2025

Environmental groups take legal action to stop potential hotel plans at the Cabo de Palos LighthouseThe Cartagena landmark has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest, but this doesn’t rule out commercial ventures At first glance, it might seem strange that an environmental group would oppose a declaration meant to protect the Cabo de Palos.. 27/08/2025

Where to listen to radio in English in southeast SpainEnglish-speakers and foreigners in Spain love listening to TKO Radio talk and music radio station in the car and at home! Due to its sizeable foreign population, southern Spain has radio that is 100% in English, dedicated to the foreign tourist and expat..

More than 100 guests suffering from food poisoning after eating at La Manga hotelOver 100 people have been affected by a salmonella outbreak at a hotel in La Manga del Mar Menor, and the hotel’s kitchen has been temporarily closed down by the Regional Ministry of Health A bad case of food poisoning has affected more than.. 25/08/2025

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