HOME > MURCIA MAR MENOR & CARTAGENA > CARTAGENA

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.

SELECT A SUBJECT OR READ THE LATEST TOWN ARTICLES BELOW

Whats On Cartagena Cartagena Local News Places to visit Cartagena City Places to visit outlying districts Where to Eat Cartagena Semana Santa, Fiestas, Traditions History of Cartagena Cartagena Cartagena beaches Medical Info, Doctors and Hospitals Police, Town hall, Useful Info Public spaces and cultural venues Monuments, churches and plazas Locations with Military Connections Tourist Information and Parking Cartagena Cruise Ships Shopping and markets Cartagena Property Cartagena municipality

CARTAGENA

Spain Today Online acquires Indalo Restaurant and Health & Fitness GuidesYour definitive guides for dining, wellness and lifestyle across Murcia, Almeria and the Costa Blanca Spain Today Online is delighted to announce the acquisition of the Indalo Restaurant Guide and the Indalo Health, Fitness & Beauty Guide.. 25/09/2025

Pedro Sánchez sends naval vessel Furor from Cartagena to protect Gaza aid flotillaSpain joins Italy in deploying military ship to assist flotilla facing attacks at sea President Pedro Sánchez has announced that Spain will send the Maritime Action Vessel Furor from the port of Cartagena, in Murcia to provide assistance to.. 25/09/2025

Raining euros in San Javier as locals scramble for unexpected windfallA gust of wind sends banknotes flying and locals chasing their luck on Avenida Aviación Española It’s not every day you spot real money skittering along the road and swirling across the pavement, but that’s exactly what happened.. 25/09/2025

Discover the vibrant new art gallery in Cartagena bringing global creativity to the heart of the cityAmerican artist Travis Moore’s space on Plaza de La Merced celebrates recycled art and a soon-to-launch international artists’ collective Cartagena’s art scene has a fresh new face thanks to a unique gallery founded by American artist.. 24/09/2025

Sewage spill floods Cartagena's Benipila ravineThe Ayuntamiento called it a sewer network failure as curious locals sniff out the scene Residents of Cartagena’s Concepción neighbourhood, near Luis Calandre Street, woke up yesterday morning on September 22, wondering about a less-than-.. 23/09/2025

Iron Maiden return to the Region of Murcia in 2026The legendary British band will headline the next edition of Rock Imperium in Cartagena Two years after their last visit, Iron Maiden are set to return to the Region of Murcia. Widely regarded as one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time.. 23/09/2025

Win free tickets to watch La Manga European Senior Masters Championship with Murcia TodayLegendary Ryder Cup stars set to compete at La Manga Club this November 6-9, 2025 Golf fans in the Region of Murcia are in for a real treat this autumn as the European Senior Masters Championship returns to La Manga Club from November 6 to 9, 2025.. 19/09/2025

Campoder unveils 178km of scenic trails with hands-on exhibition through MurciaEight towns invite residents and visitors to explore the region’s wild side If you fancy stretching your legs or hopping on a bike through some of Murcia’s prettiest corners, there’s something new to try. The Campoder Trail Network has.. 19/09/2025

Cartagena aims to reconnect with Madrid by train with hybrid optionMayor pushes plan to bring back direct rail line well before the high-speed AVE arrives Cartagena’s Mayor Noelia Arroyo has put forward an encouraging plan to restore the direct rail link to Madrid much sooner than expected. Using hybrid trains.. 17/09/2025

Murcia among world's top 20 places for digital nomadsSpain has seven cities in the ranking, making it one of the best countries to work remotely An aerial view of Murcia city More and more people in Spain are becoming digital nomads and no longer need to go into the office five days a week... 17/09/2025

New regional road plan promises safer, greener journeys across MurciaGovernment to review over 2,700 kilometres of roads and map out improvements for the future The Region of Murcia’s roads are set for some careful attention over the coming years, as the Ministry of Public Works has just awarded the contract for.. 17/09/2025

Free museum entry in Cartagena during Carthaginians and Romans festivalCostume, culture and history all come together for an unforgettable celebration Who doesn’t love something for free, especially when it means you also get to dive right into Cartagena’s history and enjoy some real local culture? This year.. 17/09/2025

Almost 30 Murcia towns will provide and for affordable housingAcross the Region of Murcia, land will be made available for the development of 1,820 subsidised homes Last year, the construction of affordable housing across the Region of Murcia virtually ground to a halt, due to rising costs and a lack of subsidies.. 17/09/2025

Christmas lights in Cartagena go big in 2025 with shooting star and giant Three Wise MenCity Council boosts budget to nearly 900,000 euros for festive displays around the city Cartagena is gearing up to sparkle this holiday season with some truly spectacular Christmas decorations lighting up the city from December 5th through January 7th.. 16/09/2025

Watch: Wild boars wandering into Cartagena will be caught and shotRepeated incursions into residential areas are causing concern for locals and authorities Wild boars in parks on Avenida Nueva Cartagena on August 29 Cartagena City Hall is reportedly preparing a plan to tackle the problem of wild boars straying.. 16/09/2025

Wildfire forces closure of road between La Unión and PortmánFlames started in pine woodland near house and spread rapidly A wildfire scare in Portmán forced the closure of the road to La Unión on Monday afternoon, near the municipal border with Cartagena. Shortly after 2.30pm, several.. 16/09/2025

Linea Directa 290 A-L RIGHT COL CAR INSURANCE