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Welcome ToCARTAGENA
HOME > MURCIA MAR MENOR & CARTAGENA > CARTAGENAThe 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.
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 BELOWWhats On CartagenaCartagena Local News Places to visit Cartagena CityPlaces to visit outlying districtsWhere to Eat CartagenaSemana Santa, Fiestas, TraditionsHistory of CartagenaCartagenaCartagena beachesMedical Info, Doctors and HospitalsPolice, Town hall, Useful InfoPublic spaces and cultural venuesMonuments, churches and plazasLocations with Military ConnectionsTourist Information and ParkingCartagena Cruise ShipsShopping and markets CartagenaProperty Cartagena municipalityCARTAGENA
Whats On CartagenaCartagena Local News Places to visit Cartagena CityPlaces to visit outlying districtsWhere to Eat CartagenaSemana Santa, Fiestas, TraditionsHistory of CartagenaCartagenaCartagena beachesMedical Info, Doctors and HospitalsPolice, Town hall, Useful InfoPublic spaces and cultural venuesMonuments, churches and plazasLocations with Military ConnectionsTourist Information and ParkingCartagena Cruise ShipsShopping and markets CartagenaProperty Cartagena municipality
HELP Murcia Mar Menor delivers nappies, wipes and Baby clothes to mums in need in CartagenaRedMadre is currently supporting around 30 mothers and gets through thousands of nappies every month Volunteers from HELP Murcia Mar Menor made another trip to Cartagena last Thursday, delivering a van-load of donated goods to RedMadre, a charity.. 01/07/2026
Murcia is putting more than 6,500 extra healthcare staff in place for summer, with twice as many doctors as last yearThe Murcian Health Service is investing €37 million to keep hospitals, health centres and coastal emergency services running through to the end of September If you have ever tried to see a doctor in the Region of Murcia in August and wondered whether.. 01/07/2026
Microplastics found in Mar Menor blue crabs raise food safety concernsResearch by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography found microplastics in 100% of blue crabs tested from the Mar Menor A study by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) has found microplastics in blue crabs living in the Mar Menor, raising.. 01/07/2026
Murcia pulls out of native English assistant programme in schoolsThe decision means around 270 language assistants will no longer be placed in classrooms across the Region next academic year The Murcia Region has decided not to join the national programme for native language conversation assistants in schools.. 01/07/2026
Woman dies after being found unconscious on Mazarrón BeachWitnesses began CPR and used a nearby defibrillator after the 66-year-old was found unresponsive at the water's edge A 66-year-old woman has died after being found unconscious at the water's edge on Parazuelos Beach in Mazarrón on.. 01/07/2026
El Portús promenade repairs finally begin after year-long waitResidents have expressed their relief as Cartagena council gets to grips with storm damage at last Repair work on the El Portús seafront promenade in Cartagena got underway this Monday June 29, bringing an end to more than a year of waiting.. 30/06/2026
New AI smart buoys installed to keep watch over the Mar MenorThe high-tech devices will monitor the health of the Murcia lagoon’s water in real time The Mar Menor lagoon has a new set of eyes watching over it, with smart buoys now in place to monitor its condition in real time. It's one of the most.. 30/06/2026
Why buying off-plan in Murcia is becoming one of the most popular ways to purchase a new homeJust Murcia Property highlights off-plan homes available across San Pedro del Pinatar, Los Alcázares and Roldán Buying a property off-plan in the Region of Murcia is becoming an increasingly popular option for both international buyers.. 29/06/2026
Renfe strike today: 320 trains cancelled across Spain as railway workers walk outThe 24-hour action affects high-speed, long-distance, medium-distance and commuter services, with a second strike day already confirmed for July 15 If you're travelling by train in Spain today, check your ticket before you leave the house. The Railway.. 29/06/2026
These are the dates of Cartagena's street markets you need to know this summerCartagena is expanding its range of street markets this summer with five new markets The various coastal areas of the municipality of Cartagena – from those along the Mediterranean near Mazarrón to those up on the Mar Menor – have.. 26/06/2026
Spain now has more than 3,600 speed cameras and the number is still growingNearly 1,000 new devices have been added in five years, with average speed cameras seeing the biggest rise of all If you drive regularly in Spain, the chances are there are significantly more cameras watching you than there were even a year ago. New figures.. 26/06/2026
The World Cup is at Espacio Mediterráneo this summerFootball fever has hit the Cartagena shopping centre with games, instant prizes and a whole lot of fun for all the family If you are even slightly caught up in World Cup fever this summer, Espacio Mediterráneo has found a very enjoyable way to.. 26/06/2026
Murcia schools get tough on bullying with new zero-tolerance decreeThe regional government has approved new rules that will see confirmed bullies moved to a different school, or permanently expelled if they are in non-compulsory education The numbers make uncomfortable reading. Last year, 54 confirmed cases of bullying.. 25/06/2026
A Murcian city named one of the 10 best places to live in SpainIt was the only municipality in the Region of Murcia to make the top 10 list Anyone thinking about where to settle in Spain might want to take a closer look at Cartagena after the popular Murcia city secured a place among the country's top 10.. 25/06/2026
Dangerous San Juan bonfire shut down in Cartagena due to wildfire riskFirefighters inspected around 30 bonfire sites across Cartagena during the festivities A bonfire in Cartagena was shut down on Noche de San Juan after officials deemed it unsafe due to its location near overgrown land and a recycling facility, as.. 24/06/2026
New eco-friendly moorings set to protect the Mar Menor's fragile seabed this summer61 regulated anchorage points will be installed around two of the lagoon's islands, with bookings opening from July 1 Anyone planning to drop anchor near the islands of the Mar Menor this summer will need to think again. A network of 61 eco-friendly.. 24/06/2026
