| Page Views: 3,570 Last Visit to Cartagena: July, 2003 | Why Cartagena ? by JLBG - last update: Mar 31, 2004 |
Between the highly touristic provinces of Andalusia (Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Cadiz, Marbella, Malaga, etc…) and of Valencia (Valencia, Alicante, Elche, Benidorm […!], the province of Murcia is very quiet and neither Murcia nor Cartagena figure among the main touristic spots of Spain.
What about Cartagena ? If you are looking for a place where you will find mostly people like you, speaking your own language, don't go there but go to Benidorm for example. In Cartagena, you will meet spaniards, living spanish. It's up to you !
Cartagena, as you can guess, was created by the Carthaginian. It was founded by Asdrúbal Janto 223 b.c. and soon became a flourishing port, the chief Carthaginian base in Spain. Captured (209 b.c.) by Scipio Africanus Major, the city and the port continued to flourish under the Romans as Carthago Nova. It has been for centuries one of the main naval bases of Spain as it has a secure natural harbor, protected by forts, with a naval arsenal and important shipbuilding and metallurgical industries. It has been for the last hundred years an industrial town : lead, iron, and zinc are mined and processed nearby, but the rich silver mines exploited in ancient times by Carthaginians and Romans are now almost exhausted. It was a wealthy town and there remains luxurious mansions with typical bow-windows, not often found in Spain. In the past 20 years, a large part of the old insalubrious city center has been restored. It is now a very pleasant city to live in and to visit. |
> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]
JLBG's Cartagena Travel Tips
JLBG's Cartagena Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | El Portus | July, 2003 | 3 |
|
Comments for JLBG about Cartagena | | | | |
Aitana Sat Jul 4, 2009 10:37 UTC Hi Jean Louis, thanks for visiting and rating my page. It is interesting to see the aspect of the Roman Theater and the old cathedral before the restoration works. Nice tips on markets and food! | tere1 Tue May 6, 2008 20:35 UTC I live close but never been there, in Cartagena. What I love most in your tips are the delicious food photos and tips...:). Isn't eating well one of the best things in life? lol. Humm, jamon iberico de bolota... | LoriPori Thu Nov 29, 2007 15:35 UTC Now I am even more eager to see Cartagena. We will visit there in January when we go to Spain. The ancient cathedral looks amazing. And how I wish I could bring one of those Jamon hams on the plane with us. MMMM! | TheWanderingCamel Fri Sep 28, 2007 17:36 UTC Currently reading The Middle Sea, just finished a chapter on Cartegna and the Carthaginians, so interesting to see the modern city. Fully agree about those Spanish hams! leyle |
|
|