Cartagena The Ancient Roman City Not Too Far From Our Guardamar Apartment

The ancient city of Cartagena or Cartago Nova (new Carthage) as it was called then was founded by the Carthaginians in the year 227BC. It rapidly became their main trading port, and at one time was widely recognised as being one of the wealthiest cities in the ancient world.

Cartagena was made truly famous by the 2nd Punic war (218-201BC) which led to the landing of Hannibal and his elephants who came with the intention of defeating the Romans. In fact he got silver from the mines there to carry on the war effort. Cartagena has through it's history been controlled by the Romans, the Visigoths and in 711 the Moors took control of Cartagena and much of the peninsula. Under Muslim rule it lost some of it's status as the Moors chose the newly founded city of Mursiya (Murcia) as the regions capital.

Cartagena continued it's strategic importance during the time of Philip II of Spain when it was made Spain's official naval headquarters. It also remained the principal trading port for the country until the 20th century, when it suffered by competition brought on by the rival ports of Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga.

These days Cartagena is still sustained by its role as a seaport. Industrial development is clearly evident, but the city still remains an attractive destination, with much to offer in its old quarter, and the newer parts alike.

Cartagena is well worth a visit if you are interested in Maritime history, or ancient history. It has a beautiful harbour with plush gardens overlooking this and many ancient monuments such as an amphitheatre.

Most of the sights in Cartagena can be seen on foot. There are museums to visit, and several parks and squares to stop and rest in. Stop in one of the many restaurants or cafes and sample the local cuisine. If you enjoy shopping then it may be worth visiting Cartagena which now boasts an array of fashion boutiques as well as large department stores such as El Corte Ingles.