Day trips
A day in Cartagena
More than two thousand years of history within walking distance: a Roman theatre in the middle of town, a castle overlooking the harbour and streets lined with modernist façades. A 35-minute drive.
Carthaginian, Roman and modernist
Cartagena was founded as Qart Hadast by the Carthaginian Hasdrubal in 229 BC and conquered by Rome in 209 BC. Remains of the Punic city wall survive, and the Roman theatre was built shortly before the start of the Common Era. Around 1900 the city gained its modernist façades, such as those of the town hall and the Casino on Calle Mayor.
Everything you want to see is close together, between the harbour and the hills. Park by the harbour and do the rest on foot. The panoramic lift takes you up to the castle without a climb.
Itinerary
What your day looks like
A sample itinerary for spring and autumn. Opening hours and prices were checked in October 2026 and may change: check the official website before you go.
- 1
09:30
Drive to Cartagena
Via the AP-7 and the CT-32 you reach Cartagena in about 35 to 40 minutes. Park in the underground Aparcamiento del Puerto on Paseo de Alfonso XII: open 24 hours, 2-metre height limit, and the closest car park to the Roman theatre.
Open in Google Maps - 2
10:15
Harbour and Muralla del Mar
Start on the promenade along the harbour. The sea wall was built under Charles III between 1771 and 1792. The Museo Naval on the same promenade displays Isaac Peral’s original submarine, launched in 1888.
Open in Google Maps - 3
11:00
The town hall
The triangular modernist Palacio Consistorial on Plaza del Ayuntamiento was built between 1900 and 1907 to a design by Tomás Rico. Each of its three façades is decorated differently; inside are an imperial staircase and a stained-glass window with the city’s coat of arms.
Open in Google Maps - 4
11:30
Roman Theatre Museum
The highlight of the day. The theatre was built between 5 and 1 BC and only rediscovered in 1988. Architect Rafael Moneo’s museum leads you from the square through the Palacio Riquelme and past the old church of Santa María la Vieja, up into the theatre itself.
Open in Google Maps - 5
13:15
Lunch in the centre
Find a spot for lunch in the centre, for example around the pedestrian Calle Mayor. Spaniards have lunch between 13:00 and 16:00.
- 6
14:45
Panoramic lift and Castillo de la Concepción
On Calle Gisbert a glass lift takes you 45 metres up. At the top are the remains of the medieval castle, with a centre on the city’s history and wide views over the city and harbour. At the foot of the lift is the Civil War air-raid shelter museum (€4).
Open in Google Maps - 7
16:00
Calle Mayor
Walk back down along Calle Mayor, with façades by the modernist architect Víctor Beltrí. The Casino at number 13 is an 18th-century palace with an 1896 façade.
Open in Google Maps - 8
17:00
Barrio del Foro Romano
On El Molinete hill lies an archaeological park with the Roman forum, the curia, baths, a sanctuary of Isis and a building with wall paintings. Guided tours start at set times; in the afternoon at 17:00 (15:45 from November to mid-March).
Open in Google Maps - 9
Optional
The Punic wall
Still have time? The interpretation centre on Calle San Diego shows a stretch of the Qart Hadast city wall and a crypt with “Dance of Death” paintings. A guided tour takes about 30 minutes. From there it is roughly a kilometre back to the harbour.
Open in Google Maps - 10
18:30
Back to Pilar
In about 40 minutes you are back at the penthouse.
Calendar
Festivals and events
Holy Week
Ten days of processions, from Viernes de Dolores to Easter Sunday; of International Tourist Interest since 2005.
Carthagineses y Romanos
For ten days in the second half of September, the city re-enacts the events of 227 to 209 BC, when Carthage and Rome fought over it.
Virgen del Carmen
On 16 July, processions take to the sea.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Roman Theatre in Cartagena open on Mondays?
Do I have to walk up to the castle?
Is there free entry?
How far is Cartagena from Pilar de la Horadada?
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Your base on the Costa Blanca
After a day out, the roof terrace is waiting. See when the penthouse is available.