# Cartagena and Calblanque

A Roman theatre beneath the upper district, a harbour between castles and, half an hour away, the unspoilt beaches of Calblanque. 40 minutes from Murcia and an hour and a quarter from Alicante.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Cartagena is a port city with three thousand years of history stacked on five hills: the Qart Hadasht founded by the Carthaginian Hasdrubal around 229 BC, the Roman colony with one of the largest theatres in Hispania, the 18th-century naval arsenal and the Modernisme of Calle Mayor. Almost everything fits in an old town you can cover on foot. Half an hour to the east, the Calblanque Regional Park holds the last stretch of undeveloped coast between Cartagena and the Mar Menor: long beaches of golden sand, fossil dunes and salt pans, without a building in sight. Together they make a full weekend, or an intense Sunday from Murcia.

## How do you get there from Murcia, Alicante or Albacete?

From Murcia it is about 40 minutes by car along the motorway. Without a car, Interbus links the two cities and arrives at the Central Bus Station, on Avenida Trovero Marín, a few minutes' walk from the centre; there is also a Renfe train. From Alicante, an hour and a quarter along the AP-7 or the A-7 and the Mar Menor motorway. From Albacete, about two hours along the A-30 via Murcia. From Almería, a little over two hours along the A-7. The nearest airport is Región de Murcia International, in Corvera.

## Where do you park?

The old town has pedestrian streets and little space: use one of the public car parks in the centre or sleep in a hotel with a garage, such as the Sercotel Alfonso XIII, and forget about the car until the afternoon at the beach. At Calblanque, outside summer, you park in the park's areas until their spaces are full; in July, August and the last days of June the car stays outside between 8:00 and 20:30 and you go in on the bus that leaves from Los Belones.

## What is there to see in Cartagena?

The Roman Theatre Museum. A theatre for about 7,000 people that turned up beneath the upper district. You enter through the Riquelme palace and reach the seating area through two tunnels, the second beneath the medieval church of Santa María. €7.

The Castillo de la Concepción. The highest hill in the old town, with the best view of the natural harbour and a centre that sums up the city's history. You go up in the panoramic lift. At its foot, the Civil War Shelter Museum walks you through the galleries where the population hid from the bombing.

The port from the water. The tourist boat sails around the dock between castles, batteries and lighthouses and stops at the Fuerte de Navidad, for €8 with the entry ticket.

The ARQVA. The national museum of underwater archaeology, opposite the port, free on Sundays and on Saturday afternoons.

If you have time left, the Punic Wall, one of the few Carthaginian remains preserved in Spain, and the Roman Forum Museum complete the ancient city. Almost all of it is managed by Cartagena Puerto de Culturas and closes on Mondays outside high season.

## And at Calblanque?

Beach, salt pans and trails among dry hills. Calblanque beach has about 300 m of fine sand, with walkways and lifeguards in summer; on either side, Larga and Negrete. There are no beach bars or shade: bring water, food and a parasol. Dogs must always be on a lead in the park and cannot enter the beaches and dunes from 1 April to 30 September. For a meal nearby, the caldero in Cabo de Palos, a short drive away.

## How much time do you need?

A day covers the theatre, the castle, the boat and a meal in the centre. With two, you add Calblanque and Cabo de Palos without hurrying. For a morning at the beach at Calblanque and the city in the afternoon, bear in mind that many museums close at 17:30 in winter and the theatre at 14:00 on Sundays.

## When should you go?

From March to June and from September to November. The weather is mild, Calblanque can be reached by car and museums have long opening hours. In summer the heat is intense in the city at midday and the park regulates access. The tourist boat closes from 6 January to 28 February.

## What do you eat?

Caldero: rice cooked in fish stock from the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor, with alioli. And salted fish, michirones (dried broad beans) and, to finish, the asiático, a coffee with condensed milk, brandy, Licor 43, cinnamon and lemon peel served in its own glass. La Marquesita, on the Plaza de Alcolea, is open on Sunday at lunchtime and makes caldero with mullet.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Ricote Valley and the Archena Spa (a 67.9 km), Tabarca Island (a 76.6 km), Elche (a 77.8 km), Caravaca de la Cruz (a 94.8 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Cartagena Roman Theatre Museum** (1 h 30 · Everyone · Desde 7 € per person): A Theatre Nobody Remembered
There was no written or archaeological record that Cartagena had a Roman theatre. It came to light when the site of the former mansion of the Countess of Peralta, in the upper district, was excavated, and in 1990 it was identified as such; the building that was to be built there was moved elsewhere. It dates from the end of the 1st century BC, the age of Augustus, when the city was already a colony with the name Urbs Iulia Nova Carthago, and it held about 7,000 spectators in three sectors of seating, with the cavea partly cut into the rock of the hill. A fire in the 3rd century left it abandoned; on top of it there later stood a market, a Byzantine quarter, Muslim-era houses and, in the 18th and 19th centuries, a poor district. Recovery began in 1996.
Moneo's Route, from Bottom to Top
The museum, designed by Rafael Moneo, is part of the visit. You enter through the Pascual de Riquelme palace and go down to the corridor of history, which passes under the street and goes back from the 21st century to the 1st century BC with objects from the excavations. Room 1 is built at the height of the first floor of the stage and shows Corinthian capitals and bases of Carrara marble, columns of pink Mula travertine and the togate statue of Augustus found on the Molinete hill. Room 2 tells what role the theatre played in the city: the lintels dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, the grandsons of Augustus, and three altars with the symbols of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Then an archaeological corridor passes under the 13th-century church of Santa María la Vieja, built over the theatre, with a Roman house with a mosaic. And you emerge into the cavea, with the stage in front of you.
Hours, Price and Guided Visit
From 1 October to 30 April it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00. From 1 May to 30 September, Tuesday to Saturday it closes at 20:00 and on Sunday it still closes at 14:00. At Easter it also opens on Monday, and that Monday and Easter Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00. The rest of the year, it is closed on Mondays. The last entry is a quarter of an hour before closing.
Admission costs €7 and €6 reduced, for under-12s, students up to 25, pensioners, the unemployed, people with disabilities, families of two adults with two children under 12 and groups of 20; children under 3 do not pay. On Tuesdays, in the last two hours, it is free if you get the ticket at the ticket office. The guided visit, an hour long and in Spanish, is included in the ticket: Tuesday to Saturday at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 and, in low season, at 16:00; on Sundays, at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30. The audioguide costs €2.50 in five languages.
The museum has escalators and a lift, lends wheelchairs and has accessible toilets, subtitled audiovisuals and sign-language videos. Beside the entrance there is a café-restaurant open to all.
Parking Outside the Old Town
It is in the old town, beside the Town Hall square and five minutes' walk from the harbour. Park in one of the underground car parks in the centre: within the old town there are pedestrian zones.
- **Castillo de la Concepción and the Panoramic Lift** (1 h 15 · Everyone · Desde 5 € per person): Three Thousand Years on One Hill
The Castillo de la Concepción crowns the hill of the same name, in the middle of the old town. There was a Roman temple here dedicated to Aesculapius, then the Muslim citadel of the 12th or 13th centuries, when the city was called Qartayannat al-Halfa, and the Christian castle: the Infante Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, took Cartagena for Castile in 1245 and at the end of the 13th century had the keep built with reused Roman stones. In the Civil War, the siren warning of bombings sounded from the top. At the start of the 20th century the hill became a public park, and in 2002 Puerto de Culturas opened the interpretation centre.
What You See at the Top
In the keep is the Centre for the Interpretation of the History of Cartagena, which sums up the city's civilisations, from the Carthaginian foundation of 229 BC to today, with audiovisuals, small sets and interactive pieces. The main room preserves the central pillar that held up the vaults and the corbels with symbols of royal power: an eagle, a fleur-de-lis and perhaps the face of Charlemagne. A spiral staircase climbs to the roof terrace. Separately you can visit the old cisterns, which tell the story of the fortress from the 13th to the 20th century, and rooms on medieval Cartagena. But you climb above all for the view: the city, the Roman theatre and the whole natural harbour.
The Panoramic Lift
It leaves from Calle Gisbert, 10, at the foot of the hill, at the very entrance of the Civil War Shelter Museum, and covers 45 metres of height to Torres Park, beside the castle. It holds eight people, one of them in a wheelchair. It costs only €2, €1 reduced; with the castle ticket, €6 and €4.50.
Tuesday to Sunday, All Year
From 2 November to 14 March they open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30; from 15 March to 30 June and from 16 September to 1 November, until 19:00; from 1 July to 15 September, every day until 20:00. The last entry to the castle is half an hour before closing. They close on 1 and 6 January and 25 December.
Admission costs €5 and €4 reduced, which applies to under-12s, students up to 25, pensioners, the unemployed, people with disabilities, families of two adults with two children under 12 and groups of 20. Children under 3 do not pay. On Tuesdays, in the last two hours of opening, entry is free if you get the ticket at the ticket office, not online. There is a free guided visit with the ticket, in Spanish and lasting an hour: in low season, at 11:00, 12:00 and 16:00, with free booking on the website. The audioguide costs €2 in five languages.
- **Beaches of Calblanque Regional Park** (4 h · Everyone · Free; paid summer bus): What It Is
Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Regional Park preserves the last undeveloped stretch of coast between Cartagena and the Mar Menor: long beaches of golden and ochre sand, secluded coves, fossil dunes, the Rasall salt pans and dry sierras behind. Calblanque beach is about 300 m long, with walkways and lifeguards in summer; beside it are Larga and Negrete. There are no beach bars: bring water, food and shade.
Getting There
From Cartagena, by the motorway towards La Manga and the Calblanque exit, about 30 minutes; the town council gives exit 800 of the A-7 and the MU-312 expressway. The park's tracks are dirt.
In summer access is regulated. In 2026, from 4 July to 30 August and on 27 and 28 June, between 8:00 and 20:30 cars do not enter the beach area, except from 8:00 to 9:00 to the Atochar car park; you go in on the bus that leaves from Los Belones and stops at the park-and-ride car park, with a paid ticket. At weekends and long weekends in spring and autumn, and in early September, cars enter until about 291 spaces are full. Outside those dates you can drive to the car parks.
Bear in Mind
Throughout the park dogs must always be on a lead, and from April to 30 September they are banned on the beaches and dunes because of the nesting of the Kentish plover and the loggerhead turtle. Bivouacking on the beaches is banned from June to September. The beach is not accessible to people with reduced mobility, according to the town council.
- **Civil War Shelter Museum** (45 min · From about age 10 · Desde 4 € per person): What It Is
Cartagena was a strategic point and one of the main targets of the bombings of the Civil War. This shelter, dug into the slope of the Concepción hill, tours some of its galleries with testimonies of those who took refuge there and explains how the city's defence was organised. It ends with an audiovisual with real images and sounds of the bombings, inside the shelter itself.
The History of the Shelter
The city stayed on the Republican side throughout the war: it manufactured war material, received Soviet aid and was the base of the Republican fleet. That is why the air raids began in October 1936 and became more and more frequent. The most devastating was the so-called "four-hour bombing", on 25 November 1936, carried out by the German Condor Legion.
From 1936, the Passive Defence Board, the trade unions and the neighbours promoted a network of galleries through the centre, the districts and the countryside. Those on Calle Gisbert began to be dug in 1937 under the Concepción hill, with financial help from the central government because the town council had no funds. They were designed for about 5,500 people, with 20 entrances and a first-aid room, but were never finished, and only part of the galleries can be visited. They were rehabilitated from 2001, along with the castle and the panoramic lift.
What You See Inside
The route explains the types of shelter and how they were built; daily life during the war, with photos, panels and re-creations about shortages, school between bombings and the little leisure there was; passive defence, with posters and objects on how the population was protected, and active defence, the DECA, which took charge of anti-aircraft artillery, alarms and observation. Then come the real images of destruction and, at the end, the audiovisual with original footage from several archives.
Hours, Price and Guided Visits
In November 2026, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30. Admission €4; reduced €3. It is on Calle Gisbert, beside the panoramic lift. The reduced rate applies to under-12s, students up to 25, pensioners, families with two adults and two children under 12 and groups of 20 or more; children under 3 enter free. The last entry is 15 minutes before closing. From 15 March to 1 November it opens from 10:00 to 19:00, and from 1 July to 15 September until 20:00.
With the ticket you can take a free half-hour guided visit, in Spanish only, at 11:00, 12:00 and in the afternoon at a time that changes with the season (in winter, at 16:00). The audioguide costs €2 and is in Spanish, English, French and Russian. Telephone: 968 50 00 93.
Accessibility and What to Combine
It has a lift, accessible toilets and the audiovisual is accessible for people with hearing impairment; guide dogs are admitted. The panoramic lift next door goes up to the Castillo de la Concepción, so the two visits link up effortlessly. The Roman Theatre Museum is also in the old town, a short walk away.
- **Tourist Boat Around the Harbour and Fuerte de Navidad** (1 h · Everyone · Desde 8 € per person): A Bay Closed In by Castles
Cartagena is a natural harbour surrounded by hills, and every hill has a castle or a battery on top. From the water you understand why the city was a naval base for centuries. The Cartagena Puerto de Culturas tourist boat, an 85-seat vessel, leaves from the Alfonso XII quay, on the seafront promenade, beside the marina and close to the Town Hall square. It sails slowly, at about 2.5 knots, around the harbour basin, sheltered from the open sea, between castles, batteries, lighthouses and breakwaters.
A recorded commentary in several languages tells the story of the port: the old defences, the 18th-century arsenal, the Navidad, San Pedro and Alfonso XII breakwaters of the 19th century and the cruise terminal, the most recent. Puerto de Culturas does not publish how long the trip lasts; if you do not get off at the fort, you return to the same quay.
Getting Off at Fuerte de Navidad
The boat stops at Fuerte de Navidad, a coastal battery on the right-hand side of the bay, beside the lighthouse of the same name. It began in the 17th century as a four-gun platform; the building you see dates from the second half of the 19th century, from the 1860 defence plan, and until 1941 it was the battery that fired the harbour's salutes. It was restored between 2004 and 2007. It has eight casemates with one gun each and nine more pieces on the terrace, reached by two spiral staircases. Inside there is a large model of the port and its defences, an audiovisual, an original 19th-century cannon, a recreated officer's office and the troops' latrines, kitchen and dormitories. The audioguide costs €2.
The fort opens less than the boat: from 2 November to 7 December, Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 14:00 and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 to 16:00, and it closes from 8 December to 14 March. In those weeks the boat does the trip without the stop.
Departures and Prices
From 2 November to 5 January, and from 1 to 14 March, it leaves Tuesday to Friday at 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays every hour from 11:00 to 16:00. From 15 March to 31 May and from 16 September to 1 November it adds departures at 15:00, 16:30 and 17:30; in June, another at 18:30. From 1 July to 15 September it leaves every day until 19:30, except Mondays in the first half of July. There is no service from 6 January to 28 February, nor on 25 December; on 24 and 31 December and 5 January, mornings only.
The boat alone costs €8, and €7 for the reduced rate; with Fuerte de Navidad, €10 and €8. The reduced rate applies to under-12s, students up to 25, pensioners, the unemployed, people with disabilities, families of two adults with two children under 12 and groups of 20 or more, and is verified at the ticket office. Children under 3 do not pay.
- **ARQVA, National Museum of Underwater Archaeology** (1 h 30 · Everyone; useful when it rains · Desde 3 € per person): What It Is
The ARQVA is the state museum of underwater archaeology, on the Paseo de Alfonso XII, opposite the harbour. It gathers and studies the heritage sunk off the coast: wrecks and cargoes of ships from Antiquity and the modern age, such as the Phoenician ones of Mazarrón, whose recovery the Ministry of Culture has agreed. It is the visit for a rainy day or for children who like ships.
What You Will See
The building is a large open space, without barriers, on two levels joined by a gentle ramp. Upstairs, an introduction explains what underwater archaeology is and how it works, with models, dioramas, interactive displays and reproductions, and panels in Spanish and English; it stresses the UNESCO convention on underwater heritage and the damage done by looting.
Downstairs, the pieces are arranged by period, from protohistory to the 20th century, in sections devoted to the first navigators, trade in the Mare Nostrum, shipbuilding and ocean navigation. There are Phoenician, Punic, Roman and Late Antique amphorae, pieces from the Phoenician ships Mazarrón 1 and Mazarrón 2 and coins from the frigate Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, such as pieces of eight, escudos and macuquinas. Tactile naval scenes reproduce the shape, structure and cargo of the ships.
Hours and Price
In November 2026 it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 to 20:00 and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 15:00. Admission costs €3 and the reduced rate €1.50. It is free on Saturdays from 14:00 and all day Sunday. Telephone: 968 12 11 66.
In addition, with proof, the following enter free: under-18s and over-65s, students aged 18 to 25, people with disabilities and their companion, the unemployed, pensioners and large families. There is also free entry on 18 April, 18 May, 12 October and 6 December. The ticket is bought at the ticket office on the same day, in cash or by card, and those arriving on a Renfe long-distance train get a 50% discount with the ticket from the last 48 hours.
With Children
The museum organises activities for families every month, with limited places and prior booking by email at actividades.arqua@cultura.gob.es, stating the activity, the day, and the name and age of the child and the accompanying adult. On its website there is a guide for touring it as a family independently and other downloadable materials, such as games about amphorae and navigation. For guided visits in sign language, see its accessibility page.
- **Cala Cortina** (2 h · Families · Free): What It Is
Cala Cortina is the beach of the people of Cartagena, at the harbour mouth, a few minutes from the centre. It has about 250 m of coarse sand, a seafront promenade leading to another, smaller cove, a picnic and children's play area, a kiosk, a seafront restaurant and accessible toilets and changing rooms. In summer an amphibious chair is lent out, and there are lifeguards from 1 June to 29 September. It fills up in July and August.
The municipal listing gives it an average width of about 15 m, so the sand is narrow and on the busiest days it is taken early. In return, the facilities are at hand: foot showers, recycling bins and a promenade to stretch your legs. It flies the Blue Flag and holds the Q quality marks for tourism, sustainable beach and accessible beach. It is also an urban beach where permission can be requested to hold weddings.
Lifeguards and Accessibility
The lifeguard post operates from 1 June to 29 September, with two lifeguards. In July and August it is staffed every day from 11:00 to 20:00, and in June and September until 19:00. The lifeguards lend the amphibious chair, but whoever uses it needs a companion for the swim. There are ramps, a walkway, accessible toilets and changing rooms and an accessible shaded area. Animals are not allowed.
Getting There
By car from the centre, along the harbour road towards Escombreras; it has public parking with two spaces for people with disabilities. It is about 4 km from Cartagena.
Without a car, the town council listing suggests walking or cycling from the harbour area along the Sendero Azul. You can also arrive by sea. In summer occupancy is high, so it is best to arrive early.
What to Combine It With
The cove is at the harbour mouth, whose basin is toured by the tourist boat with a stop at Fuerte de Navidad. In the morning you can see the ARQVA, the underwater archaeology museum on the Paseo de Alfonso XII, or go up to the Castillo de la Concepción in the panoramic lift, and in the afternoon go down to the beach for a swim. The tourist office, in the Town Hall beside the harbour, has maps and will point you to the start of the Sendero Azul. If you are looking for beaches without buildings, those of the Calblanque Regional Park are half an hour away by car.

## Dónde comer
- **La Marquesita** (Restaurant, Cartagena, €€€). Qué pedir: the caldero with mullet, and to start the croquettes or the Russian salad maripuri
- **El Mosqui Restaurant** (Restaurant, Cabo de Palos, €€€). Qué pedir: the Cabo de Palos caldero with its alioli; in the evening it is the only rice dish they make

## By car: The City on Foot, the Coast by Car
Cartagena is seen on foot; the car is for getting there and for the coast: Calblanque, Cabo de Palos and Cala Cortina.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Sercotel Alfonso XIII** (Hotel, desde 89 € / night): On the Paseo de Alfonso XIII, with a Garage
The Sercotel Alfonso XIII is a four-star hotel with 124 rooms on the Paseo de Alfonso XIII, the avenue of Cartagena's modern extension. You walk down to the old town: the hotel gives 750 m to the Roman Forum Museum and the House of Fortune, and 1.2 km to the Roman theatre, about fifteen minutes on foot, and 1.6 km to the Naval Museum. Its asset is its own refurbished car park, with electric-car charging points: in the old town parking is difficult. It costs €18 a day, subject to availability, and the space is requested at reception on arrival.
Five Room Types
The basic single is 19 m² and overlooks the inner courtyard. The classic rooms, 24 m², can have a double bed, two beds or be triples with three single beds; on the website, the twin costs from €89 a night and the double from €107, with a small discount for Sercotel members. The junior suite, 39 m², has a large bed, sofa bed and hydromassage bath, from €160. All have air conditioning, television, minibar, hairdryer and free wifi. There are adapted rooms, and the hotel holds accessibility and autism-friendly hotel certificates.
Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Reception is open 24 hours.
Breakfasts for All Hours
The buffet breakfast costs €18 per person, from 7:00 to 10:00 on weekdays and from 8:00 to 11:00 at the weekend. If you leave earlier, there is a free early breakfast from 5:00 to 7:00: ask for it at reception. The El Galeón café opens every day from 19:00 to 23:30, as does room service.
With Children, Without a Dog
Cots are free and are requested when booking; some doubles take an extra bed for one child. The hotel does not accept animals. From here the whole centre can be covered on foot; for Calblanque, Cabo de Palos or El Mosqui you need a car.
- **B&B Hotel Cartagena Cartagonova** (Hotel): A Practical Hotel in the Centre
The B&B Hotel Cartagena Cartagonova is on Calle Marcos Redondo, in the historic and shopping centre of Cartagena, a step from the Plaza de Alcolea and the shopping streets. From here you can walk to the harbour, Calle Mayor and the Roman theatre, which according to the Region of Murcia tourism portal is about 500 metres away. It is a simple chain hotel, designed for sleeping well and heading out to see the city.
The Rooms
Doubles with a large bed or two beds, non-smoking, with private bathroom, air conditioning and heating, safe, minifridge and television. There is free wifi, free coffee and tea 24 hours a day and a paid buffet breakfast, served from 7:00. The hotel has lifts, rooms adapted for people with reduced mobility and accessible common areas, and Cartagena's tourist office marks it with the accessible-tourism and family-tourism badges. We have not been able to confirm the number of rooms or the check-in and check-out times: ask when booking on 968 504 200 or at hotel.cartagenacartagonova@hotelbb.com.
With a Dog and with a Car
It accepts pets, according to the hotel website and the regional portal; check the conditions and any supplement when booking. For the car, the Region of Murcia tourism portal indicates a paid indoor car park, not included in the rate; confirm the price and spaces before arriving.
Getting There
Without a car it is easy: the Cartagena Central Bus Station, with buses to Murcia, Lorca, Mazarrón and the Mar Menor, is a few minutes' walk away, as is the Renfe train station. The nearest airport is Región de Murcia International, at Corvera.
What Is Nearby
On foot, the Roman Theatre Museum, the Castillo de la Concepción with its panoramic lift, the Civil War Shelter Museum and, opposite the harbour, the ARQVA and the tourist boat to Fuerte de Navidad. At the Tourist Office in the Town Hall they give you the map and the opening times of all the museums. For the beach, Cala Cortina is at the harbour mouth, and the Calblanque beaches are half an hour by car.
- **Camping Caravaning La Manga** (Campsite): At the Entrance to La Manga, Facing Calblanque
Camping Caravaning La Manga is at exit 16 of the La Manga motorway, the RM-12, right where the sandy spit begins, on the shores of the Mar Menor and opposite Calblanque Regional Park. It is the accommodation closest to the Calblanque beaches of those we list here: on one side you have the clear, shallow waters of the Mar Menor, and on the other, the dunes and coves of the park. It opens all year, with a 24-hour reception. In the regional Tourism Institute listing and on camping portals it already appears as Capfun Camping La Manga; its own website keeps the old name.
Pitches to Stay
The pitches are about 84 or 100 m², with gravel ground and separated by hedges and trees, each with its own water point, drain and 10-amp electricity. There is a motorhome service, laundry, supermarket, restaurant-café, safe-keeping of valuables and mail. The campsite does not publish rates on its website: ask for a price by email at reservas@caravaning.es or on 968 56 30 14.
The Bungalows, Model by Model
The wooden ones are for 2 to 4 people, with one or two bedrooms, or for 4 to 6, with two. The website describes three mobile-home models: the Habana Top Presta, 25 m² for four; the Sun Top Presta, 27 m², for four or six; and the Resort Top Presta, 29 m², three bedrooms and up to eight people. All have a fitted kitchen, air conditioning, television and terrace. They do not include bed linen or towels, so bring your own, and they must be left clean or a supplement is charged. In low and mid season the minimum stay is two nights, and in high season those for 4 to 6 are rented for a minimum of four.
Facilities
Free for guests: swimming pool, six tennis courts, three frontenis courts, football, basketball, beach volleyball, eight petanque courts, a playground and an outdoor fitness circuit. Paid: the sailing school and, from November to March, the indoor pool, jacuzzi and gym. In summer there is an open-air cinema and children's entertainment. The website does not say whether dogs are accepted or what time you check in and out: ask when booking.
For eating out, El Mosqui, in Cabo de Palos, serves the local caldero a few minutes away by car.
### Servicios
- **Tourist Office in the Town Hall**: In the Town Hall, beside the harbour; information, maps and museum opening times. Also open on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings
- **Summer Bus to the Calblanque Beaches**: In July, August and late June, cars cannot enter the beach area from 8:00 to 20:30: you go by bus from Los Belones

## Car-free: Cartagena by Train or Bus from Murcia
The old town, the museums, the castle and the boat are all done on foot. From Murcia there is an Interbus bus and a Renfe train, so you do not need a car except for the coast.
Presupuesto orientativo: 60–100 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Sercotel Alfonso XIII** (Hotel, desde 89 € / night): On the Paseo de Alfonso XIII, with a Garage
The Sercotel Alfonso XIII is a four-star hotel with 124 rooms on the Paseo de Alfonso XIII, the avenue of Cartagena's modern extension. You walk down to the old town: the hotel gives 750 m to the Roman Forum Museum and the House of Fortune, and 1.2 km to the Roman theatre, about fifteen minutes on foot, and 1.6 km to the Naval Museum. Its asset is its own refurbished car park, with electric-car charging points: in the old town parking is difficult. It costs €18 a day, subject to availability, and the space is requested at reception on arrival.
Five Room Types
The basic single is 19 m² and overlooks the inner courtyard. The classic rooms, 24 m², can have a double bed, two beds or be triples with three single beds; on the website, the twin costs from €89 a night and the double from €107, with a small discount for Sercotel members. The junior suite, 39 m², has a large bed, sofa bed and hydromassage bath, from €160. All have air conditioning, television, minibar, hairdryer and free wifi. There are adapted rooms, and the hotel holds accessibility and autism-friendly hotel certificates.
Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Reception is open 24 hours.
Breakfasts for All Hours
The buffet breakfast costs €18 per person, from 7:00 to 10:00 on weekdays and from 8:00 to 11:00 at the weekend. If you leave earlier, there is a free early breakfast from 5:00 to 7:00: ask for it at reception. The El Galeón café opens every day from 19:00 to 23:30, as does room service.
With Children, Without a Dog
Cots are free and are requested when booking; some doubles take an extra bed for one child. The hotel does not accept animals. From here the whole centre can be covered on foot; for Calblanque, Cabo de Palos or El Mosqui you need a car.
- **B&B Hotel Cartagena Cartagonova** (Hotel): A Practical Hotel in the Centre
The B&B Hotel Cartagena Cartagonova is on Calle Marcos Redondo, in the historic and shopping centre of Cartagena, a step from the Plaza de Alcolea and the shopping streets. From here you can walk to the harbour, Calle Mayor and the Roman theatre, which according to the Region of Murcia tourism portal is about 500 metres away. It is a simple chain hotel, designed for sleeping well and heading out to see the city.
The Rooms
Doubles with a large bed or two beds, non-smoking, with private bathroom, air conditioning and heating, safe, minifridge and television. There is free wifi, free coffee and tea 24 hours a day and a paid buffet breakfast, served from 7:00. The hotel has lifts, rooms adapted for people with reduced mobility and accessible common areas, and Cartagena's tourist office marks it with the accessible-tourism and family-tourism badges. We have not been able to confirm the number of rooms or the check-in and check-out times: ask when booking on 968 504 200 or at hotel.cartagenacartagonova@hotelbb.com.
With a Dog and with a Car
It accepts pets, according to the hotel website and the regional portal; check the conditions and any supplement when booking. For the car, the Region of Murcia tourism portal indicates a paid indoor car park, not included in the rate; confirm the price and spaces before arriving.
Getting There
Without a car it is easy: the Cartagena Central Bus Station, with buses to Murcia, Lorca, Mazarrón and the Mar Menor, is a few minutes' walk away, as is the Renfe train station. The nearest airport is Región de Murcia International, at Corvera.
What Is Nearby
On foot, the Roman Theatre Museum, the Castillo de la Concepción with its panoramic lift, the Civil War Shelter Museum and, opposite the harbour, the ARQVA and the tourist boat to Fuerte de Navidad. At the Tourist Office in the Town Hall they give you the map and the opening times of all the museums. For the beach, Cala Cortina is at the harbour mouth, and the Calblanque beaches are half an hour by car.
### Servicios
- **Tourist Office in the Town Hall**: In the Town Hall, beside the harbour; information, maps and museum opening times. Also open on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings
- **Cartagena Central Bus Station**: Buses to Murcia (Interbus), Lorca, Mazarrón, Águilas and the Mar Menor; within walking distance of the centre
- **Summer Bus to the Calblanque Beaches**: In July, August and late June, cars cannot enter the beach area from 8:00 to 20:30: you go by bus from Los Belones

## As a family: A Harbour Best Understood from the Boat

With children, Cartagena works in short stretches: the boat, the lift up to the castle, a museum and the beach in the afternoon.

### What Works Best
The tourist boat with a stop at Fuerte de Navidad; reduced rate for under-12s and families

The panoramic lift and the view from the Castillo de la Concepción

The Roman theatre, reached through tunnels

Cala Cortina, with a play area and accessible facilities

### Where to Sleep
Sercotel Alfonso XIII, with triples and its own parking

Camping Caravaning La Manga: bungalows, pool and playground

### Where to Eat
La Marquesita: half portions at 60% of the price

Picnic at Calblanque: there are no bars on the beach

### Bear in Mind
The reduced family rate is for two adults and two or more children under 12

In summer, you enter Calblanque by bus from Los Belones

The Puerto de Culturas museums close on Mondays outside high season

### Qué hacer as a family
- Cartagena Roman Theatre Museum
- Castillo de la Concepción and the Panoramic Lift
- Beaches of Calblanque Regional Park
- Tourist Boat Around the Harbour and Fuerte de Navidad
- ARQVA, National Museum of Underwater Archaeology
- Cala Cortina

## With teenagers: Romans, Bombings and Wrecks

For teenagers, Cartagena has history you can touch: a Roman theatre hidden under a church, galleries where people waited for the bombs to pass and sunken ships.

### What Works Best
The Civil War Shelter Museum, with its audiovisual of the bombings

The Roman Theatre Museum, entering through tunnels

The ARQVA, free on Sundays

An afternoon on the beach at Calblanque, with no buildings

### Where to Sleep
B&B Hotel Cartagena Cartagonova, right in the centre

### Where to Eat
The caldero at La Marquesita or El Mosqui

### Bear in Mind
Students up to 25 get a reduced rate at the Puerto de Culturas sites

On Tuesday afternoons the theatre, the castle and the Punic wall are free

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Cartagena Roman Theatre Museum
- Beaches of Calblanque Regional Park
- Civil War Shelter Museum
- ARQVA, National Museum of Underwater Archaeology

## Consejos

### Go on Tuesday afternoon
The Roman theatre, the castle and the Punic wall are free for a few hours.

### Sunday: theatre in the morning
On Sundays the Roman Theatre Museum closes at 14:00.

### Calblanque, outside July and August
In spring and September you can drive in and there is hardly anyone there.

### Ask for the opening-times sheet
The tourist office renews it every month with all the museums.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Murcia to Cartagena?
About 40 minutes by car. There is also an Interbus coach and a Renfe train.

### What is there to see in Cartagena in a day?
The Roman theatre, the Castillo de la Concepción with the lift, the Civil War shelter and the tourist boat around the port.

### Can you drive to the Calblanque beaches?
Yes, except in July, August and the last days of June between 8:00 and 20:30, when you go in by bus from Los Belones.

### Can you take a dog to Calblanque?
On a lead in the park. Not to the beaches and dunes from 1 April to 30 September.

### Are the museums open on Mondays?
Most of those run by Puerto de Culturas are not, outside high season.

### How much does the Roman theatre cost?
€7 general admission and €6 reduced as of November 2026.