# A weekend in Cartagena and Calblanque, an hour and a quarter from Alicante Two nights for the Roman theatre, the castle and the harbour by boat, a morning on the unspoilt beaches of Calblanque and caldero at Cabo de Palos. An hour and a quarter from Alicante. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/cartagena-calblanque-beaches-weekend · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Dónde: Cartagena and Calblanque From Alicante, Cartagena is an hour and a quarter away on the Mediterranean motorway. It is a city you see on foot and has enough museums for a whole weekend: the Roman theatre, the castle, the Civil War shelter, the museum of sunken ships and the harbour from the water. Half an hour away, the Calblanque Regional Park offers a beach with no buildings, and Cabo de Palos, the caldero. From Murcia it is 40 minutes; from Albacete, about two hours. ## What goes into the weekend? VisitTimePrice in November 2026 Roman Theatre Museum1 h 30€7 Concepción Castle and lift1 h 15€5 + €2 Civil War Museum-Shelter45 min€4 Tourist boat and Fuerte de Navidad1 h€8 ARQVA1 h 30€3; free on Sunday Calblanque beachesHalf a dayFree; paid bus in summer ## Where to sleep? In Cartagena, if you are going to get around on foot: the Sercotel Alfonso XIII, a four-star on Paseo de Alfonso XIII with its own parking, a fifteen-minute walk from the theatre; or the B&B Hotel Cartagena Cartagonova, simple and right in the centre, which admits pets. If you come in a motorhome or with children who want a pool, Camping Caravaning La Manga is opposite Calblanque and open all year. ## If it rains Saturday stands up well to rain: museums, shelter and ARQVA are all indoors. On Sunday, swap Calblanque for the Roman Forum Museum and the Punic Wall, which are also open on Sunday. ## El plan ### Friday · 19:00 · Arrival in Cartagena From Alicante to Cartagena in an hour and a quarter. Leave the car in the hotel garage or a public car park and take a stroll along Calle Mayor and the harbour. La Marquesita, on Plaza de Alcolea, is open on Friday nights from 20:00. ### Saturday · 10:00 · Roman theatre and castle Start with the Roman Theatre Museum, walked through tunnels to the cavea. Then take the panoramic lift up to the Concepción Castle to see the whole harbour, and go down to the Civil War Museum-Shelter, at the foot of the lift. ### Saturday · 14:00 · Caldero in the centre Lunch at La Marquesita: caldero with grey mullet to share. Book. ### Saturday · 16:00 · Boat round the dock and ARQVA The tourist boat leaves at 15:00 and at 16:00 on November weekends, and stops at Fuerte de Navidad. From 14:00 on Saturday the ARQVA is free: when you get off the boat, an hour among shipwrecks facing the harbour. ### Sunday · 09:30 · Calblanque beaches Half an hour to the regional park. Outside summer you enter by car; in July and August, by bus from Los Belones. Calblanque, Larga and Negrete beaches, with no bars or shade: bring everything. ### Sunday · 14:00 · Caldero at Cabo de Palos and the drive back El Mosqui, next to the lighthouse climb, is open every day at midday. Then back to Alicante by motorway in a good hour and a half. ## Un consejo más Go in spring or in September. Calblanque is toured by car, the water is warm and the museums have long hours. ## Cuándo no ir Mondays, if it is your visiting day: most Cartagena museums close out of high season. And January and February if you want the boat: it doesn't run. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take from Alicante to Cartagena? About 75 minutes by car on the motorway. ### Where to sleep in Cartagena without worrying about the car? In a hotel with a garage, such as the Sercotel Alfonso XIII, or in the centre and parking in a public car park. ### Can I drive to Calblanque? Yes, except in July, August and the last days of June between 8:00 and 20:30, when you enter by bus from Los Belones. ### How much do the tickets cost? About €30 per person for the theatre, the castle with the lift, the shelter, the boat and the ARQVA, in November 2026. ## Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Sercotel Alfonso XIII**, 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**: 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**: 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. ## Dónde dormir without a car - **Sercotel Alfonso XIII**, 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**: 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.