Cartagena

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Located in the Murcia region of south-east Spain, Cartagena is a harbour city that opens out across a wide bay to the Mediterranean Sea. The entrance is guarded by a series of castles and coastal batteries dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. With an incredible past spanning more than 3,000 years of history, Cartagena has been the scene of some of Europe's most fascinating moments. One of its greatest monuments is the Roman theatre, built at the end of the 1st century BC during the reign of Emperor Augustus. With a capacity of 6,000 spectators, it is a jewel of the city and has been completely restored. Today, thanks to its privileged location on the 250 km long Costa Cálida with its Mediterranean microclimate, the city is a reference point for water sports and offers stunning natural landscapes for sailing, beaches, culture and a rich underwater world that has made it a favourite destination for divers in Spain, including the protected marine reserves of Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas near the city. Cartagena is 30 kilometres from the Manga del Mar Menor, which includes the coastal lagoon of the Mar Menor, the first ecosystem in the European Union to be granted the rights of private individuals and companies.

On the coast of Cartagena there are extensive seagrass beds and coral reefs that are habitats for numerous plant and animal species. There are also remains from other eras, from Roman shipwrecks to sunken ships from the Spanish Civil War. The port of Cartagena is the fourth largest Spanish port in terms of cargo volume, a leader in import and foreign trade and one of the ten most important cruise ports in the Spanish port system. It is considered one of the most sustainable ports in the Mediterranean, both for the quality of its waters, its port-city integration model and its uniqueness in terms of its marine and land species. The Port of Cartagena has become a valuable area for terrestrial and marine biodiversity and has successfully carried out the reforestation of Posidonia meadows.