Travelling to Cartagena is relatively easy you will most likely arrive into either Alicante or Murcia airport both. Alicante is only an hour and twenty minutes drive away and Murcia only twenty five.

It’s an ideal spot in Spain for hiring a car and having a small adventure of your own. The Costa Calida has recently had it’s road networks upgraded. Cartagena is connected to both the A-7 motorway and the N-332, both run along the coast as far as you are likely to want to travel. The motorway will take you to your desired destination quickly and effortlessly whilst the N-332 twists its way along the scenic coast giving you some fantastic view points and secluded beaches to stop at.

From here even the beautiful Moorish city of Granada is reachable in less than two and a half hours. An extended two day excursion from Cartagena could mean that you get to see the magnificent Alhambra palace; and during winter months it’s even possible to get to some great Ski resorts.

Car rental in Cartagena is a great way of seeing everything the city has to offer and the surrounding places of interest. Public transport in the area is very limited there isn’t much in the way of busses and trains connecting the area so I would suggest a rental car to get around. Car hire in spain is often a lot cheaper than here in the UK

Much of Cartagena’s Roman history is now buried deep below the foundations of the new buildings. However a recent rainstorm in the last few years unearthed a beautiful Amphitheatre which was found under the current bull ring. Excavations and dig work is due to be finished by the end of this year.

Over recent years many of the important historical structures of the city have be restored. There are several good museums, churches and palaces to explore. The Murcia province in the Costa Blanca offers holiday makers fantastic resort based vacations as well as an opportunity to immerse your self in some of Spain’s historic culture.

The city of Cartagena is located only 20 kilometers from La Manga del Mar Menor along the twisting scenic coastal highway, and 70 kilometers from Murcia it retains some of the area’s most interesting historic sights.

At these distances it makes for the perfect day trip in your hire car. Cartagena is a must for any naval enthusiasts, being home to Spain’s current principal port and the vast majority of their naval fleet. The port it self is set far back in a natural cove but on both rocky peninsulas forts Galeras and San Julian. stand guard over the harbor.

The history of this natural port dates back to the fifth century BC when it was used by the Greeks and Phoenicians as a natural shelter. The city boasts a lively mixture of modernist architecture interspersed with Roman sites, buildings and monuments. It has all the charm and character of a local Spanish city along with an interesting history.

The Conception Castle is a modernist building which stands square and dominating it has a panoramic glass lift which offers by far the best views of the town. From the top of this lift you can see the Roman theatre, which happened to be found completely by chance .Up until recently much of this city’s Roman heritage lay buried and un-disturbed. In 1988 a few blocks were uncovered by heavy rain on the hill side, unfortunately almost an entire neighborhood had been built over the top of the theatre once residents had been happily relocated the painstaking excavation and re-construction of the theatre began; now a must see structure you can even observe the restoration work taking place.

As more and more of the history is uncovered on a daily basis, a trip at the start of your day to the local Tourist information could ensure you don’t miss any new developments.