Spain/Murcia: Cartagena
Cartagena is a seaside town in Southern Spain (not to be confused with Cartagena in Colombia). It was founded in 227 BC, and thrives during the Roman times as Carthago Nova (or the New Carthage, having been named after the original Carthage). Cartagena is one of the most important and easily defensible ports in the Mediterranean and nowadays home to the Spanish Navy. The old town, right on the waterfront, is compact and utterly beautiful. All the pedestrian streets are laid in granite and marble. There are plenty of historical attractions – Roman theater, ancient walls and ramparts, 12th century Cathedral de Santa Maria, and then dozens of beautiful baroque and neo-classical buildings, and even some splendid examples of Art Nouveau. The waterfront promenade offers a view of the port and the Mediterranean and the square just next to it has the most famous Cartagena’s building – Palacio Consistorial.
