Cartagena

The Cruise Terminal of Cartagena is located in the exterior part of the Marina, next to the new building of the Yacht Club, a suitable place due to its proximity to the city center, 5 minute walk, cultural, leisure and commercial area of the quay.

The terminal has a bus stop, taxi rank, information points, and all the necessary services so that tourists have a pleasant arrival to the city, as well as being connected with the Alfonso XII Quay by means of pedestrian and vehicle accesses, through the Marina commercial area.

An ancient city with a name to match - it was founded more than 2,200 years ago by Carthaginian leader Hasdrubal - Cartagena is now one of Spain's busiest commercial centers. Step ashore here, though, and you are immediately aware of its rich history. In fact, you see it even as you cruise towards the harbor as this is flanked by towering fortresses. Then, in the center of the old town, you will find the original Carthaginian castle and sections of the old city walls.

Among its numerous Roman remains stands out the recently restored Roman theater of Carthago Nova that is one of the landmarks of the city.

But Cartagena is also, a city which moves with the times hence the new harbor front development which includes the unique National Museum of Underwater Archaeology. As part of Murcia province, Cartagena cruise port is also an excellent base for visiting the city of Murcia itself and its distinctive Baroque cathedral; the 17th-century religious sanctuary of Fuensanta; the Fortress at Lorca Taller del Tiempo; the spa resort of Balneario de Archena; and for touring into the mountainous interior or along the Costa Blanca to Alicante.

The National Museum of Maritime Archeology: Amphorae, lead ingots, anchors, even a life-size model of a Roman merchant ship. This is only part of what is contained in this museum, whose exhibits are full of objects recovered on underwater archeological digs. The items on display take us on a journey through the history of sea trade and traffic, as well as maritime history, with special emphasis on the Phoenician and Roman eras. Also worthy of note is the collection of seven scale models of ancient vessels, and even an exact replica of a galley.

On the main boulevard right in front of the cruise dock is the starting point of the TuristBus, a 40 minute hop on/off double-decker sightseeing tour. buses depart on the whole hour and only charges 7 Euro.

Two seas on one coastline - the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean -, impressive cliffs, heavenly beaches of endless white sand, lively ports and wild coves with crystal clear water, more than 3,000 hours of sun a year and mild temperatures - even in winter - with a yearly average of more than 18ºC. This is the Costa Cálida, the ideal place to spend some time relaxing both in winter and summer.

A trip to the historic city of Murcia, the capital of the Murcia region is a popular excursion.

The euro

The euro is divided into 100 cents. • There are eight different coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 Euro. • There are seven different bank notes, for the following amounts: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro.

Spanish is the official language in the entire national territory. However, other languages coexist with Spanish in certain regions of Spain. These are: Catalan in Catalonia, Galician in Galicia, Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Valencian in the Valencia Region and a particular variety of Catalan spoken on the Balearic Islands.

Free Wifi is now common at most establishments!

Emergency number: Dial 112 free of charge (valid throughout Spain). Service is given in Spanish, and also in English, French and German in some tourist areas.

The most common business for shops and businesses hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9.30 h to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h.

Big shopping centers and department stores open from 10.00 h to 21.00 or 22.00 h uninterruptedly. These big stores open sometimes on Sunday.

In coastal cities, in high season, shops are usually open passed 22.00 h.

Pharmacies open from 9.30 to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. In all major cities, you can find pharmacies that open 24 hours. Pharmacies follow a rolling late-hour schedule, which is published in the newspapers, and is posted at all pharmacies.