Cartegena

An impressive and historic city with a protected and safe port situated very close to the centre of the city. It felt very different to most places we have been as the history over 2000 years oozed from every street corner.  The Castilla and retored ramparts gave a most impressive 360 degree view of the city off to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.  The reconstructed Spanish civil war air raid shelters and the circular glass walled lift to the castle were all part of the representation of the broad history of the city from modern times right back to pre Roman.  The re-building of the roman theatre as is was in AD56 was for us the height of the historical tours. The city council has done a great job in the last 10 years of promoting Cartegena as a distinctive historical tourist attraction.  The Cathedral restaurant beside the Roman amphitheatre with its three levels of glass encased Roman remains is worth a table booking (which you need to do).  Consequently our planed two day stay in the cheapest marina for miles for winter lay ups, turned into four days.  Our friends Tony and Jane Dowsett joined us on the last evening. Next morning we bade farewell to Cartegena and sailed down the coat to Garrucha.