Cartagena Spain

Cartagena in southeastern Spain sits on a deep natural harbour that has been used as a naval base since Carthaginian times. The Roman Theatre, a 1st-century BC amphitheatre uncovered beneath later buildings, is the main attraction and has an adjacent museum. A panoramic lift nearby takes you up to Concepción Castle for a wide view over the port and the city below. Calle Mayor, the main pedestrian street, runs from the port into the centre, lined with shops and cafés in old Art Nouveau buildings. The National Museum of Underwater Archaeology, near the harbour, displays artefacts salvaged from shipwrecks. The city is compact and flat enough to walk comfortably. A tinto de verano, red wine mixed with lemon soda, is the local drink of choice and costs a couple of euros at most waterfront bars.