Mediterranean Navigation Day 15

Day 15 - Sunday, March 16, 2025 – Cartagena, Spain

The sun was just coming up and we could smell the bacon aroma drifting from the dining room when we woke up at 7:15. After sailing all night we landed at the Port of Cartagena, Spain, at 9:15am.

It took a little while to get the ship docked and the gang plank down for us to begin our Sunday in Spain. The weather was cool but sunny, with just enough breeze to keep the seagulls soaring gracefully in the skies above.

The plan for the day was to go on a walking tour of Cartagena, a new city for us. The Red Team gathered at 10:00 with our local guide, Diego to explore the second oldest city in Spain founded in 220 BCE by the Carthaginians.

It was from Cartagena that Hannibal departed in 218 BCE with 200 war elephants to cross the Alps and invade Rome. Today there is still a large military presence in the city with one of the three Spanish naval bases located in Cartagena.

We walked into the city center and our first activity was to visit the Roman Theatre built in the 5th Century BCE. Over the years, vandals, earthquakes, and fires destroyed the theater. Other buildings were erected on the property. When an old residential area was being torn down and excavated in 1988, the first of the ruins was rediscovered.

Our next stop was at The Columbus Café where we were treated to an Asiatico, a specialty coffee of Cartagena made with layers of condensed milk, cognac, Licor 43, coffee, and then a few coffee beans, a slice of lemon, and cinnamon on top.

After enjoying a break at the café, we walked further into the city to visit the Roman Forum. The site included the community baths, the atrium, and the Temple of Isis. More excavations each year find extremely valuable information about the occupation of the Romans in Cartagena.

We had a little free time after lunch but the Captain warned everyone that we would sail again at 6:00 sharp. We will travel during the night and in the morning arrive in Valencia.

Accommodations: M/V Clio

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More ruins in Cartegena, amazing.

I have not been to Cartegena, either. It’s amazing what has been discovered since 1988! I have to say that the coffee treat you had sounded wonderful. It was a very short, but lovely visit it seems. Enjoy Valencia.

The coffee drink sounds fabulous!

How was the coffee? It seems to have a lot of my favorite flavors

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