Volendam 2026, Cartagena,Spain...

 We arrived in Cartagena well before sunrise, and of course I was out for the sail in. Founded by the Carthaginians, seized by Rome, coveted by the Moors, and later one of Spain’s most strategically vital naval bases, Cartagena has spent two millennia at the center of Mediterranean power struggles. The Spanish Navy still calls it home today. Thankfully, the weather prediction did not materialize, and we had sunshine instead of rain. After getting off the ship Ann, Cathy and I followed the waterfront to visit the Plaza Heroes of Cavite, with its imposing obelisk that pays homage to the fallen. Next, we stopped at Plaza del Ayuntamiento to photograph the Town Hall, one of the architectural jewels of the city. From here begins the busy Calle Mayor, Cartagena's main shopping street. We made our way through the narrow cobblestone streets in search of the Roman Theatre and Castillo de la Concepción. The highlight of a visit to Cartagena is most definitely the Roman Theatre; it is also one of the most remarkable archaeological stories in Spain. The Roman Theatre of Cartagena was built in the 1st century BC and, at its peak, seated up to 6,000 spectators was only discovered in 1988. During work on the ruins of the Santa Maria la Vieja church, excavators stumbled upon the more than 2000-year-old theatre. From here we headed in search of the Castillo de la Concepción. The castle is perched high above the city…the roadways through Torres Park leading up to the Castle Castillo were closed because of the heavy rains overnight so we took the scenic panoramic lift. The Castillo offers great views of the harbor and other Roman ruins. After descending the castle, we returned to the ship as we had an early 2pm departure. With more than 2,000 years of layered history packed into a remarkably walkable port city, Cartagena is one of Spain’s underrated destinations as well as a great city and port to sail away from. I continued taking in the beauty of this incredible city, snapping lots of photos as we slowly departed.  Next stop, Barcelona!