Cartagena day trip: the Roman theatre, modernist streets and the naval harbour, one hour south

What to see

• Teatro Romano: the 1st-century BC theatre, buried under the cathedral ruins and houses until 1988, now reached through an elegant museum by Rafael Moneo.
• Castillo de la Concepción: take the panoramic lift from the port for the view over the harbour, the arsenal and the old town.
• Museo Naval and the Peral submarine of 1888, one of the first electric submarines in the world, on the waterfront.
• ARQUA, the national museum of underwater archaeology, with the treasure of the Mercedes frigate.
• Calle Mayor and the modernist palaces: Casa Cervantes, the Gran Hotel, the town hall.
• Barrio del Foro Romano and the Casa de la Fortuna for more Roman houses with frescoes.

Lunch and the drive

Cartagena eats well: Calle Mayor and the squares behind it for tapas, the port for rice and fish. The local drink is asiático, a coffee with condensed milk, brandy and cinnamon. Drive down the AP-7 (tolls) in an hour or the N-332 and RM-12 in a little more; the port car parks are easy. On the way back, turn off for Cabo de Palos (lighthouse, fish restaurants, diving) or the wild coves of Calblanque regional park, 25 minutes from the city.