Cartagena Ancient Roman History Guided Tour
About this activity
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Experience Highlights
Step back two thousand years with a guided tour of Cartagena's Roman history and discover how ancient Carthago Nova became one of the most prosperous enclaves in the Mediterranean. For 2 hours you will visit temples, thermal baths and underground roads, culminating in front of the imposing steps of the Roman Theatre.
The meeting point is the Town Hall Square, where your official guide will be waiting for you with an ancient map of the city. The group, limited to 18 people, proceeds at a leisurely pace and with individual audio systems so that you don't miss a single detail of the explanation in English.
- Book in advance and avoid last-minute surprises.
- Explore at your leisure: priority access to the Roman Theatre Museum
- Photograph unique nooks and crannies under pedestrian streets and archaeological passageways.
What’s included
- Official guide in English throughout the tour
- Priority entrance to the Museum and Roman Theatre
- Radio-guide system with headphones for groups > 8 persons
- Digital map with other Roman points of interest
Select participants and date
Step by Step
The visit begins in front of the Town Hall, a modernist jewel that hides under its foundations a section of Byzantine wall. Here your guide traces on a map the evolution of Carthago Nova from the Punic conquest to imperial glory.
Following the main street, you reach the Decumanus Maximus, a 1st century road where original mosaics and the thresholds of ancient tabernae are still preserved. Descending through a glazed corridor, you come to the Porticus Baths, with their hot-cold pools and hypocaust channels visible to the naked eye.
The itinerary continues towards the Roman Forum. Between Corinthian columns, you will learn how the priests worshipped Isis and Serapis in a surprisingly well-preserved sanctuary. The guide's voiceover is complemented by 3D reconstructions on your audio device, showing the forum as it stood in the time of Augustus.
The highlight comes when you walk through the tunnel that connects to the Roman Theatre Museum. Designed by Rafael Moneo, the museum route leads to the original stands, with seating for 6,000 spectators. From the upper vomitorium, you will enjoy an unrivalled panoramic view of the natural harbour and the hills that protected the city.
Before leaving, the guide will point out other vestiges that you can visit on your own - such as the House of Fortune or the Augusteum - and will recommend nearby taverns where you can try the seafood stew or the Mar Menor stew.
