Cartagena sits like a weathered jewel on Spain's Mediterranean coast, where the Murcia region meets the sea. I've always found it fascinating how this city carries so much history in its bones – founded by the Carthaginian Asdrúbal in 227 BC, it's been everything from a Roman provincial capital to a Byzantine stronghold.

The old town spreads across five small hills that once formed a peninsula around an ancient lagoon. That lagoon was drained long ago, and now modern Cartagena has grown over it. Walking through the historic center, you're literally stepping over layers of civilizations. The Roman Theatre is the most obvious reminder of this past – it was buried under buildings for centuries before being uncovered and restored.

What strikes me most about Cartagena is how it feels like a working city rather than a museum piece. The naval base still operates here, just as it has for centuries. The port hums with activity. Yet between the industrial areas, you'll find remarkable Modernist buildings from the mining boom of the late 1800s, when silver, lead, and zinc brought wealth to the region.

The climate here is almost desert-like – barely 260mm of rain per year. Summer temperatures hover around 27°C, kept bearable by sea breezes. Those same winds can be fierce in winter, channeled between the surrounding hills and the Mediterranean.

I appreciate how much of Cartagena's coastline remains undeveloped. While other Spanish coastal cities surrendered to concrete, only about 0.67% of this shoreline is built up. The landscape is dramatic – rocky headlands, hidden coves, and that brilliant blue water you see in postcards.

The Carthaginians and Romans festival in September transforms the entire city. Locals dress in period costume and stage mock battles in the streets. It sounds touristy, but it's genuinely rooted in local pride and history. The Easter processions are equally impressive, though more solemn.

For visitors wanting to dig deeper into the city's complex past, an audio guide can help connect the dots between different historical periods – there's a lot to unpack here. The Archaeological Museum and various Roman sites scattered throughout make more sense when you understand how each civilization built upon the last.

Cartagena doesn't overwhelm you with attractions, but what it offers runs deep. It's a place where history feels immediate rather than distant, where the Mediterranean light illuminates stories spanning over two millennia.