Walking up the narrow streets toward Parque arqueológico el Molinete in Cartagena, you quickly realize this isn't your typical archaeological site. This hill, once known as Arx Asdrubalis in ancient times, holds layers of history that span over two millennia – and somehow, most of it remained hidden until relatively recently.

The story of how this place was discovered fascinates me almost as much as the ruins themselves. While other Roman remains in Cartagena were found centuries ago, the Molinete's treasures stayed buried under windmills and later, somewhat less romantically, brothels. It wasn't until the 1970s that systematic excavations began, led by Pedro Antonio San Martín Moro who recognized what lay beneath.

What makes this place special is how different civilizations literally built on top of each other. You can see Carthaginian defensive walls from the 3rd century BC, then Roman structures above them, including what archaeologists believe was a capitol dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. The Roman forum ruins are there too, along with thermal baths where you can still see the original brick floors laid in herringbone patterns.

The view from up here is worth the climb alone. Cartagena spreads out below, the Mediterranean stretching to the horizon, and you get a real sense of why this strategic location attracted so many different powers throughout history. Standing where Hasdrubal's palace supposedly once stood – though archaeologists are still searching for definitive proof – you understand the commanding position this hill provided.

One discovery that really captures the imagination happened in 2002 when they found a headless statue of Emperor Augustus. Months later, they found the missing hand and arm pieces. It's those kinds of ongoing discoveries that keep this place exciting.

The Roman insulae – city blocks – give you a glimpse into daily life 2,000 years ago. You can walk along ancient streets and even see cart wheel ruts worn into the stone. There's an audio guide available if you want deeper historical context, though honestly, just wandering around and letting your imagination fill in the gaps works pretty well too.

This is one of Europe's largest urban archaeological parks, covering about 26,000 square meters. Yet it maintains an intimate feel, probably because you're walking through actual neighborhoods where people lived, worked, and worshipped across the centuries.