Cartagena, how beautiful you are
On Obispo Ballester Street in the Los Dolores neighborhood in Cartagena, Mrs. Aquilina López used to sit in front of her house to take in the fresh air. In that plastic chair she said that "there have been more sticks here than anywhere else" and she told you a whole long string of family stories. That everything here is history, she let loose. And you're right. Wherever you look, all of Cartagena has something to tell.
Get up early and do a walking route through the Bateria de Castillitos or do it late and walk slowly through the port and the Calle Mayor has a common element: ask for a stocking and venture with an Asian.
In cafeterias, locals mostly have half a small loaf of bread with oil (and optional tomato) or butter for breakfast. Y Asian is a coffee served in a small bell-shaped glass with condensed milk, a mixture of two liquors (brandy and Licor 43) and cinnamon. It was born from those who came by sea asking for war and then trade, it came to be called 'Russian' by the fishermen and in the 40s the owner of the Pedrin bar, in El Albujón, he shaped it.
Cartagena is to kick. It is a city surrounded by five hills. Here they took one and another the octopus for three millennia, which is said soon, and that is why each stone of each facade would get tired of telling you war stories. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Swabians, Vandals, Alans, Visigoths, Arabs and Frenchmen came looking for glory and little back mounts.
Roman amphitheater of Cartagena
From the most recent ** Museum-Refuge of the Civil War ** at 21 Gisbert Street –Mrs. Aquilina sadly recounts that her grandmother died there– to the spectacular **Roman theater in Plaza del Ayuntamiento**, restored by the hand of the great Rafael Moneo, are indispensable. On the Molinete hill, a promontory located in the center of the city, there is an amazing urban archaeological park , one of the largest in the old continent. In it they found remains dated from the 3rd century BC. C. to the 20th century . In fact, just over a year ago they discovered a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Isis. At the top there is a restaurant with a terrace that will cry out for a beer. The views will not leave you indifferent.
As you are going to get fed up wandering around and your step counter will ask you to stop along the way, a local secret is the granitas. And where you have to take them is in the Reina Sofia ice cream parlor (Main Street 18) . There are many flavors, but The locals love the coffee one, the milk one (merengada) and the mixture . Yes, yes, it is ordered like this: “waiter, a mixture!”, which takes horchata and lemon. Your taste buds will do the wave.
If you don't convince them, the following will: vermouth granita. Take a goal for the squad. They do it in the Jumillano Grape (Calle Jara 26) and can be accompanied by a tapa and nothing is expensive: €1.90, the drink with the lid and you have 20 to choose from. The place is decorated like an old warehouse, with wrought iron columns and wooden bocoyes. The classic bravas, the Kentucky chicken or the squid cone are always a good choice, but the vermouth granita goes especially well with the aubergine chips (Your socks are turned upside down) . In addition, they offer classic cocktails that people from Cartagena know very well. If you like adventure, ask for a 'reparo'. Spoiler alert: it's cognac with mistela.
On the same street, just opposite, is The fountain (Jara street 27). It is the ideal place for lovers of anchovies and anchovies . Here they serve the classic among classics: the sailor . It is a glob of Russian salad on a bagel and an anchovy. What if I don't want anchovies? So ask for a bike. And if you want it with anchovies, ask for a sailor.
Their specialty: eggplant chips
Another of the ingredients that you have to try yes or yes from the well-known Murcian vegetable garden are alcaciles (by its pronunciation) . We refer to the artichokes that in the local speech, the panocho, are artichokes. A good place for it is Trap (Gates of Murcia, 14). If what you prefer is to find some well-known dish, a few blocks further on, following Calle Mayor and turning left in front of the town hall, in Strength (Cañon Street, 7) have the best croquettes in the known universe.
However, there is a limit to tapas and sometimes it is good to sit back and watch what happens. Therefore, here are two small recommendations for foodies: he remains **during the Cathedral ** (_Plaza Condesa de Peralta, 7 _ **) ** It deserves it for the location alone. It is a few meters from the Roman theater. They have a terrace and at night it is worth reserving a table and letting yourself go.
On the other hand, if you prefer something more intimate, away from the hordes of foreigners, your place is in the Magoga restaurant (Plaza Doctor Vicente García Marcos, 5) and try the seasonal dishes: we had the squid with seasonal mushrooms and almonds. If what you want is to eat in huge quantities, you have **the favorite of the sailors when they return from their destination: El Galeón** _(Plaza del Rey, 16) _ . They are whole sandwiches of whatever you want for little price . The Super Galleon requires stomach dexterity. You are warned.
Try the seasonal dishes
After dessert, it's time for one last visit. Maybe a walk around the harbor if you haven't seen it already. If it's late, take a walk down Calle de los Cuatro Santos and meet the people of Cartagena.
At number 3 Calle Cañón is the super bar , with stone walls and wooden ceilings, with a room in the back decorated like a forest with two swings. It has sheets of The Little Prince in the bathrooms for you to try the local gin. Or the beer shooter (Plaza San Francisco, 9) for fans of craft beer. or the pub Tin Soldier (Corner Príncipe de Vergara with the Portería de las Monjas) for the nostalgic.
If with all this you return to your abode and have stories to tell, we will have fulfilled.
For lovers of craft beer