Private transfer from Alicante Airport to Cartagena

A Roman theatre for 6,000 spectators. The theatre was built at the end of the 1st century BC on Concepción hill, one of Cartagena's five hills. The seating was carved straight into the rock, and the stage is more than 43 metres long. For centuries the ruins lay hidden under city blocks, and only in 1990 was the find identified as a Roman theatre. The architect Rafael Moneo designed the restoration of the theatre and the museum around it. The visit begins in the Riquelme Palace, then visitors walk through an archaeological corridor under the church of Santa María la Vieja before they reach the theatre itself. A ticket costs €7. From 1 October to 30 April the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00.

Remains of the Carthaginian wall by the San José crypt. The Carthaginian general Hasdrubal founded the city in 229 BC and named it Qart Hadast, meaning "new city". The Punic Wall interpretation centre has kept a stretch of the Carthaginian city wall, one of the few Carthaginian monuments found in Spain, and next to it the San José crypt is open to visitors. A ticket costs €4. On Tuesdays entry is free for the last two hours before closing if you buy your ticket at the ticket desk rather than online.

A 45-metre panoramic lift to Concepción castle. The lift stands on calle Gisbert and takes you to the top of Concepción hill. At the top are Torres park and Concepción castle, with views over the city and the bay. A lift ticket costs €2, or €6 with entry to the castle. From 2 November to 14 March the lift runs Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30.

Air-raid shelters from 1936-1939 in the hillside. During the Civil War, shelter tunnels were dug into Concepción hill: about 5,500 people could take cover in them, and there were 20 entrances. Air raids on Cartagena began in October 1936, and on 25 November that year the city was bombed for four hours without a break. Today a museum with eyewitness accounts and a film occupies part of the tunnels on calle Gisbert. A ticket costs €4, and an audio guide in four languages €2. In winter the Cartagena Puerto de Culturas museums are closed on Mondays, so plan your visits for Tuesday to Sunday.

A boat trip to Fort Navidad. On the tourist boat you sail around the harbour past fortresses, coastal batteries, lighthouses and quays, while a guide tells the story of the port in several languages. A ticket costs €8, or €10 with entry to Fort Navidad: you can get off at the fort and look around it. The schedule changes with the seasons, so check it on the Cartagena Puerto de Culturas website before your trip.

The Carthaginians and Romans festival in September. Every autumn Cartagena holds the Carthaginians and Romans festival, recognised as an event of International Tourist Interest. It commemorates the capture of the city by Scipio's troops in 209 BC. Carthaginian days and Roman days take turns throughout the festival week, and the programme includes the wedding of Hannibal and Imilce and a Roman circus day with gladiators. The most important day is Saturday, when Carthaginian troops and Roman legions march through the streets. The festival lasts about ten days, so book your accommodation and transfer as soon as the dates are announced.