Spanish city named one of the 'best' for history with its 'five-star' tourist attractions

Cartagena in south east Spain has been named the 'best Spanish seaside town for history'

A Spanish town with a long history behind it as been named one of 'the best' with its 'five-star' tourist attractions. Cartagena has been awarded the accolade of 'best Spanish seaside town for history' in a recent survey conducted by Which? Travel.

For history enthusiasts who want to learn a little more about the history of Spain, Cartagena has been described as the perfect destination, as reported by the Express.

Cartagena is located on the coast of Murcia in southeastern Spain. Which? Travel experts praised the region for its "five-star" tourist attractions, which includes museums and ancient ruins to explore.

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Which? experts said: "That’s thanks to sights such as the 1st-century Roman amphitheatre and contemporary bathhouse and arcade preserved as the Barrio del Foro Romano."

The maritime enclave was a draw for the Carthaginians and Romans, and even now, Cartagena remains an important naval seaport and is home to a large naval shipyard, as reported by the Express.

The port town is also a hub for cruise shops which can arrive every fortnight. It means that the area can get fairly busy, with Which? awarding the town just two stars for peace and quiet.

Some of the city's most popular museums include the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Cartagena Roman Theatre Museum and the Municipal Archaeology Museum.

People have also applauded the city for being a great spot for witnessing some of the architectural feats of civilisation past, including Torre Ciega. The monument is the one thing that remains of the Roman necropolic that was found beside the route from Carthago Nova to Tarragona.

You can also find the Roman Theatre of Cartagena, believed to have been built between 5 and 1 BCE. An ongoing project saw the theatre restored and gave the city a new museum space for visitors.

But it's not just history that the seaside town is famous for. Cartagena also has a rich gastronomy science thanks to the wide variety of landscapes of the Region of Murcia.

In Cartagena, the star dishes are products preserved in brine, fish, rice dishes and paellas. Another regional speciality is fig bread and if you want to drink like the locals, Cartagena's asiático is a must-try, made from condensed milk, cognac and cinnamon.

The nearest airport to Cartagena is Murcia, located around 25km away. You can find a one-way flight from Birmingham Airport for as little as £52 on Skyscanner on a random date in May. While hotels are available for two nights in May from £50 on Booking.com.