Cartegena & Elx

Elx

Cartegena

ELCHE/ELX:

Elx (in Valencian) or Elche (in Spanish) is a city located in the comarca of Baix Vinalopo in the Alicante provvince, it is well worth a visit as it has some wonderfull nature parks. Elche is situated about 30 - 40 minutes away from the apartment.

Part of the municipality is coastal but the main city is some 15 km (9.5 miles) from the Mediteranean sea. Elx has a populatin of approximately 220,000 inhabitants, ranking as the second most populated city within the Alicante province. A small creek called Vinalopo flows through the city splitting it in two parts.

The economy of Elx is based in large part on the footwear industry, with over 1,000 shoe factories, one which we have been to and is well worth visiting is Salvador Artesano. Being one of the most important footwear industries in Spain and the rest of Europe. There are other economic activities in Elx: agriculture (dates, olives, ceraels and pomegranites), although it has lost importance in the last years, the rubber industry trade which employs 20% of the workforce, and tourism.

CARTAGENA:

It is a walled city with a fine harbour defended by forts, it is also a naval station and is situated in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula in the autonomous community of Region of Murcia. Cartagena has been the capital of the Spanish Navy's Maritime Department of the Mediterranean since the arrival of the Spanish Bourbons in the eighteenth century. In the time of Philip II of Spain, it was a major naval seaport, and still is today with a big naval shipyard, the main military haven of Spain. Next to the Arsenal (Menéndez Pelayo), there is a Naval Museum. On the opposite side of the harbour to the city is the National Museum for Underwater Archeology, containing a reconstructed Roman galley and exhibits from shipwrecks. Some Cartageneros were not happy to be in the same region as inland Murcianos. The Autonomy Act struck a compromise by having Murcia as the seat of the regional government and Cartagena as the seat of the regional parliament (Asamblea Regional). Cartagena has many archaeologic sites. Ruins identified as a temple to Melqart have been uncovered. Throughout the old centre you can find museums with remains of Roman buildings. Cartagena was the birthplace of Isidore of Seville, the Director of the Holy See (Vatican) Press Office Joaquin Navarro Valls and the Spanish writer Arturo Pérez Reverte.

MURCIA:

Is a city and municipality on the river Segura in southeastern Spain and the capital of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia. Population: 563,272 including the metropolitan area, ranking as the 12th-largest metropolitan area of Spain. Murcia is built nearly in the centre of a low-lying fertile plain, known as the huerta or market garden of Murcia, which includes the valleys of the Segura and its right-hand tributary the Guadalentín or river Sangonera, and is surrounded by mountains. Despite the proximity of the sea, the climate is subject to great variations: the summer heat is severe, while frosts are occasionally experienced in the capital during the winter. Murcia-San Javier Airport (MJV) is located on the edge of the Mar Menor close to the towns of San Javier and Santiago de la Ribera, 45 km southeast of Murcia, about 30 minutes by car. The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary in Murcia (Spanish: Iglesia Catedral de Santa María en Murcia), commonly called the Cathedral of Murcia, is an important landmark in the city of Murcia

Cartagena, ESP
Updated 06 February 2012 01:00

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