Cartagena on Spain's southeastern coast pairs one of the country's richest Roman legacies with a working naval harbor, and a rental car turns it into the hub of a rewarding stretch of the Murcia region. The warm lagoon beaches of the Mar Menor are about thirty minutes away, the regional capital Murcia is under an hour inland, and the wild coves of Cabo de Palos and the Calblanque natural park hide within a twenty-five minute drive of the Roman Theatre. Arrivals often come through the region's airports: Murcia's international airport is roughly forty minutes by road, while Alicante's larger hub is about an hour and a quarter up the AP-7 corridor, and one-way pickups between them are a common pattern. Spain drives on the right. EU and EEA licenses are valid as issued, but Spain is stricter than some neighbors with visitors from elsewhere: non-EU drivers are formally required to carry an International Driving Permit alongside their home license, and rental desks and police checks both take the requirement seriously, so arrange the permit before travel. Around town, note that Spanish cities are steadily introducing low-emission zones, known as ZBE, that regulate access to historic centers; rules and boundaries evolve, so check the current position for Cartagena's center and prefer the signed public car parks near the port and old town rather than pushing into the narrowest streets. The A-30 and AP-7 make regional legs quick, with the AP-7 tolled on some stretches and the A-30 free. Summer heat is serious here, so air conditioning matters, and August plus Semana Santa are the two windows when fleets tighten and prices firm; book early for either. Manual transmission remains the Spanish default, and reserving an automatic in advance is the difference between having one and hoping for one. Fuel stations are plentiful along the A-30 corridor, and the La Manga strip between the Mar Menor and the open Mediterranean makes a memorable evening drive.
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