The incredible 15th edition of Cartagena’s Route of the Fortresses took place in the city on Friday, June 19, and distributed some €62,000 between more than forty charity organisations in the Region of Murcia. The event, aiming solely to support solidarity and inclusion projects of these kindhearted charities, was a massive success, and placed a specific focus on sport, socialisation, and solidarity.

Thousands of runners turn athletic sacrifice into direct charitable aid

To be specific, the Route of the Fortresses was a race which saw great participation of some 6,000 runners, transforming their support, effort, and sacrifice into tangible, direct aid for social groups and organisations in the region. Apart from its charitable heart, the race also allowed participants to compete in a special route that now has been firmly established as an important and representative race for the municipality and city.

The Route of the Fortresses: Taking runners through Cartagena’s most iconic landmarks

This route takes runners through several historic landmarks and peaks through the municipality, kicking off from the Plaza Mayor, near the port alongside the sea, and tracing a path through landmarks like the Cerro del Molinete and the Palacio Consistorial, the Castillo de la Concepción, Castillo de los Moros, the Castillo de San Julián, and leading up the mountain to Sierra Gorda, Monte Calvario, and the steep Castillo de la Atalaya. Finally, the race ends at the Escuela de Infantería de Marina General Albacete Fuster, located in Tentegorra.

Military support and a new musical anthem crown the historic finish

In addition to the athletes, officials at the awards gala also thanked the work of the volunteers who made the sporting event possible, and the more than 1,000 professionals from the Navy for their collaboration with this event.

According to Chief of Naval Personnel, Admiral Alfonso Delgado Moreno, who is also the only General Officer to have completed the race in all three of his admiral ranks, the race “embodies the core values ​​of Navy personnel, and it is an honour for all participants to face the route with the seriousness the challenge demands.” 

Finally, the musical finale for the gala was performed by the Cartagena-based group “Los Recortables ,” who played an acoustic version of “Ven a Cartagena,” their original song which, starting with this fifteenth edition, will officially become the anthem of the Route of the Fortresses.

Eleven students from Slovakia have carried out archaeological internships at the Cartagena Puerto de Culturas this June, as part of the Erasmus+ short-term mobility programme. The group of students, all young women, have come to the Costa Calida from the Samuel Mikovíni Vocational High School, which offers a wide range of artistic and technical programmes and is located in Banská Štiavnica, a historic city in central Slovakia.

Young archaeological minds carry out heritage conservation and restoration internship in historic centre of Cartagena

The internships focus specifically on heritage conservation and restoration, and consist of three different study programmes, primarily Conservation and Restoration of stucco decorations and ancient buildings, but also books and ancient graphic documents and geodesy and cartography. The talented and passionate young students were accompanied by two teachers during their two-week visit, and a Cartagena conservator as well.

Restoring and preserving ancient monuments

To be specific, these young women focused on conservation work within the archaeology section of the Molinete Roman Forum Museum. During their visit in Cartagena, the Slovak archaeologists carried out cleaning treatments on the Opus Spicatum of the Baths and the Mosaic located in the Forum and other pavements; and acquired knowledge about the local stone used in most of Cartagena’s monuments and archaeological sites, called tabaire. After these cleaning treatments, the students have learned to apply lime water and restore the strength of the monuments, buildings and structures.

Additionally, the students received theoretical classes on conservation and restoration in archaeological sites, and enjoyed guided tours through the centre of the Cartagena Puerto de Culturas.

Cartagena, known for its history and culture

This experience has proven to be invaluable for these young archaeologists, who, beyond developing their professional skills, have also gained knowledge about a new culture, improved their Spanish, and created lasting memories with their peers.

Cartagena is a city known for its wealth of historical monuments, as well as its museum culture and rich history. These students, already back in their home country, will certainly apply everything that they learned to their work in Slovakia and continue to contribute to the preservation and restoration of history.

• Costa Calida
• Virtual EWN

By Helena EWN • Published: 18 Jun 2026 • 10:00 • 1 minute read