This is the second largest Roman Theatre on the Iberian Peninsula., It is believed it dates back to…read morethe first century BC. Amphitheater was opened in honor of the visit of Gaius Cesar, grandson of Emperor Augustus. After the fall of Rome in the 3rd century, a market was built over the theatre. The theatre could accommodate more than 6,000 people. Amphitheater is accessed thru Roman Theatre Museum. We happened to stumble upon it while taking stairs behind the block. It looks really impressive from approximately 6th floor perspective, end unobstructed view was free. Definitely must do even if you're spending only few hours in town.

This is a great place the museum of the roman theatre it starts as a tunnel with a few displays of…read moreartifacts like bone dice and a gold ring and leads you to the lift, the first floor has a few roman pillars and some statues you go back in the lift and go along to the roman ampitheatre outside when you go out you are actually going under the corridor which has a church above you you go over a roman floor mosaic into the roman ampitheatre this is very impressive with its seats down to the actual stage itself which you can get up on there are some latin inscriptions on a marble portico which you walk under to get to some pillars and a gardn which is no longer there The ampitheatre sat several thousand people and you can close your eyes and picture them sitting around If you dont want to go in you can walk up the back streets to get a view over the ampitheatre but it is much better to explore The fact that the seating and steps of the theatre are stilll around is very impressive it is a wonderful place to come for a peaceful walk and sit down

"Los Reyes Magos (The Magi, Three Wise Men, Three Kings) - a group of distinguished foreigners who…read morevisited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh" - Wikipedia Dia de los Reyes Magos (January, 6) is a big holiday in Spain that ends the Christmas holiday season. Kids get more gifts than on Christmas. Adults often give each other gifts too. The eve of the holiday (January, 5) is celebrated with parades in cities throughout Spain (Gabalgatas de los Reyes Magos). There are local features in different cities. The Costa Orihuela event is relatively small comparing to parades in other cities nearby. It starts at 5pm (calle Nicolás de Bussi) and ends in La Zenia Boulevard shopping center. There are three main parts in a typical Reyes Magos parade: 1. Arrival (Llegada de los Reyes Magos). The three kings may arrive to a city by ships, trains, cars or even camels depending on place. People gather at the point of the arrival to welcome the kings. Kings arrived to Orihuela Costa in classic cars in 2016. 2. Parade (Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos). The kings parade trough the city's streets accompanied by musical bands, dancers and people wearing costumes. During this part the kings throw candies and people around catch them. Umbrellas and similar objects are often used for collection. Kids shout out the kings' names to get their attention (Spanish spellings of the kings' names are Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar). 3. Speech. After the parade the kings give speech, typically in the city's main square and sometimes give gifts. This part of the Orihuela Costa parade takes place inside La Zenia shopping center. The duration of the event is approximately 3 hours. Good: - Cosy and convenient. You can easily see the kings, talk to them and take pictures. - Free gifts are given to all kids at the end of the event. Kids are invited to the stage where the kings talk with them individually. - No need to drive anywhere if you live or stay in this part of Costa Blanca. The downsides: - It's not very authentic. Feels like an adaptation for tourists and expats of Costa Orihuela. - Small. You don't see the variety of costumes, dancers, bands and animals you would see in Torrevieja (10 km drive). Conclusion: - For locals. Worth visiting at least once. You may like it more than the bigger parade in Torrevieja. - For visitors. If this is your first "Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos" and you may not go to another parade soon - choose a bigger event in Torrevieja, Alicante or in other cities around.

One of the most enjoyable ports of call on our 16-nt cruise was in Cartegena, Nov 8th, 2024, not…read morethe least because this is where we finally got to try Segway, something we've always wanted to do, but were perhaps a trifle apprehensive about, since it's so new to us. But after some initial adjustments in mind and body, it quickly became something we were doing since we fell out of the cradle. So off we went, to the submarine museum, through narrow streets and traffic, with our final visit being to Castillo de la Concepcion. Going up the slope on the Segway was a piece of cake. We parked the vehicles and started looking around. Breath-taking panorama 360 degrees. It was a trifle misty in the morning for the best possible pix. But fortunately, we got to return in the afternoon on our second excursion of the day - a walking tour led by a pretty Spanish woman, who spoke passionately about her country and culture. The second time around, we rode the elevator up, and visited the museum. They do have complimentary bathroom facilities, allowing you to roam without worry. We descended on the way down to the war museum that commemorates the awful history that is the Spanish Civil War, a sombre experience especially given the election results of our own country in 2024. Altogether a memorable day for all sorts of reasons.