Not another wine region...please! Wait, it's not? From the title it sure would sound like the general wine of the Iberian peninsula would be up for another landscape inscription but when I saw several spots on the map for detailed locations I was already curious about what it is all about, and after reading the document submitted to the UNESCO website is clear that this is about the wine trade between Iberia and the rest of the world (mainly Phoenicians?) back in the days. One of the wrecks, the Mazarrón II, is actually in the sandy bay of the appropriately named Puerto de Mazarrón at the south coast of Spain. Whereas snorkeling out is possible the metal sheets covering it make it a non-started for seeing this currently tentative WHS.

I opted for the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Cartagena. Cartagena is already a semi-popular spot judging from the amount of museums and a small old town but I think it's main tourist drive comes from docking cruise ships. At the time of visit there was none of these so the town was quite empty, with most people I saw not being tourists. Nevertheless parking during the siesta time (2~4pm) was free just 10 minutes away from the museum which allows for a nice stroll through old town.

The museum is not expensive and was dead empty. It has a lot of info on several underwater heritage with the first panel already giving detailed information on the the "UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage". The text is available in a multitude of languages which again surprised be a lot. As mentioned before, the Mazarrón II is covered with sheets and the process for covering is detailed here too. The Mazarrón I is on display, or a copy I think, but the state of both vessels are pretty poor after being in the water for so long. The shards of wine vases found in the wrecks are more interesting to point out the trade done between the other states.

With around half the museum dedicated to underwater heritage, the rest of the museum is still very interesting regarding trade in general but the shipbuilding and navigation is less to the point of the WHS potential. I suppose I did have fun learning to tie knots like a seafarer. I recommend the museum and I'm glad I sought it out as part of this TWHS.