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Cartagena's Espacio Mediterráneo shopping centre gets a new children's play park
The renovated Parque Mediterráneo space pays homage to the Isaac Peral submarine
The Espacio Mediterráneo shopping centre in Cartagena has recently unveiled a new recreational area, offering a fresh and engaging space for families and children.
This renovation is part of a larger project that has seen over 5 million euros invested in the centre to enhance accessibility and modernise its infrastructure.
At the heart of the new children’s play park, which is located within the shopping mall’s car park area, stands a striking wooden submarine. This feature pays homage to Isaac Peral, the Cartagena-born engineer and inventor of the first electric-powered submarine.
The submarine serves as a centrepiece for the park, surrounded by a rest area and landscaped greenery, designed to create a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere for visitors.
The park has been carefully designed with accessibility in mind, offering adapted spaces for children of all abilities. In addition to the submarine-themed playground, urban art plays a significant role in the overall aesthetic of the shopping centre, with murals and artwork by local artists gracing the façades of the retail space.
The recent upgrades to Espacio Mediterráneo include the elimination of architectural barriers, improved accessibility, and the addition of more green spaces.
The car park, which now offers 850 parking spaces, has also been optimised for visitor convenience, with the installation of 30 shaded areas to provide relief during warm weather. Wooden façades and thousands of newly planted species enhance the centre’s green credentials.
This refurbishment is in line with the expansion strategy of the French real estate group FREY, which specialises in sustainable, open-air shopping centres.
FREY acquired Parque Mediterráneo, the home of Espacio Mediterráneo, in 2022 for 83 million euros. The shopping centre, which covers 66,000 square metres, attracts around 14 million visitors annually and employs 1,500 people.
With its new children’s play park and other upgraded facilities, Espacio Mediterráneo continues to position itself as a key leisure and shopping destination in the region, offering a modern yet locally inspired experience for residents and tourists alike.
Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena
