Forget high rises and crowded beaches, if you’re looking for an authentic Spanish travel experience, the city of Murcia is where it’s at! The next time you find yourself in Spain, be sure to hire a car, pack a map and go explore the wonderful sights of Murcia.
Murcia Mini Guide:
The city of Murcia is situated in the southeast of Spain on the Segura River. It’s easy to see why Murcia is a popular short break destination. The city offers a good range of cultural and historical attractions as well as enjoying a sunny Mediterranean climate. The region’s climate is favourable to growing fruit and vegetables, owing to the nickname La Huerta de Europa, ‘The Market Garden of Europe.’
Things To See/Do in Murcia:
A walking tour is the best way to see what the city has to offer in terms of cultural and historical attractions. The old quarter of the city is the best place to start your journey. Most of the old town is pedestrian friendly, making walking an easy option. A labyrinth of cobbled streets leads up to the Cathedral of the Diocese of Cartagena Murcia. Work began on the impressive cathedral in 1394 and today the cathedral is home to a free museum, which exhibits interesting religious artefacts like gothic altarpieces and an exquisite Roman sarcophagus frieze.
Glorieta de Espana is also worth checking out. The attractive palm lined square is a popular meeting place for locals and a gateway to the town’s shops and cafés.
Eating Out in Murcia:
Eating out in Murcia offers excellent choice in terms of budget and taste. Those looking for cheap eats will find excellent value at budget establishments such as Aires de Murcia, El Soto on Paseo del Maceon and Hispano on Radio Murcia. Whatever gastronomic route you choose, you’re guaranteed to pay less for good quality fare, due to the Huerta de Europa’s abundance of local produce. The traditional ‘pisto’ definitely takes advantage of the region’s bumper harvests. The low cost dish is a colourful but oily blend of tomatoes, olive oil, aubergine, and red peppers.
Day Trips/Events in Murcia:
Murcia is the ideal base from which to explore the surrounding coast and villages. The resort of La Manga is just a 70km drive from Murcia and offers excellent water sports facilities for surfing, windsurfing and sailing enthusiasts.
Cabo de Palos is also worth a journey by hire car. This traditional village is situated 72km from Murcia and offers a range of exciting activities. The area is popular with scuba divers who search the famous shipwrecks for buried treasure. While here, it’s worth sampling local delicacies like caldero, a dish of fish flavoured rice. Cabo de Palos also offers a range of sheltered bays making it the ideal spot for swimming.
Murcia is renowned for its Semana Santa celebrations, which take place annually during Holy Week. In memory of the crucifixion, sculptures by famous local artist Francisco Salzillo are borrowed from museums and carried through the city in flower festooned candle lit parades. Huerta Parade takes place the week following Easter and sees local people decked out in traditional ‘huertano’ clothing.
August sees a host of free Latino music events in the city’s Plazá Julian Romea including Tango and Mexican Mariachi. |
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