Murcia

Until recently Murcia has been one of the least developed regions of coastal Spain. While neighbouring Valencia and Andalucia were experiencing an explosion of mass tourism and ex-pat home buying, Murcia remained relatively untouched by this foreign fervour for all things Spanish.

It was only the area around the Mar Menor, Europe’s largest salt water lagoon, which attracted the interest of developers during the early “run for the sun” property boom years. But with other coastal areas running out of development potential, investors are now turning their attention to Murcia – a region which some industry experts predict will be one of Europe’s biggest growth areas over the next decade.

But as Murcia looks to a lucrative future, nothing can detract from the beauty of its historic cities - the capital city of Murcia, the ancient naval port of Cartagena and the lovely renaissance town of Lorca, crowned with its eye-catching 12 th century castle. All three cities are steeped in history and boast a wealth of fascinating museums, palaces, churches and ancient monuments.

The fabulous cathedral in Murcia city is well worth a visit. You can spot it from miles away because of its 96-metre tower which houses no less than 25 bells. Construction work on the cathedral started in the mid 14th century, on the site of a Moorish mosque, and lasted for another four centuries.

The city’s 18th century convent church of Santa Ana is another tourist attraction, partly because the sisters of the convent’s closed order bake cakes and sell them to the public through a revolving hatch (to avoid breaking their vow of no contact with the outside world).

For those who enjoy discovering “the real Spain” away from the costas, Murcia is a delight to explore with its traditional villages where life continues much has it has done for generations. The hill town of Jumilla, at the northern end of the region, is famous for its very quaffable, full bodied red wine which has been produced in the area for centuries.

Mar Menor

  La Manga Strip

The Mar Menor is the largest lagoon in Europe and has a surface area of 130 sq km and a maximum depth of 8 metres.
 
The crystal clear waters are warm, calm and rich in salts and minerals, in fact the temperature never falls below 18 degrees.

In certain areas of the Mar Menor the therapeutic clays can be found, these are a favourite with the Spanish tourists, who cover themselves with the clay and then bake in the hot sun.

It is said to be good for skin complaints, rheumatism and arthritis etc.

The La Manga Strip is a unique location in Europe, it is approx 21 Km long and 300 metres wide (average).

La Manga means ‘sleeve’ and it is a strip of land which separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor (Small Sea).

Along it’s coast on both sides, there are beautiful ‘Blue Flag’ beaches with white sands, ideal for family holidays.

Even in the height of the season,
they never get ‘packed’ and
claustrophobic.

Cartagena

Cartagena is still an important naval seaport to the Spanish and one of the most important in Spain. There are many naval ships here and many of the buildings surrounding the port belong to the navy with a good museum for those interested in its history. Due to its location on the Mediterranean Sea, the port has been very important through the ages and the ruins of many castles and forts can be found high on the surrounding hills lending support to its defence.



Cartagena has many archaeological sites and ruins in and around the city and in the old centre can be found museums with artefacts found or the remains of old Roman buildings. Excavation has been carried out under the current bullring, which was constructed in 1854 over a Roman amphitheatre. There are also many churches, palaces and buildings of great architectural design that have been carefully restored back to their former glory around the city many in the old quarter located around the port.



Cartagena is a wonderful historic city with many wonderful buildings to view most of which are within easy walking distance from the centre. The weather is typically hot with plenty of sunshine and the city offers plenty of bars and restaurants around the many parks and squares to take in the slow and relaxed atmosphere Cartagena has to offer.

Lorca

Lorca is a lively and busy place all year round and it Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are the most lavish in Murcia. Huddled around the ruins of its castle, Lorca retains many beautiful buildings such as the Collegiate Church of San Patricio and impressive town houses and mansions that remind us of it's opulent past. Lorca also plays host to an annual Rock Festival, Lorca Rock, featuring bands such as Iron Maiden, the Scorpions, Slayer, Lacuna Coil and Dream Theatre etc.