Introduction

Overview

The region of Murcia, situated between the Community of Valencia, Andalucía and Castilla La Mancha, is in a privileged position right at the centre of the Mediterranean Peninsular. It’s a region where tourists can enjoy the spa and thalassotherapy, Nature - be it sea, sand, land or air -, sport, sunbathing almost all year round thanks to its warm Mediterranean climate and swimming off the many beaches which welcome thousands of tourists year after year. It’s a region with a healthy diet and sufficiently varied to keep even the most demanding gastronome satisfied. It has good road and rail links with the other regions (regular train service to Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Alicante, Valencia and will soon be a stop on the AVE - the high velocity train service - Madrid-Valencia route). It also has a national and international airport “San Javier” some 45 km from Murcia. The bigger airports of Alicante and Valencia are both within one and a half hours’ travel. Links to websites specific to local towns are: “ Caravaca de la Cruz: www.caravaca.org
• “Cartagena: www.cocin-cartagena.es/puertodeculturas
• “Lorca: www.lorcatallerdeltiempo.com

Fact file

Capital Murcia (350.200 inhabitants)
Provinces Murcia is a mono-province region. That is to say the region is composed of a single province - also going by the name of Murcia.
Coasts Costa Cálida
Coastline The coast covers some 175 km, from San Pedro del Pinatar to Aguilas
Oceans/Seas Mediterranean Sea
Mountains Murcia is one of the most arid regions in Spain. Although not one of the most mountainous, there are hilly, wooded areas in the interior, which are known as the “Spanish Switzerland”: Sierras de Almenara (882m in Talayón); in Algarrobo and Cartagena, further inland are the sierras del Viento, Sierra de Espuña (Morrón 1585 m), Sierra de Orihuela, Sierra de Cambrón (Selva 1521 m), Sierra de Gavilán (Pinar Negro 1478 m, El Buitre 1427 m), Sierra de los Alamos (Puntal de Gorra Nogueras 1503 m)
Climate Dry, warm in summer and mild in winter.
Language Castilian Spanish.
Population 1.100.600 inhabitants known as “Murcianos”
Size 11.317 sq Km
Main industries Murcia has always been one of Spain’s main agricultural areas with its plentiful orchards of fruit trees and field crops: lemon trees, vines, quinces, rice, cereals, apricots, peaches etc). Other industries are: canning, pepper manufacturing and animal farming.

Don’t go home without

Visiting
• Murcia’s capital city (also called Murcia!)
- the cathedral (work of art of the Spanish Barroque movement), Puerta de los apóstoles (Apostles’ Gate), the chapel, Puerta del Norte (Northern gate), Cathedral Museum.
- Convento de Santa Clara (18th century) St Calara’s convent - a National Monument
- Iglesia de San Miguel (1666) - St Michael’s church
- Convento de Santa Ana (1490) - St Ana’s convent
- the university
- Iglesia de San Esteban (16th century) - St Stephen’s Church
- La Audiencia (The Court House) 1554
- Iglesia de San Bartolome, Iglesia de San Nicolás - the churches of St Bartholomew and St Nicholas
- Murcia’s casino (Romea theatre) one of the most beautiful and important in Spain. Look out for the entrance hall, the Arabic patio and the Louis XV style ballroom.
- Episcopal Palace: Beautiful building in Italian rococo style with very elegant facades.
- Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta (XVII century shrine). Dedicated to the town’s patron, this is 5km from the town and is an excellent vantage point with marvellous views over Murcia and its orchards.
- Rueda de la Ñora: an ancient water wheel, siyuated in the heart of the orchard, used by the Arabs to extract water to be used for irrigation. There’s another in Alcantarilla (on the main road from Murcia to Granada)
- Hispano-Arabic walls (XII to XV century) in the Plaza Santa Eulalia
Museos
- Museo de Salzillo: sculptures depicting the Passion of Christ
- Museo de la Catedral: paintings, works of art and religious artefacts
- Museo Arqueológico (Casa de la Cultura)
- Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes: paintings by Ribera, Ribalta and Murcian artists who painted in a “costumbrista” (pertaining to local customs and manners) style

• Cartagena:
- Parque Alfonso Torres (park with good views of the city)
- Parque de la Taibilla (park)
- Plaza de Basterreche (a square from where it is said Hannibal set out to conquer Rome)
- Plaza de España (square)
- The submarine of Isaac Peral (Cartagena port)
- La Iglesia de San Diego, de la Caridad, de Santa María de Gracia, de San Miguel y la Catedral (churches of: San Diego; charity; St Mary, St Michael, the cathedral)
- La Muralla de Carlos III (town wall)
- El Museo Arqueológico (archeological museum)
- La Torre Ciega (Roman tower)
- Castillo de la Concepción (castle)
• Lorca:
- la iglesia del Rosario, la de Santiago, la de San Mateo, la de San Francisco (churches)
- Casas Señoriales (noble houses with Renaissance and Barroque coats of arms)
- El Palacio Episcopal (Bishop’s Palace)
- Castillo de Lorca y Torres (castle)
- Santuario de la Virgen de la Huerta (shrine to the Virgin of the Orchard)
- Plaza Mayor y Ayuntamiento (main square and townhall)
- Colegiata de San Patricio (Seminary of San Patricio)
• Mula: Castillo de los Vélez (castle), Museo de Arte Ibérico (museum of Iberian art in El Cigarralejo), Roman remains, old quarter (ancestral homes, plaza Mayor/main square, churches…)
• Bullas: castle and splendid scenery
• Caravaca: Santuario de la Virgen de la Cruz (shrine), el Ayuntamiento (townhall), noble buildings, churches, Caravaca castle
• Calasparra: the Encomienda (patronage) building, remains of the Roman aqueduct, santuario de la Virgen de Calasparra (shrine inside a rock)
• Moratalla: its castle and take a walk through its steep, narrow streets
• And finally: Cieza, Balnearios de Fortuna y Archena, Ricote, Jumilla, Yecla, Mazarrón, Aguilas…

Trying
• typical dishes of the region
• wines with the (D.O - equivalent of appellation controlee) of the Murcia region
• Spas and thalassotherapy centres
HEALTH RESORTS: Murcia has a lot of hot springs whose waters are believed to have healing powers for many illnesses. The facilities are usually modern with swimming pools, sports facilities and medical services.
- Balneario de Archena: http://www.balneariodearchena.com
- Balneario de Fortuna: http://leana.es
THALASSOTHERAPY CENTRES: These centres specialise in the treatment of illnesses with sea water (arthritis, rheumatism, osteoporosis etc)
- Centro de Talasoterapia Sol y Mar (San Javier) http://www.solymarsa.com
- Talasoterapia Barceló Lodomar (San Pedro del Pinatar) http://www.barcelo.com
- Termas Carthaginesas (Cartagena) http://hmash.com
SPAS: Urban spas where the waters can be taken for the purposes of relaxation
- Balneario Urbano Hotel Cartagonova (Cartagena) http://www.hotelcartagonova.com/
- Termas Murcia (Murcia)
• Leisure activities in the great outdoors: walking, climbing, pot holing, horse riding, biking, canoeing, special circuits ofr photographers, trekking, rafting etc
• Golf
- Club de Golf Altorreal (Molina del Segura) http://www.golfaltorreal.es
- Club de Golf Torre Pacheco (Torre Pacheco) http://www.golftorrepacheco.com
- La Manga Club (Cartagena) http://www.lamangaclub.com
- Mosa Golf Murcia (Murcia) http://www.mosatrajectum.com


People watching
Sporting events
- Football: one first division team (Murcia CF), one second division team (Ciudad Murcia), and various teams in the second division B (Lorca, Yeclano and Cartagonova)
- Basketball: one team in the first division (Polaris W. Murcia)
- Tennis club: Ciudad Deportiva (Murcia)
Fiestas in Murcia
Spring fiestas (April):
- “el bando de la huerta” (procession where thousands of people dressed in typical orchard costume parade and dance their way through the streets)
- el entierro de la sardina (literally the burial of the sardine - a nightime procession where hundreds of toys are given out to the children. It finishes with a firework display)
- International “tuna” (university, traditional music groups) competition and the Mediterranean Folklore Festival (September)
- flower parade (procession where girls fight with flowers)
El Carnaval (February)
La Feria de verano (Summer fair)
La Feria de Murcia (September)
La Semana Santa (Easter - the most important and widespread fiestas throughout the region)

Local Fiestas
La Semana Santa de Lorca (Easter in Lorca: look out for the original costumes! Also mounted parade with fabulous standards and horse blankets)
La Semana Santa de Cieza (Easter in Cieza - notable for its silent procession)
La Semana Santa de Cartagena (Easter in Cartagena - notice the opulent costumes)
Cartagena Carnaval
Aguilas Carnaval
Fiesta de Carthagineses y Romanos (Cartagena / September) Legions of Carthaginians and Romans battle in the streets)
Fiestas de la Cruz de Caravaca (May) - look out for “La Carrera de los Caballos del Vino” (the race between the “wine horses” and the procession “La Santísima Cruz”
Moros y Cristianos de Caravaca (May) - Moors and Christians in Caravaca
Moros y Cristianos de Abanilla (May) - Moors and Christians in Abanilla
Moros y Cristianos de Santomera - Moors and Christians in Santomera
Romería Marítima (Sea pilgrimage) “Nuestra Señora del Pinatar” (summer)
Jumilla wine harvest festival (summer) where the first grapes of the year are trodden
Theatre and music festivals of San Javier and Los Alcázares (summer)
Festival del Cante de las Minas en La Union (end of August) - Miners’ choir festival
Fiestas in Lorca (September)
Romería de la Virgen de la Esperanza (pilgrimage) in Calasparra
Three Kings play in Aledo and Churra: (6th January)
• Bullfights in the Plaza de Toros in Murcia - one of the biggest rings in Spain