Places of Interest

Murcia - Cartagena - Costa Calida

 

The best way to explore the region is by hire car giving you the freedom to come and go as you please. A 10 minute drive along the coast from La Manga Club will take you into the quaint fishing village of Cabo de Palos where you can sample some exquisite seafood in the many traditional restaurants along the sea front. Drive through the village and take a look around the bays below the lighthouse that towers over the peninsula of La Manga Beach.

 

No holiday here would be complete without a visit to the two historic cathedral cities of Murcia and Cartagena. The regional capital, Murcia, is a lively cathedral and university city surrounded by orchards. It is home to several fine museums, including the Archeological Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Cathedral Museum. The Cathedral itself is an example of Gothic and Baroque architecture, containing wonderful reliefs and altarpieces. Visit on Thursdays and you can also enjoy the colourful weekly market.

 

The region's second city is the fascinating port of Cartagena, a treasure house of art and culture with a history stretching back over 3000 years. Surrounded by fortifications, it contains a number of fine churches, a museum appropriately dedicated to Marine Archaeology, an abundance of traditional restaurants and tapas bars and is a great venue for a spot of shopping, especially for fashion and jewellery.

 

During your stay, you may be lucky enough to witness a carnival or fiesta, complete with traditional folk dancers, for as with everywhere in Spain there are numerous Saints' days and celebrations. As you travel around, you'll discover many smaller settlements, such as historic Lorca with its 10th-century fortress, or the old spa town of Los Alcazares on the Mar Menor, whose waters, rich in salt and iodine, are said to have therapeutic qualities. You'll come across roadside ceramics and craft workshops, and numerous bodegas in the towns along the way so venture forth and enjoy all the Murcia region has to offer, night and day.

 

Click here for the Places of Interest Guide