Murcja

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with warm, sunny days. Summer is very hot, and winter days are mild and mostly dry.

The Holy Week processions are a highlight, with carved figures carried through the streets. The Spring Festival follows a week after Easter, with the Bando de la Huerta parade and the Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine).

• Murcia Cathedral stands on the main square and has a richly carved Baroque façade and a tall bell tower. You can climb the tower for views over the city.
• The Museo Salzillo shows the sculptures of Francisco Salzillo, an 18th-century artist whose figures are carried in the Holy Week processions.
• The Real Casino de Murcia is a 19th-century social club with ornate halls that are open to visitors.
• Plaza de las Flores and the streets around it are the best place for a drink and tapas.
• The Teatro Romea and the Segura river promenade are pleasant for an evening walk.
• The Castillo de Monteagudo is a ruined castle on a hill east of the city, with a large statue of Christ and wide views.

• Walk the old center on a tapas route, moving between bars around Plaza de las Flores.
• Cycle or walk beside the Segura river in the evening, when the heat eases.

• Cartagena (about 50 km, 50 minutes by car): a port city with Roman remains and a naval harbor.
• Orihuela (about 25 km, 30 minutes by car): a historic town in the neighboring province of Alicante.
• Sierra Espuña (about 45 km, 45 minutes by car): a regional park with pine forests and hiking trails.
• Mar Menor and La Manga (about 50 km, 50 minutes by car): a large salt-water lagoon and a long beach strip.

Other places in the region and nearby:

• Port city: Cartagena is the main coastal destination.
• Valencian Community: Orihuela and Elche are close to the northeast.

• By air: Región de Murcia International Airport (RMU) is about 25 km south of the city. Alicante-Elche airport (ALC) is about 75 km away and has more connections.
• By train: High-speed and regional trains link Murcia with Madrid, Alicante and Valencia. Book on Renfe.
• By bus: Coaches run to Alicante, Cartagena, Granada and many other cities.

• On foot: The center is flat and compact, and most sights are close together.
• Cycling: The city is flat, and paths follow the river.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the center. A car helps for Sierra Espuña and the coast.
• Parking: Use a car park at the edge of the center.
• Restrictions: Some streets in the old center are closed to normal traffic.

Murcia is known for the produce of its huerta. Try zarangollo (a scramble of courgette, onion and egg), pastel de carne (a Murcian meat pie) and marinera (a tapa of Russian salad and anchovy on a breadstick). For dessert, paparajotes are lemon leaves fried in batter.

The best tapas streets are around Plaza de las Flores and the Plaza de Santa Catalina.

Murcia is a safe city. Summer heat is strong, so avoid the middle of the day, carry water and wear sun protection.

Murcia was founded as Mursiya in 825 under the Emirate of Córdoba. Castile took control in the 13th century.

The city grew rich from silk and farming, and many of its best buildings are from the Baroque period. Murcia Cathedral was built from the 14th to the 18th century, so it mixes several styles.

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