Cultural attractions Murcia
Murcia doesn't just offer great-value villas with pools and cheap holiday rentals, aside from its fabulous year-round climate and wonderful beaches, it is also quite historic and has many cities, sites and towns of cultural significance.
Cartagena is a historic Roman City. It has a tourist boat that takes you all around the docks of Cartagena, describing a circular route that borders the Lighthouses of Curra and Navidad, the Algameca Chica and the Isle of Escombreras. Tour the town in comfort. Step on board the tourist bus and visit the most important and interesting sights throughout the town. Step off at each stop and make the most of every visit including the Castle of La Concepcion and the Panoramic Lift
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoII/Datos+Generales/Q/NW/0/Cartagena?Language=en
Murcia has lots of cultural and tourists places of interest to visit. Murcia has many fine buildings, including the Cathedral which shows off there excellent architecture. Artistic and historic wealth is on display at the city´s museums, such as the Archaeological Museum, the Fine Arts Museum or the Salzillo Museum.
Lorca Castle is an entertaining day out for the family. Travel back in time and encounter the roman world. This is both a fun and educational day that both kids and adults will enjoy. There are many things to discover, learn and interact with. Don`t forget to take your camera with you as there are lots of photo opportunities in the castle and the magnificent view looking over Lorca.
Sierra Espuna Southwest of Murcia city, the Andalucian sierras tail off into a series of rocky massifs, undeveloped and undiscovered. This is the Sierra de Espuna, one of Spain's renowned natural parks, a wilderness area of dramatic peaks and pine forests offering scenic drives, serious climbing and superb walking.
http://www.murcia-tourist-information.co.uk/murcia_countryside/index.shtml
Fiestas
Fiestas are serious business in Murcia. Preparations start weeks in advance (depending upon the scale of the celebrations intended) with roles assigned for many of the villagers. Usually the festivities are spread over a week or even more, with a programme of activities planned.
In many bars you'll find a guide to these activities along with lots of adverts from local traders. For larger fiestas, the lights will go up in the streets a few weeks ahead, and often a marquee will be erected in the town square. Sometimes there will be competitions - football, sport, fruit and vegetable growing and, of course, the paella cooking. Never expect evening festivities to begin much before 10pm or finish much earlier than 6am.
Nature
A wide range of natural parks can be visited in the Region of Murcia: from salty sea side flats to high mountains. Sierra Espuña has more than 178 million square metres among the municipalities of Totana, Alhama de Murcia and Mula. More than two hundred protected forms of life, from eagles or owls to different types of endemic flora, live in this lush park with breathtaking mountains.
The Carrascoy y El Valle Regional Natural Park covers an area of more than 167 million square metres. Protected species living in the area include the Spanish royal owl (Bubo Bubo). The Sierra de la Pila mountains conform a 78 million square metres Regional Natural Park, distributed among the towns of Abarán, Blanca, Molina de Segura and Fortuna. Different birds of prey, like eagles, falcons or owls among many others have their home in this mountains.
The Sierra del Carche mountains comprise more than six million square metres of protected land. Here eagles, owls and other birds of prey can be observed. The Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro park is in San Pedro del Pinatar, covering more than eight million square metres. Dunes and salty flats conform this area of great interest for bird watchers and nature lovers in general.
Migrating birds like flamingos create also wonderful views when stopping by each semester. The Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila is one of the most impressive parks in the region, mainly for its completely unspoilt coast, a treasure to be enjoyed by all who visit. And last but not least, the Cabo Cope?Puntas de Calnegre park area is shared by Águilas and Lorca, comprising part of the Lorca coastal area. Both flora and fauna (including the Spanish Moorish Turtle, Testudo graeca) are very interesting in this coastside Natural Park.
