Murcia Province

The Murcia region offers a tantalising choice of landscapes and sights, ranging from the chill-out beaches and captivating coves of the Costa Cálida to the medieval magic of its towns. The ancient port of Cartagena has a magnificent array of Roman and Carthaginian ruins, while Murcia is a buzzy regional capital with pleasant parks and a cracking eating scene. Earthquake-damaged Lorca has bounced right back and its lovely old town is looking superb again. To appreciate fully the unspoiled hinterland, you will need your own wheels.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Murcia Province.

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Real Casino de Murcia
Murcia’s resplendent casino first opened as a gentlemen’s club in 1847. Painstakingly restored to its original glory, the building is a fabulous combination of historical design and opulence, providing an evocative glimpse of bygone aristocratic grandeur. Beyond the decorative facade are a dazzling Moorish-style patio; a classic English-style library with 20,000 books; a magnificent ballroom with glittering chandeliers; and a compelling tocador (ladies' powder room) with a ceiling fresco of cherubs, angels and an alarming winged woman in flames. There is also the neoclassical patio pompeyano and the classic wood-panelled sala de billar (billiards room).
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Museo Nacional de Arqueología Subacuática
This excellent, attractive space delves into the depths of the fascinating world of underwater archaeology. It starts off by explaining the work of those delvers in the deep and then sails on into the maritime history and culture of the Mediterranean. There’s lots of old pots, flashy lights, buttons to press, films to watch and a replica Phoenician trading ship to marvel over.
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Museo del Teatro Romano
This impressive complex was designed by top Spanish architect Rafael Moneo. The tour transports visitors from the initial museum on Plaza del Ayuntamiento, via escalators and an underground passage beneath the ruined cathedral, to the recently restored Roman theatre dating from the 1st century BC. The layout of the museum is minimalist, taking you back through Cartagena’s fascinating layers of urban history with a careful selection of statuary, pottery and other artefacts.
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Catedral de Santa María
Murcia’s cathedral was built in 1394 on the site of a mosque. The initial Gothic architecture was given a playful baroque facelift in 1748, with a stunning facade facing on to the plaza. The 15th-century Capilla de los Vélez is a highlight; the chapel’s flutes and curls resemble icing. The Museo Catedralicio displays religious artefacts, but is most noteworthy for the excavations on display.
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Barrio del Foro Romano
Set alongside the Molinete hill are the evocative remains of a whole town block and street linking the port with the forum, dating from the 1st century BC and including an arcade and thermal baths. One of the houses preserves a courtyard and important fragments of wall paintings.
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Casa de la Fortuna
The Casa de la Fortuna consists of the fascinating remains of an aristocratic Roman villa dating back to the 1st century BC, complete with some well-preserved murals and mosaics, and part of an excavated road. Access it down some steps on the plaza.
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Castillo de la Concepción
For a sweeping panoramic view, stride up to Castillo de la Concepción, or hop on the lift. Within the castle’s gardens, decorated by strutting peacocks, the Centro de Interpretación de la Historia de Cartagena offers a potted history of Cartagena through the centuries via audio screens and a 10-minute film (in English and Spanish).
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Museo Refugio de la Guerra Civil
Cartagena, as base of the Republican fleet and with an important arms industry, was the target of heavy bombing during the Spanish Civil War. This atmospheric air-raid shelter dug into the castle hill, one of many that protected the city's citizens, brings back those days with personal testimonies, posters, good Spanish-English information and a Charlie Chaplin clip.
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Museo Catedralicio
The cathedral museum displays religious artefacts but is most striking for the excavations on display: the remains of an 11th-century Moorish dwelling and of a small mezquita (mosque), evocatively visible below a sturdy glass walkway. Guided visits include an ascent of the bell tower, with a night-time option in summer.