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Murcia Holidays
The province of Murcia has a wealth of landscapes and environments |
The province of Murcia has a wealth of landscapes and environments
Tourist information about Murcia in Spain. Travel to Murcia and let Spain-Holiday.com guide and accommodate you |
Murcia, city in south-eastern Spain, capital of Murcia Province and autonomous region, on the Segura River. The surrounding plain, the huerta, is a fertile, irrigated area that produces oranges and other citrus fruits, cereals, olives, peppers, and truck-farm produce.
The city is a centre for transportation, trade, and tin mining. Its industries include food processing, distilling, and the manufacture of textiles, chemicals, apparel, furniture, and building materials; the silk industry dates from the Middle Ages.
Narrow, twisting streets are found in the old city north of the river, the banks of which are lined with promenades. The baroque 17th-century Ermita de Jesъs houses a museum of the art of the citys native sculptor Francisco Salzillo. The Cathedral of Santa Marнa dates from the 14th century and was restored in the 18th century. There is an annual Holy Week procession. The city also has a university (1915) and a provincial museum. By tradition founded by the Moors in the 9th century, Murcia was the capital of an intermittently independent or vassal Moorish kingdom until it was taken over by Castile in 1243.
The importance of the city over the years can be seen in its churches, palaces and other public buildings. To see Murcian Baroque at its best, visit the churches of La Merced, San Juan de Dios, San Nicolas or San Miguel and buildings such as the Bishop 5 Palace or the Palacio Fontes.
Murcia contains so many different styles of buildings, the best example of this is the Cathedral with its famous baroque styles, the late Renaissance Junterones chapel and the Velez chapel, combining Gothic details and Moorish decorations.
Down the Traperia, one of the pedestrian streets of the city, you will find the Casino (built in 1847), its entrance ;hall in the style of a Moorish courtyard, with richly carved ceiling and intricate stucco wall panels and elegant Viennese Ballroom. Two other buildings that are well worth a visit are the Romea Theatre and the Town Hall. The theatre has a wide range of productions all year and tickets can be bought on the day and are very reasonably priced.
Murcia is anxious to preserve its historical treasures as well as allowing visitors to see them.
A variety of museums and exhibition centre have been opened. These include the Belle Artes public gallery or the Archaeological museum, which holds one of the best collections of Iberian art in the country. The exhibition gallery in the church of the Las Veronicas Convent; the Salzillo Museum, containing the beautiful carved religious figures by the famous artist Salzillo, or the cathedral Museum should be visited, along with the Municipal Museums. These include a wide range of themes including the Almudi Palace Art Centre, The Museum of Bullfighting and the Ramon Gaya Art Gallery. Examples of Murcias long traditions in pottery, embroidery and the making of carpets and paper mache toys can be seen at the Regional Craft Centre.
Murcia is one of the most popular destinations for the shopper, with a great variety of small dress shops where you can buy off the peg clothes, but inclusive in the price, an alteration to fit you. Larger stores and well known franchise shops are to be found in the centre and many small shops tucked away in the side streets, including dress shops where they will alter any clothes you purchase for free.
The province of Murcia has a wealth of landscapes and environments protected through its regional parks. Beaches of golden sand, dunes and unspoilt coves along the coast are the settings we will find in Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar, Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas and Peña del Águila, and Cabo Cope and Puntas de Calnegre. Inland hills and valleys, meanwhile, are the chief features of the regional parks of Sierra de Carche, Sierra de la Pila, Sierra de Espuña, and Carrascoy and El Valle.
All are places to do environment-friendly sports and learn more about the nature of Murcia.
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