Now that the hard and cold winter is over it’s time to stop hibernating, get out of the bear’s den and enjoy the sunshine that this area of Spain can offer. And one of the best options is a trip to the colourful city of Murcia, just around the corner. Once again, Culturart brings back its well-known guided tours in the old town, taking place every Saturday morning till the 13th of June.
Two different tours are available on alternate weekends. First we have the so called “Islamic Murcia” tour, where your official guide will unveil the origins of the city of Murcia, and its foundation by the Moor King Abderraman II in 825, while the group discovers the remains of the old Arab walls and ruins, hidden all over the city. At The Santa Clara Convent it is possible to contemplate an “Alhambra-style” Arab yard from the 13th century, as cloistered nuns living there allowed access for visitors just a few years ago.
The second tour is called “The Golden Age: Baroque and Renaissance”. During the 16th and especially, the 18th century, the city of Murcia experienced an economic revolution, so many new buildings and churches were erected and the whole city flourished. The highlight of this tour is the magnificent Cathedral where a wide range of different architectural styles can be seen. The reason: it took 5 centuries (from the 14th to the 18th century) to finish the temple completely! The tower is 96 m high and is still the highest building in the city (for our Irish friends: St. Patrick can be seen on the main baroque façade as he is Murcia’s patron saint too) After that, the tour continues to the lively pedestrian square of Santo Domingo as well as to the traditional squares of Santa Catalina and Las Flores flooded with plenty of “tapas” bars.
And last but not least, we try a different wine of the Region of Murcia every week. At the end of the tour, after a long walk, a good drink is needed for a full recovery. There are three PDO* wines in the Region: Bullas, Jumilla and Yecla. Mainly red wines from the Monastrell grape variety but some white and sweet ones can be tasted too. At this point it’s time to learn about the delicious gastronomy Murcia has to offer and show you some of the products that make Murcian cuisine one of the healthiest and renowned in Spain. Among these local products we can find: Calasparra rice, paprika, wine-cured goat cheese, artichokes...some of them labelled with the PDO seal.
In Spring, many local festivities take place in Murcia. The “Spring festival” is held the week after Easter, when traditions of the old lifestyle in the city are shown on every spot. Very remarkable is the “Bando de la Huerta” parade, with thousands of locals wearing traditional costumes, and “the Burial of the Sardine” parade, sometimes described as a late carnival.
What else can you ask for? A sunny spring day, a guided tour in the morning, a Murcian lunch in one of the city’s cosy restaurants and why not some late afternoon shopping in one of the busiest pedestrian zones in south eastern Spain, or in the new huge shopping malls outside the city.
Meeting point for the tours is the main Tourist Office, located in Cardenal Belluga square, opposite to the Cathedral.
Every Saturday at 10:30 am.
Price: 10 € (3 hours tour + wine tasting)
Reservation is required, at least 2 days before the tour.
Phone numbers: 650 017 327 and 660 647 668
E-mail:
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By: Antonio David Frutos Fernández of Culturart
* PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin
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