Hello Fellow Budget hunters
Todays blog post is about a place that I love a lot – the city of Murcia in Spain. It is about an hour from my grandparents house near Mazarron. It is the 7th city and small enough to see in a day. I wanted to put together a guide of what to do if you’re there for only 24 hours! The list will be of attractions and free things to do while you’re there including must see sites.
First of all, I highly recommend going to the Tourist information in the main square by the Cathedral – the ladies who worked there were amazing and even gave me an awesome book about the history of the place all in English. They also gave me a map with areas to see all circled so it gave us a plan for the rest of the day.
I would head straight into Cathedral de Santa Maria and admire the amazing artwork and architecture, even if you’re not religious it is a beautiful place seeped with history. It isn’t open all the time and there are organised tours up the tower so it is worth looking that up before hand. I would spend maybe an hour in there, anything more and you’re wasting valuable time!
Next I would head around the corner to Plaza Cardenal Belluga and gaze at the mix of old and new buildings. It is a very cosmopolitan feeling place and well worth the visit. I would personally stop in an alfresco cafe and enjoy the inevitable sunshine. I’ve also heard it comes alive during Christmas (In Spain the main celebrations are Kings Day – 5th and 6th January) It would also be fun to do a bit of shopping in these side streets which are full of boutiques (I’m not likely to as I’m a charity shop addict).
Another highly recommended place is Museo Salzillo, which costs 5 euros or 4 for students/OAPS but it filled with sculpture. There are some other sketches but if you’re interested in sculpture, this is a must see place.
Punte Viejo is a beautiful bridge built in 1742, it has twin arches and is popular across the city as a must see sight. Also considered the most infamous site is the Real casino de Murcia on the main street, Calle de la Traperia. Close to the cathedral, you’ll find this amazing building which is now a private club. It’s open to the public during the day, however, where you’ll be able to feast your eyes on a Moorish patio inspired by Granada’s Alhambra and Seville’s Alcazar in equal measure.
The parks around Murcia are beautiful however the final place you must visit on your day trip is Teatro de Romea, if you are not fluent in Spanish then you probably won’t understand a show but it is a beautiful place.
Finally just enjoy your evening with tapas, menu del dia and some of the best food in Spain. The bars have a great atmosphere and you will feel at home fairly quickly.
TheGreatAmbini 