The year is 209 BC and outside the city walls of Cartagena a battle rages. The mighty legions of the Roman army face-off against the determined Carthaginians. Fights are won, drawn and lost to the sounds of soldiers’ battle cries and the clanking of sword against shield and before long the Roman Empire triumphs and a new Cartagena is born.
In reality it’s a sunny Spanish summer’s day in 2023 and there’s also playful energy and warm smiles among the legionnaires who are re-enacting battles during the yearly Carthaginians and Romans Fiesta.
This spectacle recreates the conquest – by Roman general Scipio – of the ancient port town re-established by the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal 19 years earlier. The infectious energy transfers to the streets and squares of Cartagena after the sun sets over the victory.
In Plaza San Francisco the sound of drums, trumpets and pipes bounce off the walls of buildings, drowning out the clink of beer glasses and the very occasional playful ribbing of a friend in a different legion.
The chink of weapons on shields clinked out across the city (DAILY MIRROR)The Cartagena of today is still discovering its deep history, with many archeological digs taking place around the city uncovering wonders such as the Roman theatre. Much of that is now restored, with a beautifully presented museum holding many finds and a preserved section of the original Islamic city walls.
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The Molinete Roman forum is also worth a visit with its original tiling in the portico, thermal baths and a city road still carved with the ruts of horse and cart. Cartagena sits on a strategic bay facing the North African coast and on other trade routes around the Mediterranean.
So it’s no wonder that it’s been the object of desire for many invaders throughout history – and it’s now one of the highlights of tourist invaders to the Murcia region, the self-titled undiscovered gem of Spain.
Murcia City is the regional capital and was our first taste of the area, with Cartagena an easy day trip. A perfectly walkable city we hit the streets with Carlos, a guide with an inexhaustible knowledge and love of Murcia.
The impressive Cathedral de Santa Maria is the city’s centrepiece. Its baroque, gothic and renaissance facade glowed golden in the evening sun while inside the vaulted ceilings and practically floor-to-ceiling organ were no less impressive.
We wandered the cobbled streets of the older part of town past muted pink and orange buildings to the Real Casino Murcia, one of the oldest in town.
The area is primed for fresh seafood (DAILY MIRROR)
Claire got to try her hand at gold at the La Manga Grand Hyatt golf club (DAILY MIRROR)While there may have been an odd flutter within its walls, the Casino is in fact a gentlemen’s club. The members club still exists today but much of the building is now open to the public allowing you to wander from room to room.
In the Biblioteca Inglesa, the upper gallery is decorated with beautifully carved flamingos and holds 20,000 books dating back to the 17th century.
And the Salón de Baile is an opulent ballroom, but dancers would have had to mind their heads on the oversized ornate chandeliers that hang from the frescoed ceiling.
Unfortunately the ever popular Mercado de Veronicas was closed by the time we finished our tour, but Carlos assured us it is the best place in town to sample the region’s produce.
Murcia is known as the garden of Europe as many of the foods imported to our supermarkets are grown here.
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On Saturdays you can shop for ingredients for one of the two restaurants to make into a delicious meal, perfectly enjoyed over a few drinks with friends.
We weren’t left grieving the loss of that experience for long with a wine and cheese tasting at nearby La Diligente.
The ancient influences are clear to see in the city's architecture (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Five wine and cheese pairings were enjoyed, all from within the Murcia region – the wines coming from the three Domaines du Origin, Jumilla, Yecla and Bullas and ranging from a bold rose, to a deep rich red. My favourite pairing was the Alcaraván red made with Monastrell grapes alongside Murcia al Vino, a hard goat’s milk cheese which is dipped in red wine for three days giving its rind a distinctive purple colour. You could really taste it too... divine!
With more than 300 days of sunshine each year, the coastal area of Murcia, the Costa Cálida, is a haven for anyone who loves watersports and there are many coastal walks too.
And in around an hour’s drive from Murcia, you can be soaking up the sun on the beaches of La Manga and Cabo Palos.
A short drive from La Manga Golf Club and Spa, where we were staying, is Cabo Palos beach, which sits on the Med coast side of the spit of land that almost encircles the inland lagoon, Mar Menor (little sea). I could have tried a paddle surfing experience out to Cabo de Palos lighthouse, but opted for a leisurely walk around and climbed the spiral staircase to enjoy the views from 98ft above the Med.
We stopped off for lunch at nearby Bocana De Palos and delighted in a local speciality of Caldero, a traditional rice dish named for the pot it’s cooked in. The tomatoes and red peppers give it a distinctive red colour and it’s served with sea bass.
Fresh fish is always the dish of the day here and why wouldn’t it be when it’s caught off the coast each day?
La Manga Golf Club and Spa Hotel has recently been renovated by the Grand Hyatt group and the low-rise property is nestled in green hills to the rear and its renowned golf courses and the sea to the front.
The bright, sunny, welcoming entrance leads to a cosy and inviting lounge area that becomes a lively bar area in the evening.
My room, with its soft peach and grey colour scheme and super large and comfortable bed, guaranteed a good night’s sleep.
I’ve always fancied giving golf a swing, so thinking there wouldn’t be a better place to try, I booked a beginner’s lesson at the golf club.
“You need to loosen up a bit more, you’re too stiff and you need to follow the swing through,” Joaquín, my kindly instructor, said. He was quite right of course.
Thwack! And this time the ball sailed a modest 50 yards… OK, OK, 20 yards, down the driving range, as opposed to skittering a few feet from the end of my club.
Seve Ballesteros I am not. Joaquín declared “it just takes practice” and, if indeed practice makes perfect and I get to do that out on one of the three beautifully manicured, sun soaked, 18-hole courses with their mountain backdrop and sea views between the palm trees, then it would be no hardship to put in the effort.
To round off my break in Murcia, I stepped on board yacht Kalima for an early evening trip across the Mar Menor. With the sails raised and some Murcian wine poured, guests enjoyed a gentle journey across the little sea, past its five islands as the sun started to dip.
Back on shore, I watched the sun set the sky alight with an orange glow while dipping my toes in the sea and sipping a Tinto Verano.
Mucho gusto, Murcia...
Book the holiday
- Flights to Murcia are available from Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Luton, Manchester, Prestwick and Stansted.
- Rooms at La Manga Club near Cartagena, Murcia, start from £248 a night B&B. lamangaclub.com/en/resort
- More info at turismodemurcia.es/en
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