There is so much to discover on the doorstep of your Los Altos de Las Palas villa. So we decided in part ll & lll to go just 30 to 40 minutes drive away to the 3 local cities.
The 3 major cities around Los Altos de Las Palas.
Our last blog post, exploring the local amenities around Los Altos de Las Palas was very brief. It could take a whole book to highlight the many wonderful sights to be seen and visited.
The same can be said of this blog post. There is so much to discover and explore that we can only briefly describe our 3 historic cities.
We mentioned in our previous blog (part 1) – that Los Altos de Las Palas Village benefits from excellent motorway links. So here are a few to remember:-
A7/AP7 – Part toll road north to south.
A30 – Free motorway north to south.
E15 – Extention north to south.
The above roads are generally a quick way to get to our 3 important, regional cities. But are also links to get you on the road to other regions of Spain.
There are many smaller routes to our local cities and coastal areas. We recommend these if you are looking to enjoy a leisurely trip to enjoy the scenery of Murcia.
So where shall we start? Los Altos de Las Palas is virtually central to the region of Murcia, so never less than 1 hours driving to the extremity of the region. Let’s take a look at our closest city, the historic coastal city of Cartagena.
Cartagena City Murcia.
Just 25 minutes drive from Los Altos de Las Palas Village is the magnificent Roman, coastal city of Cartagena.
It is still one of Spain’s best kept secrets. Full of Roman architecture. But also a perfect reflection of Spain’s 4 ages. Taking you from the the Carthinian Empire to the Roman and Moors occupation, right through to the Spanish Civil War. There is a very special tour available, exploring those periods called the knobs and knockers tour. As you can imagine, it highlights the buildings and doorways representing those fascinating periods of historical importance and cultural changes.
Recently, after the demolition of some old buildings, a new roman amphitheatre was discovered. It cannot be described here for lack of space. But you must see it on the knobs and knockers tour. You will be amazed.
You could spend an entire year in Cartagena and still only discover a fraction of her history.
Murcia the Regional Capital City.
Yet another one of Spain’s hidden gems. Murcia City is elegant and stylish. Full of individual plazas. From the cathedral to the more modern areas, it is possible to also explore the 4 ages of this part of Spain.
We recommend you visit on a Saturday. You can shop and eat in the plazas and also visit El Corte Inglés (roughly translated to ‘The English Cut’) Don’t ask why!
In the early evening, you can find yourself a seat in one of the many bars and restaurants in the cathedral plaza. You will be in the company of many guests attending the multiple weddings around and in the stunning cathedral. You can spend several hours there with the very well-dressed attendees and join in the celebrations. It’s very chic.
The City of Lorca in Murcia.
If you happen to be travelling south, along the A7, you cannot miss the spectacular castle looming above you.
So do take a look if you have time, you won’t be disappointed.
If you have planned your visit ahead, then we suggest a whole weekend to explore this magnificent city.
Lorca is oozing with history. As soon as you arrive in the old quarter, you will see what we mean. Dating back over 5,000 years, this city is yet another of Spain’s hidden gems. Even the modern part of Lorca has its charms and more than its fair share of bars, restaurants and shops.
Lorca Castle is a must see along with the magnificent Plaza de España. In fact, there are so many monuments, museums and historic buildings to visit, you will need much longer than a weekend.
In part lll of this blog series, we will explore the Murcia coastal attractions. You will definitely need to allocate more time!
Click here for part lll.