Sustainable tourism in the green heart of the Region of Murcia If what you need it to get away from it all and breathe the fresh, clean air of the mountains while leaving the stress of everyday life behind you, the perfect destination is the natural park of Sierra Espuña in the Region of Murcia. This regional park was the first in Murcia to be protected by the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism and what follows is a summary of some of..

The palatial residence contains antique furniture from the last 350 years and important works of art Almost 13 years after the Casa de Guevara was closed to visitors after being damaged in the earthquakes which hit the city of Lorca on 11th May 2011, the palatial residence has now been fully restored and converted into a museum which opened to the public on 28th February 2024. Entering through the main doorway, built in the style of an altarpiece..

The refurbished palace welcomes back Lorca tourist office After the long refurbishment and restoration of the monumental Palacio de Guevara in Lorca the tourist office will be moving back to the building, offering services not only to those visiting the city as a whole but also those who are keen to see the interior of the palatial mansion. Like the office in the Plaza de España, the Palacio de Guevara boasts a central location and also the..

Treasures not far from the beaches of the Costa Cálida, selected by the Murcia tourist board We all know that the most common reasons for visiting the Costa Cálida are the warm climate, the fabulous beaches and the clear waters of the Mediterranean in south-eastern Spain, but of course the Region of Murcia offers far more variety than the traditional sun, sea and sand which first catch the eye of many tourists. Different ways of exploring..

A great way to enjoy 12 months of reduced price admission to most of the major tourist attractions in Lorca The attractions of the historic city of Lorca are so numerous that they are best visited over a couple of days, a week or throughout the year, and the Lorca y Tú discount card offers complete freedom to get to know the city over a period of 12 months without rushing round and missing fascinating details. Among the benefits for cardholders..

Wine, cheese, honey, beer, liqueurs, wild plants, coffee… just some of the gastronomic delights awaiting you in the Costa Cálida! Of course tourism in the three largest cities of the Region of Murcia (Lorca, Cartagena and the regional capital) depends to a large degree on the wealth of historical and architectural monuments and, to a certain extent, the beaches of the Costa Cálida, but at the same time the importance of “foodie tourism”..

The CiuFRONT is housed in the old church of Santa María la Mayor in Lorca The church of Santa María La Mayor The church of Santa María la Mayor in Lorca is one of the oldest still standing in the city, and to understand the location and circumstances in which it was built it is necessary to go back to the 13th century, when the territory now known as the Region of Murcia was conquered by Christian forces of the Kingdom of Castilla after..

Magnificent views over the countryside in the north of the municipality of Lorca The Town Hall of Lorca has unveiled a new and spectacular fully signposted walking route in the north of the vast municipality (the second largest in Spain), leading from the village of Zarzadilla de Totana to the cave known as the Cueva del Compadre in the mountains of the Sierra de Pedro Ponce. On the one hand this reflects the council’s commitment to promoting..

The spectacular embroideries of Semana Santa in Lorca can be seen throughout the year in these four museums Lorca embroideries are famed throughout Spain Every town and city in the Region of Murcia has its curiosities, quirks and unique traditions, but none is as colourful and passionate as the Semana Santa (Easter week) celebrations in the City of Lorca, the outstanding feature of this extraordinary week being the embroideries created..

Oficina de Turismo de Lorca The tourist information office in Lorca can be found centrally located in one of the most important plazas of the city: the Plaza de España. This is next to historic buildings including the former Collegiate Church of San Patricio, the Salas Capitulares, the Town Hall and the traditional palatial houses which belonged to some of the most important families in Murcia in previous centuries. It is one of these..

The tourist information office can provide vouchers giving parking discounts All efforts are made in Lorca to facilitate parking for visitors to the city and to this end the Town Hall has instigated a number of schemes to enable those visiting the city to park their cars cheaply and conveniently for the day. One of the most convenient parking locations for visitors is outside the La Merced visitors’ centre, a recommended starting point..

The regional artisan centre offers traditional Murcian crafts from a wide selection of craftsmen The Centro para la Artesanía de Lorca is a dedicated sales and display space showcasing traditional crafts in the centre of the historic city of Lorca, and offers colourful displays of the traditional trades of the Region of Murcia, all at "straight from the artisans prices". The building in which it is housed stands between the Palacio..

Lorca is famed for the embroideries featured in the annual biblical processions in Easter Week (Semana Santa) One of the most impressive and ebullient expressions of faith which can be seen anywhere in the Region of Murcia is the remarkable collection of embroidered pieces which the Lorca brotherhoods continue to expand and parade during the annual Easter week (Semana Santa) processions in the City of Lorca. The "Biblical processions..

Exquisite embroidery features in the annual biblical processions of Lorca Semana Santa (Easter week) in Lorca is an extraordinary week, as although the religious acts follow the similar pattern of processions charting the last acts of drama in the life of Christ, as in other parts of Spain, the city stands out for its exceptional embroideries and the "biblical processions" in which they parade. Although the brotherhoods of Lorca..

The museum contains pieces relating to the Semana Santa processions in Lorca Lorca has gained a fully justified reputation for artistic creativity due to the incredible biblical processions of Semana Santa week, the robes, standards and embroideries taking artistic creativity to a new level. Four brotherhoods work throughout the year to not only maintain and restore their existing collections, but also continue to amplify them, constantly..

This is one of four museums dedicated to the embroideries of the Semana Santa processions in Lorca The Museo de Bordados del Paso Encarnado, often known by the acronym MuPaEn, is one of four museums in Lorca  dedicated to the remarkable embroideries associated with the biblical processions which are held in Semana Santa (Easter Week) every year in the city of Lorca. The Paso Encarnado, officially entitled the Archicofradía del Santísimo..

The imposing might of the Fortaleza del Sol in Lorca A visit to Lorca castle makes the centrepiece of a great day out for families or those with an interest in history, its spacious grounds hosting several interesting displays which focus on Medieval Murcia and the many cultures which have shaped the Region throughout its long history. Nicknamed the Fortaleza del Sol (the fortress of the sun), the castle was never taken by force at any..

The Lorca visitors’ centre in the former Convent of La Merced A good starting point for anyone visiting Lorca for the first time is the Centro de Visitantes located in the Antiguo Convento de la Merced. This an excellent base from which to work as it is easy to find and there is plenty of parking alongside, making it a good location from which to pick up a map and head into the narrow streets of the city centre on foot, without becoming..

The Excolegiata is a cathedral-sized church in Lorca built between the 16th and 18th centuries Of all the historic and monumental buildings in Lorca perhaps the most important is the Excolegiata (or Antigua Colegiata) de San Patricio, which was originally built to commemorate a victory in battle over the Moors in the 15th century and now boasts one of the best examples of the typical Murcia baroque façade in the whole of the Region. Situated..

This Lorca church was begun by the Jesuits before they were expelled from Spain in 1773 Construction of what is now the parish church of San Mateo (Saint Matthew) in Lorca was started by members of the Jesuit Order after they were granted permission by King Carlos III of Spain in the late 18th century, but in fact construction took over a hundred years and was not completed, well after the expulsion of the Jesuits the until the 20th century...

The gate of San Antonio stood on the eastern side of the defensive wall of Lorca The Porche de San Antonio is the only remaining medieval entrance gate left in the whole of the Region of Murcia and is just one of the gates which used to provide entrance through the city wall of Lorca. This was once a significant structure which surrounded the hill on which the castle stands and enclosed the residents safety behind a stone ring measuring..

Hotels in and around the historic city of Lorca Hotel Félix (*) Address: Calle Fuerzas Armadas, 30800 Lorca Telephone: 968 467654 Email: informacion@hotelfelix.com Website: www.hotelfelix.es Rooms: 40 (sleeps 58)   Hotel Hacienda Real Los Olivos (****) Address: Calle de Altobordo, 30813 Purias (out-of-town location) Telephone: 968 959100 Email: hrlosolivos@royalpremierhoteles.com Website: www.haciendareallosolivos..

The oldest cloth in Europe and a journey through the history of Lorca from pre-history until the 15th century By no means every town or city in Spain has enough archaeological wealth to boast its own museum, but in the case of Lorca the sites which are dotted around the huge municipality have provided so many items of interest dating from pre-history to the Middle Ages that the impressive facility housed in the Casa de los Salazar Rosso almost..

A little known location which should be on the map for every visitor to Lorca In Lorca the traditions of Semana Santa, or Easter Week, run especially deep, and perhaps this is nowhere better illustrated than in the small church known as El Calvario which stands on a rocky outcrop just outside the northern edge of the city. El Calvario, or Mount Calvary, is the last of the 14 Stations of the Cross on the Via Crucis route which is followed..

Includes emergency services, Town Hall departments, etc Main tourist information office Address: Plaza de España, 7 Telephone: 968 441914 Click for further information   LAW AND ORDER Guardia Civil Address: Carretera de Granada, 12 Telephone: 968 477452 (emergencies 062)   Policía Nacional Address: Lope Gisbert, 29 Telephone: 968 477500 / 968 355514 (emergencies 091) Fax: 968 441 151   Polic..

The Museo del Belén de Lorca, located in the Ermita de San Roque y San Sebastían CLICK ON THE GALLERY IMAGE TO ENLARGE This little museum is set inside the Ermita de San Roque, the oldest surviving Christian building in Lorca. Although the church itself was first consecrated in the 14th century, the museum opened for the first time during the Christmas season of 2014, and was inaugurated following the first living nativity representation..

A magnificent 17th century baroque residence in the centre of Lorca The Palacio de Guevara, sometimes known as the Casa de las Columnas, is the most representative baroque building in the historic city centre of Lorca, and was officially recognized as an Item of Cultural Interest in 1984. Located on Calle Lope Gisbert alongside many other of the sumptuous residences occupied by the aristocracy of Lorca in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was..

These were discovered during works to build a new Parador Hotel During construction works to build the Parador Hotel in Lorca, the remains of the only known medieval synagogue within the Region of Murcia was discovered, as part of the Jewish quarter inside the fortified walls of the Mediaeval castle. The Synagogue is the only one known to exist in Spain which has not been re-used as a religious building  following the tumultuous events of..