Spanish Activity Holidays - One Day Excursions

Murcia Sightseeing

Many visitors to Murcia find themselves seduced from the dreamy high of its architecture or by the ramshackle buildings that pepper the city. Others come in search of old-school tapas bars and are surprised to find a gastronome’s paradise. Some will be drawn to the late-night buzz and find that mooching around cafés in the afternoon can be just as enjoyable. One thing’s for sure – most leave surprised.

Narrow, twisting streets are found in the old city north of the river, the banks of which are lined with promenades. The baroque 17th-century Ermita de Jesus houses a museum of the art of the city's native sculptor Francisco Salzillo. The Cathedral of Santa Maria dates from the 14th century and was restored in the 18th century.

There is an annual Holy Week procession. The city also has a university (1915) and a provincial museum. To see Murcian Baroque at its best, visit the churches of La Merced, San Juan de Dios, San Nicolas or San Miguel and buildings such as the Bishop 5 Palace or the Palacio Fontes.

Depart 9.30am and return 5.30pm
€60 PER GROUP / FAMILY

Cartagena Sightseeing

You will find within Cartagena, a wealth of history and beautiful architecture. If you explore the port area you will find a mixture of old and new. The large naval base occupies a large area and throughout the city, the importance of the port will become evident with numerous buildings belonging to the navy, as well as a good naval museum. You must see the Naval Headquarters, Artillery Headquarters, Dockyard Gate and the Midshipman School.

Cartagena has always been a major port, due to its unique position on the Mediterranean coast and you will see high on the hilltops, several forts and castles. The Peral Submarine, built in Cadiz in 1884, the very first, is located near the Port.

Over recent years many of the important buildings in the city have been restored. Indeed, to this day the work continues. There are numerous churches, palaces and government buildings. You will also find several good museums worthy of a visit.

There are plenty of parks and squares to rest in, surrounded by good restaurants and bars and you will almost certainly find life here very slow and easy going.

You will find the very helpful tourist office close to the bus station at the end of Calle San Diego. They will supply you with a good street map to make your visit easier. Most of the sights can be found in one central area, all within easy walking distance.

Depart 10.00am and return 5.00pm
€50 PER GROUP / FAMILY

Guns of Navarone

Through narrow roads which twist their way upwards through the mountains, giving breathtaking views of the coastline and countryside.

This is a place which is certain to interest military historians, or simply those who fancy seeing something a little different. The centrepiece is two massive guns at Castillitos with their associated magazines, sighting points, control rooms etc. Although military architecture is often ugly, here the

Battery has been built into the mountainside in the style of a castle, using a lot of local stone. There are some smaller guns further along the road at Jorel, but even these are quite large - they just seem small after seeing the first two monsters! Finally there is an abandoned AA battery at Atalayon which is the peak you first encounter on reaching the batteries.

These massive batteries were part of the shore defences for Cartagena, which is the headquarters of the Spanish

Mediterranean Fleet, and often has visiting warships from other countries, including the USA.

Depart 10.00am and return 2.00pm
€50 PER GROUP / FAMILY

Sierra Espuna National Park

A beautiful natural mountainous region, with many gorges, mountains, craggy rock formations and a variety of fauna. Two rivers meander through the area, the Pliego and Guadalentin. It covers an area in excess of 25,000 hectares including the regions of Alhama, Aledo, Totana, Mula y Pliego.

A unique natural beauty spot to enjoy an unforgettable experience with the family. You can visit emblematic places such as the Walls of Leyva, a place preferred by the majority of climbers in the Region of Murcia, for its excellent routes where many events have been held.

You can enjoy many activities, such as hiking, cycling and orientation, many trails are signposted.

We will depart for Sierra at 9.30am, the journey takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the foot of the park. We will then drive to the heights, where you will be dropped off to explore at your leisure.

When we return for you at 5pm, you will be given the choice of meeting your chauffeur either at the entrance at the bottom, or alternatively the drop off point from the morning.

There is a restaurant in the park, in which the locals feed wild boars at lunch time. It is strongly recommended a reservation is required if you want to see this amazing sight.

Please let us know in advance if you would like a reservation for lunch.

Depart 9.30am and return 4.30pm
€50 PER GROUP / FAMILY

Aledo

Things To See
This walled medieval town has been declared a site of historical artistic interest. It is located on a hill and features a Moorish tower known as La Calahorra (11th century), the Baroque style Church of Santa Maria (18th century) and La Picota, a medieval construction and place of execution.

Things to Buy and Eat
Spice racks and Roman amphoras produced in the town’s pottery workshops.

Totana

Things to See
Walking from the Town Hall, in whose square we can admire the Fountain of Juan de Uzeta (dating from the 18th century and the only Baroque fountain in the region), we will pass the Church of Santiago Apostol, (16th century, featuring a marvellous Mudejar coffered ceiling and Baroque altarpiece), the Arch of San Pedro and ‘Las Ollerias’ (traditional potters’ neighbourhood).

Things To Buy And Eat
Pottery items such as the ‘Cantara de Totana’ or El Lebrillo, which are modelled on traditional wheels in many of the 25 pottery workshops throughout the town. Gastronomic products from the local area such as the typical drink known as ‘mantellina’ or confectionery known as ‘santiaguitos’.

Alhama de Murcia, Aledo and Totanta

Things To Do
Those who seek mountain climbs and enjoy trekking or routes on horseback and bicycle will love the Regional Park of Sierra Espuna. Visitors can also enjoy climbing in the valley of Leiva and paragliding in the Sierra de la Muela. They might also scale the heights of the Morron de Espuna, (1,759 metres), featuring some magnificent views over the entire valley. Visit the protected landscape of ‘Barranco de Gebas’ and Los Pozos de la Nieve, structures dating from the 16th century in which snow was preserved in order to be used subsequently throughout the summer.