Murcia

Spain

Things to do in Murcia:

View the Gallery Poppy Fields and Almond Trees

Murcia Restaurants

Cheap (26)

Gran Bar Rhin

An established city-centre watering hole that serves excellent tapas, and is well-known for its fresh and fried seafood. read more
Affordable (24)

M�rmol

On the outskirts of the city, M�rmol offers outdoor dining with views�across to�the mountains and the Fuensanta Sanctuary. The menu offers a wide variety of fantastic rice dishes with veggie... read more
Good quality (23)

El Pez Rojo

Top restaurant in the attractive harbour of Cabo de Palos. It serves up some of the best fresh fish in the area and tasty local specialities such as arroz al caldero (rice stew). The tasting menu... read more

Murcia Nightlife

Chilled (23)

Bodega del T�o Gin�s

Beautiful tiles and pictures of flamenco dancers and Spanish scenery give this bar an Andalucian feel. There's decent house wine and tasty tapas, too, making it an excellent spot to begin the evening. read more
Live Music (19)

Sala 12 y Medio

This popular music venue regularly hosts Spanish and international groups on stage. A great option for a fun night out. read more
Clubbing (26)

Zulu

Lively bar in the university area of the city. Listen to the African dance rhythms and strut your stuff on the dancefloor with the young crowd. read more

This Month in Murcia (March):

By David Jones

Shopping: The Tuesday morning market in Benij�far is a great place to pick up some bargains and tasty fresh produce

Sightseeing: Former Ride frontman Mark Gardener is playing an acoustic set as part of the Microsonidos Festival on 27 March (ticktackticket.com).

Key areas: The Museo de Santa Clara de Murcia is in the former monastery of the same name. It's a spectacular old building that also stages open-air concerts in the gardens.

Day trips: Less than an hour away by car is the enchanting fishing village of Cabo de Palos. The harbour is a magical place to walk round, with the tiny fishing boats bringing in their catch early in the morning and crews sorting through their nets later in the day.

Murcia News & Gossip

Film of the Month: Green Zone

BEHIND THE SCENES

War films need realism to make them work, which presents a unique set of challenges for any director wishing to tackle the ongoing Iraq conflict. A big-budget Hollywood production, complete with a cast of million-dollar, A-list stars, catering trucks and lighting rigs rolling through the mean streets of Baghdad isn't going to make it off the drawing board. So where do these films get made?

Jamie Foxx locked and loaded in Abu Dhabi for The Kingdom. Director Kathryn Bigelow and the UK's Nick Broomfield selected Jordan for the former's multi-award winning The Hurt Locker and the latter's docu-drama Battle for Haditha. Veteran filmmaker Paul Greengrass decided to avoid the Middle East entirely and base his production in the unlikely settings of Spain and Morocco for his latest epic Green Zone.

The acclaimed lens man, most famous for his directorship in The Bourne Ultimatum, once again teams up with Hollywood golden boy Matt Damon to tell a tale of a US soldier who goes rogue after unearthing corruption and misinformation within his ranks amid the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in the early stages of the Iraq war.

The picturesque region of Murcia in Spain served for multiple shooting locations. Los Alc�zares spa town, for instance, features a disused air base on its outskirts that was used as a backdrop for many of the large-scale military scenes.

Murcia Trivia

March: The Moors held Murcia for more than five centuries and their legacy can still be seen in buildings such as the Monteagudo fortress.
February: 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of celebrated local poet Miguel Hern�ndez, whose Civil War poetry shot him to fame.
January: An abandoned five-storey building in Playa Honda has been demolished by the Spanish Government, recovering 6,000m2 of coast.