What’s the city of Murcia like?
Replying to our post on where to retire in Spain, a few people have written to me telling us that we should check out the city of Murcia. So when I planned our 3 week trip covering the stretch of territory from the City of Almeria to Dénia (the Northernmost point of Alicante province), I made sure to include Murcia.
The first thing I noticed looking at a map of the city of Murcia was that it is very similar in layout to Granada (where we currently live). If fact, looking at the map which indicated a river running through the city, its length lined with green spaces, I first though Google had maybe screwed up and given me a map of Granada.
On the ground however, Murcia is quite different. Murcia is flat, something that Granada is not (for the most part). First impressions (walking in from the train station) is of a clean, well-organized and green city. All things I can also say about Granada.
Murcia’s population is almost double Granada’s (Murcia has a population of about 460k vs Granada’s 234k). But that might be misleading, I read somewhere that Murcia’s official population includes a lot of neighbouring towns that don’t have their own town halls. Walking around for 3 days, including in the outskirts, we felt that the overall size of the city was similar to that of Granada.
Like Granada, Murcia is a university town, so it has energy, lots of pubs and restaurants, as well as an affordable cost of living.
Weather: whereas Granada is a city of extreme temperatures – very hot in summer but also very cold in winter (by Spanish standards), Murcia’s climate is more constant, the biggest difference being much milder winters.
As far as historical attractions, Murcia doesn’t compare to Granada. It has three very high rated attractions in my opinion: the main square Plaza Cardenal Belluga (one of Spain’s most beautiful squares I think), Murcia Cathedral (the most prominent building on the above-mentioned square), and the Real Casino de Murcia (a gentleman’s club dating from the mid 1800’s). There are more things to see (and I’ll write a post on that) but really these are the highlights. And although Murcia has an old town, it is mostly a “modernized” old town with a mix of old (the Cathedral, other churches, some plazas and palaces) but mostly new buildings. While Murcia is worth a visit as a tourist, you’ll be able to cover the highlights in a day. As I say, it doesn’t have the history or culture of Granada.
Having said the above, Murcia is a pleasant and relaxed city. You won’t run into huge crowds of tourists or feel the city overcrowded*.
* few tourists but you may see tons of schoolkids chaperoned by their teachers. I don’t know if I’ve seen as many groups of schoolkids anywhere in Spain as I saw in Murcia.
Murcia is a walking city and that was another factor making it a pleasant. You can walk the parks along the river, enjoying the gardens in front of the ayuntamiento and going further to the botanical gardens. Murcia was founded by the Moors who were drawn here by the rich soils and the Segura river (the area is nicknamed the orchard of Europe because of all the fruits and vegetables that flourish here).
Within the old town, you can stroll along the Gran Via, and discover pretty little plazas where you can sit and enjoy a tapa or a coffee.
As I say, a pleasant city.
Could we live in Murcia?
There are many reasons we chose Granada as our base in Spain: it’s attractive, it’s happening, it is surrounded by nature. It’s historical, it’s the real Spain, where expats / immigrants are a small minority. It’s also, like many places in the interior, affordable.
Murcia has many of the same qualities, with the addition of being even more laid back than Granada. Is it as spectacular as Granada? No. But if looking for something different, quieter and with less tourists clogging up the streets, Murcia is definitely a possibility.
Final thoughts on Murcia
Is the city of Murcia worth visiting? Yes it is, the main square is beautiful and the cathedral is magnificent. A day will allow you to see all the highlights.
Is it a place to consider as a base? As I say above, I think that Murcia is a very nice, relaxed, and very Spanish city. It’s one of the more pleasant cities in the region and is definitely a place that people could consider as a place to live.
Have you been to the city of Murcia? Thoughts?
Related: Cartagena: the ugliest city in Spain?
Related: What to Do in the City of Almeria
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