In February 2022, while staying with my sister on the Costa Blanca, we spent two days in the neighbouring region of Murcia. On the first Sunday we went to the Batería de Castillitos and to Cartagena, and a week later, on a Saturday, to Murcia itself. I write about Torrevieja, Alicante and Benidorm in the post The Costa Blanca in winter.
Table of contents
- Batería de Castillitos – a battery dressed up as a castle
- Cartagena – the Roman theatre and the old town
- Murcia – the cathedral and the old town
- Practical information
Batería de Castillitos – a battery dressed up as a castle
Our first stop was the Batería de Castillitos – an artillery battery from the 1930s that was meant to protect the Bay of Cartagena from enemy ships. Its façade was built to imitate a medieval castle, so from a distance it looks more like a fortress from a film than a military installation.
The most impressive sight is the two enormous guns – in the past they could fire a shell up to 35 km. All around there are numerous fortifications and sweeping views of the rocky coast. The road leading to the battery is very winding and in poor condition, so you drive slowly.
Cartagena – the Roman theatre and the old town
The next stop that day was Cartagena. We walked around the old town and the port. The biggest attraction is the Roman theatre – a relic of the times when the city was called Carthago Nova. It was only discovered at the end of the 20th century, beneath the buildings of the old town. We had also seen a Roman theatre earlier in Málaga.
The old town has plenty of Art Nouveau townhouses and grand buildings such as the town hall, and the walls of some houses are decorated with murals. On the hill above the town stands a castle, around which peacocks were strolling.
At the end of the day we also took a walk along the seafront promenade in Torrevieja.
Murcia – the cathedral and the old town
A week later, on a Saturday, we went to Murcia with my sister. The city is known above all for its cathedral – its tower is the second-tallest church tower in Spain – and for the Casino, a former building for the city’s elite. We did a loop around the old town. Unlike the other towns I visited in the area, Murcia is not on the sea, but it was the one I liked most.
The Segura River flows through the city. From the Puente de los Peligros bridge you get a good view of the cathedral tower, and right by the river lies the Glorieta de España – a square with a garden and a fountain.
On the way back we stopped at a viewpoint over the Embalse de la Pedrera reservoir, the Castillo de San Miguel de Salinas and a sunset over the pink lagoon in Torrevieja – I describe them in the post about the Costa Blanca.
Practical information
- Getting there: you can only reach the Batería de Castillitos by car – the road is winding and in poor condition, so allow some time for it.
- Plan for the day: Castillitos and Cartagena can be combined in one day; we devoted a separate Saturday to Murcia.
- Weather in February: about 16–17°C in the sun – perfect for sightseeing.
