Murcia is a lovely option for those looking for a laidback city that’s not too crowded but still full of life. It’s one of the biggest cities in Spain in terms of area but is much less populated than the tourist hotspots of Madrid and Barcelona. This means there are many activities I can enjoy here without feeling overwhelmed. The city also serves as a great home base for going on day trips to Cartagena and Mazarrón. One of my favorite attractions is the Catedral de Santa María. Its beautiful architecture and design left me breathless. There are also plenty of restaurants and cafes scattered throughout the city, and if I could try every single one, I would.
Whether you like to shop, walk around, have delicious meals, or go clubbing, there’s a place for you in the city. And if you’re planning to enjoy it at your own pace, check out some of my favorite things to do for a leisurely week in Murcia.
Day 1: Brunch and garden
Enjoy a meal at Plaza de las Flores
Having a hearty breakfast, lunch, or brunch at Plaza de Las Flores is a great way to start the week in Murcia. It has restaurants and cafes that are open on Sundays, which is very convenient especially since plenty of restaurants in the city are closed on that day. I’ve been to La Tapa for drinks and dessert and I find myself craving the paella in El Pulpito from time to time. The restaurants at this plaza have outdoor seating, and I usually like to sit outside so I can have a cup of coffee or a meal in the sun.
During winter, these restaurants offer heating, so you’ll be comfortable even if you sit outside. Overall, this plaza is a nice spot for catching up with friends or enjoying some alone time.
Plaza de las Flores
Address: 30820 Alcantarilla, Murcia, Spain
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Relax in Jardín de la Seda
Jardín de la Seda is a quick tram ride or walk away from Plaza de las Flores, so you can easily make your way over. This is one of my favorite places in Murcia, especially when I’m in the mood to be alone. It’s also a great spot for me to get some sun and exercise. It’s a big park with a playground and benches where you can lounge and rest. There’s also a restaurant here located on top of a serene pond. The highlight of this park is definitely the ducks and geese. Before I could even step foot in the park, I could already hear the sounds of quacking!
I usually walk around the park and then sit on a bench to recharge. I could spend hours here just relishing the sun while watching the ducks swim, sleep, or walk around.
Jardín de la Seda
Address: 30009 Murcia, Spain
Website: Jardín de la Seda
Opening hours: 6am - 11pm (daily)
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
Day 2: Entertainment and retail therapy
Watch a performance at Teatro Romea
Teatro Romea has a long history. It started as Teatro de los Infantes in the 1860s before becoming Teatro de la Soberanía Popular and, eventually, Teatro Romea. The theater hosts plenty of events to entice culture enthusiasts. In December 2023, they held the XXIX Certamen Internacional de Tunas de Derecho. A tuna is a band performing folk music while dressed in traditional clothes. It was a Saturday when I saw a poster for the event. I decided to go as it was free.
The moment I stepped inside Teatro Romea, I felt like royalty. The red chairs looked fancy, and the ceiling had a huge painting that reminded me of frescos. It was my first time watching a tuna, and I ended up having a good time because of how lively and playful the performance was.
Teatro Romea
Address: Pl. Julián Romea, s/n, 30001 Murcia, Spain
Website: Teatro Romea
Find everything you need at El Corte Ingles
El Corte Inglés, only three minutes on foot from Teatro Romea, is a mall spread across two buildings. One of them is located along Avenida de la Libertad, and the other one is on Gran Vía del Escultor Francisco Salzillo. In the first building, there are clothes for men, women, and children. It also features home necessities, decor items, and different makeup and skin care products. This is where I go when I don’t feel like traveling too far as it is only walking distance from other attractions. It’s also where I often get makeup, skincare products, or things I need at home.
On the lower floor, you can find electronics and appliances as well. I was able to buy an adapter for my devices here. There’s also a grocery store inside if you need to buy some food items to cook at home.
Meanwhile, the second building offers phones and gadgets among other items.
El Corte Ingles
Address: Av. de la Libertad, 1, 30009 Murcia, Spain; Gran Vía del Escultor Francisco Salzillo, 42, 30009 Murcia, Spain
Website: El Corte Ingles
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 10pm (closed on Sun)
Day 3: Shopping and nightlife
Spend the day at Centro Comercial Nueva Condomina
Start the day at Centro Comercial Nueva Condomina, located in Churra. I usually take the tram from the center of Murcia to visit this mall. Even though it isn’t as close to the center as other attractions, I would gladly go back to this place again and again.
The first time I entered through the front doors of the mall, I was greeted by restaurants such as Udon, Rey Rios, McDonalds, and Starbucks. There are also several other restaurants here offering different kinds of cuisine. I was really hungry and decided to get a pizza at Papizza. They offer different combos so you can try more than one flavor of pizza.
What’s more, there are different stores where you can buy clothes, shoes, accessories, gadgets, make-up, and even furniture and appliances. I went shopping in Primark for jackets, socks, and a bag, then I went to ZARA, Bershka, and Pull&Bear to look for more clothes. The mall also has a cinema, which I want to try the next time I spend the whole day here.
Centro Comercial Nueva Condomina
Address: Autovía del Mediterráneo, Km. 760, 30110 Churra, Murcia, Spain
Website: Centro Comercial Nueva Condomina
Opening hours: 10am - 10pm (daily)
Go clubbing at ODISEO
ODISEO, located in Churra, is a large and vibrant building that’s hard to miss. It’s just a quick tram ride from Centro Comercial Nueva Condomina. It has a club, a performance area, a restaurant, a terrace, and a casino. I went to the club on Halloween and was pleasantly surprised to see almost everyone in costumes. It was definitely a unique experience seeing so many people dressed up in interesting outfits and dancing to upbeat music.
Like most clubs, it became very crowded soon. However, I still had a good time, thanks to the music, drinks, and atmosphere.
ODISEO
Address: Av. Don Juan de Borbón, 224, 30110 Churra, Murcia, Spain
Website: ODISEO
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 4am; Fri: 11am - 5am; Sat: 11am - 7am (different establishments have different opening hours)
Day 4: Breakfast and museum
Grab breakfast at CafeLab Murcia
CafeLab on Calle Apóstoles is always filled with people, and it’s a great place to dine no matter the time of day. Whenever I go there, there’s usually a queue outside. However, once I tried it out, I understood why.
What makes CafeLab unique is the fact that it actually looks like a laboratory. Inside, there are different coffee makers and tools on the shelves. There are coffee beans and coffee powder on display, too. Aside from coffee, they offer a wide variety of drinks, including iced teas, frappes, and smoothies. Some of their drinks are even served in conical flasks! The drinks usually come with a small cookie on top of a wooden serving board. If you want something to eat, there are cakes available too.
The cafe has an English menu and a visual menu, so it was easy to choose what to order even though I wasn’t fluent in Spanish. I enjoyed the atmosphere here, so I came back here on Saturday. I’ve tried their matcha latte and frappé Asiático and I ended up liking the latter a lot! Their carrot cake and red velvet cake were also delicious.
CafeLab Murcia
Address: C. Apóstoles, 14, 30001 Murcia, Spain
Website: CafeLab Murcia
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 9am - 9pm (closed on Mon)
Check out Museo Arqueológico de Murcia
Museo Arqueológico de Murcia is situated along Avenida Alfonso X el Sabio, a walkable distance away from CafeLab Murcia. Entrance is free, which means anyone can visit the museum multiple times. On the ground floor, there are exhibits from the Paleolithic era up to the Iron Age. You’ll find bones, ceramic pots, accessories, and weapons there. There’s also a replica of the inside of an Argaric home from the Bronze Age.
When I visited in January 2024, the upper floor featured a temporary exhibit showcasing different rock art throughout Spain. You will also find permanent exhibits offering different materials from the Iberian world and the Roman Empire on the top floor. There were statues, vases, and even columns. Another thing that I found interesting was the display of different forms of money throughout the years.
There are posters with information written in Spanish that elaborate on the eras and the different exhibitions. Since there are only two floors, I could cover the museum between 45 minutes and an hour. Navigating the museum is also quite easy, and I didn’t feel tired at all even after taking time to look at the different pieces.
Museo Arqueológico de Murcia
Address: Av. Alfonso X el Sabio, 7, 30008 Murcia, Spain
Website: Museo Arqueológico de Murcia
Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 10am - 2pm, 5pm - 8pm; Sat: 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 8pm; Sun: 11am - 2pm (closed on Mon)
Price: Free
Day 5: River views and lunch
Take photos of Río Segura
Rio Segura or the Segura River is a beautiful waterbody passing through Murcia. Along Avenida de Canalejas, there’s a large bridge that stretches over the river. When I cross the bridge, I often see people sailing on boats and ducks swimming around. I decided to visit this place back when I wanted to relax. I saw some benches, and I sat down and gazed at the river from above. I kept coming back here to unwind, and each time, I can’t help taking photos of the serene scenery.
Just across the bridge is Glorieta de España, a lovely garden with fountains.
Linger over lunch at Oven Mozzarella Murcia
Oven Mozzarella Murcia is an Italian restaurant located in Plaza Julián Romea, a five-minute drive from Río Segura. It’s a great choice for pasta and pizza lovers. The restaurant also offers different starters, burrata, and salads for those who want something light. My sister and I ordered focaccia tartufata, mozzarella caprese, and carbonara, and the portions were more than enough for two people. I also got a sangria to go with the meal. My favorite item among the three was the carbonara, which was generously coated in egg. I want to go back someday and try their pizza as well.
The restaurant has seating arrangements both indoors and outdoors, and as usual, I sat outside. The best part? Oven Mozzarella Murcia is located right in front of Teatro Romea! After lunch, you can wander around a bit more or just return to your accommodation to relax.
Oven Mozzarella Murcia
Address: Pl. Julián Romea, 5, 30001 Murcia, Spain
Website: Oven Mozzarella Murcia
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 12:30pm - 11:30pm; Fri - Sat: 12:30pm - 12am
Visit Murcia any time of the year
No matter the season, Murcia will keep you busy without tiring you out. From intriguing museums to excellent eateries, there’s no dearth of attractions to explore in the city. Like me, you can enjoy the outdoors on some days and keep yourself cozy indoors on others. I can’t wait to discover what else Murcia and its nearby regions have to offer!
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to