A jurisdiction of theCrown of Castile since the Middle Ages, theKingdom of Murcia was replaced in the 19th century by territory primarily belonging to theprovinces ofAlbacete and Murcia (and subsidiarily to those of Jaén and Alicante).[10] The former two were henceforth attached to a 'historical region' also named after Murcia. The province of Murcia constituted as the full-fledged single-province autonomous community of the Region of Murcia in 1982.
The region is among Europe's largest producers of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, with important vineyards in the municipalities ofJumilla,Bullas, andYecla that produce wines ofDenominación de origen. It also has an important tourism sector concentrated on its Mediterranean coastline, which features theMar Menor saltwater lagoon. Industries include the petrochemical and energy sector (centered in Cartagena) and food production. Because of Murcia's warm climate, the region's long growing season is suitable for agriculture; however, rainfall is low. As a result, in addition to the water needed for crops, there are increasing pressures related to the booming tourist industry. Water is supplied by theSegura River and, since the 1970s, by theTagus-Segura Water Transfer, a major civil-engineering project that brings water from theTagus River into the Segura under environmental and sustainability restraints.
Thetoponym (place name)Murcia is of uncertain origin. According toFrancisco Cascales, it could refer to the Roman goddessVenus Murcia, from themyrtles on the banks of the Segura River. Historical studies conclude that, like the deity, Murcia is of Latin origin deriving most likely fromMyrtea orMurtea ('place of myrtles' or 'place where myrtles grow'). Furthermore,Mursiya (already documented in the Islamic period as the name of the city of Murcia), was the adaptation in the Arabic of the pre-existing Latin.[16] According to Bienvenido Mascaray, it is also possible that the name originates from theIberian language in the formm-ur-zia, meaning 'the water that empowers or moistens.'[17]
The use of "Murcia" to define the present region has its origin in theTaifa of Murcia, an Arab kingdom that existed at different times in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries.[18] After the Christianconquest of Murcia between 1243 and 1266, theKingdom of Murcia emerged, a territorial jurisdiction that formed its own institutions until its demise in 1833.[19]
After the provincial administrative reform of 1833, the firstRegion of Murcia was formed from the provinces of Albacete and Murcia. In the first attempt at decentralization, during theFirst Republic, this region was one of the 17 member states that were contemplated by theSpanish Draft Constitution of 1873,[20] proclaiming during that year the so-calledCantón Murciano, as an attempt to form a regionalcanton in the context of theCantonal rebellion.[21]
In 1978, theRegional Council of Murcia was created as a pre-autonomous body, in effect until 1982, when theStatute of Autonomy of the Region of Murcia was approved. The province of Murcia was then granted autonomy under the official name of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia in the framework of the political process in place during the Spanish transition to democracy.
Since theLower Paleolithic era, the Region of Murcia has been inhabited by humans,[22] withNeanderthal remains found in theSima de las Palomas site in the south east of the region. TheArgaric culture one of the most developed cultures of theMetal Ages, flourished into the earlyBronze Age, with the site ofLa Bastida in the southwest of the region being a prominent example.[23] Later, theIberians were present in this territory during the Middle and Late Bronze Age and remained until very early in ancient history, before the Romans conquered a large part of the Iberian Peninsula.[24]
Roman Theatre, Cartagena
In 227 BC,Carthaginians settled in what is nowCartagena with the mountainous territory merely the hinterland of their seacoastempire although in 209 BC it was conquered by the Romans and was incorporated into theprovince ofHispania Carthaginensis.[25] During the Roman era, Carthago Nova was the most important place in the region, and there are still remains of ancient villas in the Campo de Cartagena.[26][27] The Romans built a salt factory and settled in a little town called Ficaria, in the current municipality ofMazarrón.[28]Altiplano and Noroestecomarcas (a kind of region) both contain surviving dwellings of the Romans.[29][30]
In the early 5th century, theVandals together with theSuebi andAlans invaded the Iberian Peninsula with the Vandals settling in the region. The Roman Empire successfully proposed an alliance with theVisigoths to recover its lost Spanish land in return for goods and territory. The Vandals fled to North Africa and the Visigoths federated to the Roman Empire in a kingdom that stretched from Gibraltar to theLoire River. The Visigothic kingdom became independent of the Roman Empire in 476.[31]
In 555 AD, the Byzantines, under the emperorJustinian the Great, conquered the southeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and established the province ofSpania. Part of the current Region of Murcia belonged to the province and therefore to the Eastern Roman orByzantine Empire. The current ofCampo Cartagena-Mar Menor (Cartagena, La Unión, Fuente Álamo, Torre-Pacheco, Los Alcázares, Mazarrón) andAlto Guadalentín (Lorca, Águilas, San Javier and Santiago de la Ribera, and Puerto Lumbreras) also belonged to the province.[32][33]
In the early 8th century there was a disputed succession to the Visigothic throne. The kingWittiza wanted his son Agila to be his successor, but the nobles of the court electedRoderic, duke ofBaetica, as king. The people in favour of Agila conspired to overthrow Roderic. They asked theMoors for help and promised spoils of war in return.[34]
The Moors began conquering the Iberian Peninsula in 711. Roderic was killed, and the Visigothic kingdom disappeared. Consequently, the Moors quickly conquered much of the peninsula.[34]
Theodemir led a nucleus of resistance in almost all the current region and the south of Alicante province. In 713, he signed theTreaty of Orihuela, because the resistance could no longer endure. The territory came under Muslim rule, but the conquerors granted it political autonomy.[34]
Under the Moors, who introduced the large-scaleirrigation upon which Murcian agriculture relies, the province was known asTodmir. According toIdrisi, the 12th century Arab cartographer based inSicily, it included the cities ofOrihuela,Lorca,Mula, andChinchilla.
In the early 11th century, after the fall of the UmayyadCaliphate of Córdoba, a territory centered on the city of Murcia became an independent principality, ortaifa. At one point, the taifa included parts of the present-day provinces ofAlbacete andAlmería, as well.
After the 1086Battle of Sagrajas, theAlmoravid emirate swallowed up thetaifas. When Almoravid rule ultimately declined,Abu ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Saʿd ibn Mardanīš established a taifa—including the cities of Murcia, Valencia, and Dénia—that opposed for a time the spread of theAlmohads, but ultimately succumbed to the latter's advance in the 1170s. Conversely, when the Almohads receded after their defeat in the 1212Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, another taifa-prince based in Murcia,Ibn Hud, rebelled against Almohad rule and briefly controlled most ofAl-Andalus.
Ferdinand III of Castile received the submission of the Moorish king of Murcia under the terms of the 1243Treaty of Alcaraz and made the territory a protectorate of the Crown of Castile. There were towns that rejected compliance with the treaty, such as Qartayanna-Al halfa (Cartagena), Lurqa (Lorca) and Mula. There were also towns where governors accepted the treaty but the inhabitants did not, such as Aledo, Ricote, Uruyla (Orihuela), and Medina La-Quant (Alicante), (although the two last do not belong to the present-day Region of Murcia; they were part of the Taifa of Murcia). In 1245, a Castilian army and a fleet from theCantabrian Sea conquered Qartayanna. Consequently, the rest of the rebellious towns were also taken by the Castilians.[35] Following the support of local Muslims for theMudéjar revolt of 1264–1266, in 1266Alfonso X of Castileannexed the territory outright with critical military support from his uncleJaime I of Aragon.[36]
The Castilian conquest of Murcia marked the end of theAragon's southward expansion along the Iberian Mediterranean coast. The kingdom of Murcia was repopulated with people from Christian territories by giving them land.[37]
James II of Aragon broke an agreement between the Castile and Aragon regarding the division of territory between the two kingdoms and, from 1296 to 1302, conquered Alicante, Elche, Orihuela, Murcia, Cartagena, and Lorca. In consequence of those victories, James II andFerdinand IV of Castile agreed to theTreaty of Torrellas, which stipulated the return of the conquered territory to Castile, save for the towns of Cartagena, Orihuela, Elche, and Alicante. In 1305, Cartagena was returned to Castile. The kingdom of Murcia lost the territory of the current province of Alicante.[38]
The Castilian monarchs proceeded to delegate power over the whole Kingdom of Murcia (then a borderland of the Crown of Castile, near Granada and Aragon) to a senior officer called theAdelantado. The kingdom of Murcia was divided into religious manors, nobility manors, andseñoríos derealengo (a type ofmanorialism in which the noble had the property, but the king had the authority to administer justice). There were two noble lineages during theLate Middle Ages and the modern period: Los Manueles and Los Fajardos.[39]
The Kingdom of Murcia was adjacent to theEmirate of Granada, which provoked several Muslim raids and wars that occurred mainly during the 15th century.[40][41]
Map of the Kingdom of Murcia in 1590
In the early 16th century, the population increased in the Kingdom of Murcia. There were three plague epidemics during the century, but they did not severely affect the region. In the first third of the century, theRevolt of the Comuneros occurred. Some places that supported the revolt were towns in the present-day Castile and León and Castilla-La Mancha regions. In the Kingdom of Murcia, the revolutionary towns were Murcia, Cartagena, Lorca, Caravaca, Cehegín, and Totana. The castle ofAledo defended the monarchy. In 1521, the Revolt of the Comuneros was defeated.[42]
In 1807, Napoleon signed theTreaty of Fontainebleau with Spain, in order for French armies to cross the peninsula to conquer Portugal. In early 1808, Napoleon betrayed Spain and invaded Pamplona, San Sebastián, Barcelona, Burgos, and Salamanca. In 1808, the people of Madrid rebelled, and all of Spain was summoned to fight the French invaders. The people of the country established for each province political organisations, orjuntas, as alternatives to the official administrations. Since the French were not much present in the Kingdom of Murcia, battles were rare in the region. Nevertheless, Spaniards from the region battled the French in other areas of Spain. In addition, the region became a staging area for the movement of troops, guns, and supplies destined for the eastern Iberian Peninsula, or Andalucía. In 1810, French troops did attack the Kingdom of Murcia. Most local officials escaped. The French, coming from Lorca, invaded the town of Murcia on 23 April, and looted it on the 26th. The troops returned to the town in August, but defensive measures had been taken and the French attack was repelled. The French army occupied Murcia again in January 1812, looting Águilas, Lorca, Caravaca, Cehegín, Jumilla, Yecla, Mula, Alhama de Murcia, and the Ricote Valley. Cartagena withstood a French siege, owing to its rampart and the help of an English fleet. In 1813, the French were decisively defeated in the north at theBattle of Vitoria.[45][46]
In 1936, under theSecond Spanish Republic, there was an uprising. The North African territories of Spain were taken on 17 July. The uprising was successful insome areas of Spain. The partial success of the uprising brought on theSpanish Civil War. The province of Murcia supported thePopular Front (the governing party in that era). The port of Cartagena became the main base of the Republican navy and was home to destroyer, cruiser, and submarine fleets. Thus, the Region of Murcia was of geostrategic importance during the war. To defend Cartagena, there were anti-aircraft bases throughout the region. The region was not near the frontlines and overall it was not attacked, except from the air against Cartagena and Águilas. Large factories, basic services, and some other properties were seized by trade unions. There was an impoverishment among the inhabitants and a lack of food supplies. Consequently, rationing was established in the region.[47][48]
UnderFrancoist Spain, wine agriculture and economic activities increased in the Altiplanocomarca (north of the region).[49] An oil refinery infrastructure was established in Cartagena in 1942, and power refineries, supply refineries, and factories were constructed in the same area during the 1950s and 1960s.[50][51]
Murcia became an autonomous region in 1982.
Massive riots erupted in Cartagena in 1992 protesting against the closing down of shipbuilding, mining and chemical companies and the regional legislature building was set on fire.[52]
Map of the Kingdom of Murcia inLa Geographia Blaviana byJoan Blaeu (1659). In the upper left quadrant appears thecoat of arms of the kingdom, which was included in theflag andcoat of arms of the Region of Murcia.
The flag of the Region of Murcia is rectangular and contains four castle battlements in gold in the upper hoistcanton, distributed two over two (symbolizing the borders of the ancient Kingdom of Murcia and the fourborders that it had at some point in its history), and seven royalcrowns in the lower fly canton (these being theescutcheon of the historical coat of arms of the Kingdom of Murcia), arranged in four rows, with one, three, two and one elements, respectively; all on thecrimson background of Cartagena.[53]
The Region of Murcia is located in the southeast of theIberian Peninsula, on the coast of theMediterranean Sea. It ranges from 38º 45' in the north to 37º 23' in the south, and from 0º 41' in the east to 2º 21' in the west. With an area of 11,313 square kilometres (4,368 sq mi), it is the ninth-largest region of Spain by area and constitutes 2.9% of the national area. It extends over the greater part of the hydrographic basin of theSegura River, thus constituting a well-defined geographical unit, except for thecomarcas of theSierra de Segura and theCampos de Hellín which were in the province of Albacete, Los Vélez in Almería andLa Vega Baja in the province of Alicante, all belonging to the same basin.[55]
TheMassif of Revolcadores is the highest point of the Region of Murcia, its highest peak is Los Obispos Peak at 2,014 metres (6,608 ft).
Approximately 27% of the Murcian territory consists of mountainous reliefs, 38% intermountain depressions and corridor valleys, and the remaining 35% of plains and high plateaus. The region is located at the eastern end of theBaetic System, being affected climatologically by an orography that isolates it from the Atlantic influence. These mountain ranges are divided in turn from north to south into:[56]
theCordillera Prebética: the northernmost, where the Sierra del Carche stands out from the others.[57]
theCordillera Subbética: it consists of numerous dipping faults superimposed on each other or on the materials of the Prebaetic. The Massif of Revolcadores, the highest in the region at 2,015 metres (6,611 ft), belongs to this system.
theCordillera Penibética: with three distinct lithological complexes from north to south (Nevado-Filabride, Alpujárride and Maláguide). They are very fractured, although there is a predominance of dipping faults and inverse faults between these complexes.Sierra Espuña is one of the fundamental penibaetic mountains.
Among the high plateaus are the Campo de San Juan and the Altiplano murciano.[58]
Some of the valleys and plains are thecoastal depression of theCampo de Cartagena-Mar Menor; a little farther inland is the Valle del Guadalentín (also called theMurcian pre-coastal depression), which crosses the region from southwest to northeast.[58] The fertile plains lie along the Segura River (among the most famous ones the so-called Valle de Ricote), and tributaries of the Segura, such as the Mula basin.
To explain this complex relief, it is important to highlight the existence of significantfaults throughout the area—such as Alhama de Murcia,Bullas-Archena, or the Cicatriz Nor-Bética—which, along with intersections with other minor faults, generate numerous earth movements, such as the2011 Lorca earthquake.
The most widely present soil types are the calcaric fluvisol, the calcaric regosol, and the calcic xerosol.[59]Regosol soils form about a quarter of the region's surface;[60] and calcic horizons (Bhorizons [third layers of the soil] being formed by calcium carbonate deposits and 15 cm thick at least, and containing a minimum 15% of CaCO3 besides more features) occur in almost half of the surface.[61]
Winters are mild (an average of 11 °C (52 °F) in December and January) and summers are hot to very hot (where the daily maximum regularly exceeds 40 °C (104 °F)). The average annual temperature varies from 10 °C (50 °F) to more than 19 °C (66 °F).[63]
Precipitation varies from more than 600 millimetres (24 in) to less than 200 millimetres (7.9 in) per year, making this autonomous community the driest inSpain.[64] The region has between 120 and 150 days in the year where the sky is totally clear. April and October have the most precipitation, with frequent heavy downpours in a single day.
The distance to the sea and the relief causes a thermal difference between the coast and the interior, especially in winter, when the temperature rarely dips below 10 °C (50 °F) on the coast, while in the interior regions the minimum usually does not rise above 6 °C (43 °F) and the precipitation level is higher (up to 600 millimetres (24 in)).
The city of Murcia holds the Spanish record high temperature in the 20th century. It reached 46.1 °C (115.0 °F) on 4 July 1994. The winter of 2005 was the coldest in a long time, with snow falling even on the Murcian coast.[65]
Due to the Segura river basin's insufficient water capacity, contributions to this river basin are made from the basin of theTajo River by means of the Tajo–Segura Water Transfer.[71]
The greatest natural lake ofSpain can be found in the region: theMar Menor (Small Sea) lagoon. It is asalt water lagoon, adjacent to theMediterranean Sea. Its special ecological and natural characteristics make the Mar Menor a unique place and the largest saltwater lake in Europe. With a semicircular shape, it is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a sand strip 22 kilometres (14 mi) in length and between 100 and 1,200 metres (330 and 3,940 ft) wide, which is known asLa Manga del Mar Menor (the Minor Sea's Sandbar).[72] The lagoon has been designated by the United Nations as a Specially Protected Zone of Importance for the Mediterranean. Its coastal perimeter accounts for 73 kilometres (45 mi) of coast, along which beaches follow one another beside crystal clear shallow water (the maximum depth does not exceed 7 metres (23 ft)). The lake has an area of 170 square kilometres (66 sq mi).[73]
There are more than 30 tree species, over 50 species of shrubs, and more than 130 herbaceous plant species in the region. Some species have been introduced but are now part of the landscape.[74][75][76]
In the region, there are over 10 species of land mammals (not counting bats), 19 bat species, over 80 bird species, 11 species of amphibians, 21 reptile species, and 9 species of fish.[77][78][79][80][81]
The Region of Murcia has a population of 1,568,492 inhabitants as of 2024, of which 30.1% live in the municipality of Murcia, and another 14.0% live in the municipality ofCartagena along the south coast. It makes up 3.2% of Spain. In addition, afterCeuta andMelilla, Murcia has the highest population growth (5.52 per thousand inhabitants) and the highest birth rate in the country.
Birth rate (2004): 13.00 per 1,000
Mortality rate (2004): 7.48 per 1,000
Life expectancy (2002):
Men: 76.01 years
Women: 82.00 years
In the 1991–2005 period, the Murcian population grew by 26.06%, as opposed to the national average of 11.85%. 12.35% of the inhabitants are of foreign origin, according to the INE 2005 census, which is 4% more than the Spanish average. The most notable groups of immigrants are Ecuadorians (33.71% of all foreigners), Moroccans (27.13%), Britons (5.95%), Bolivians (4.57%), and Colombians (3.95%).
Roman Catholicism is, by far, the largest religion in the Region of Murcia. In 2019, 80.1% of Murcians identified themselves as Roman Catholic.[82]
The Spanish spoken in the region has its own accent and local vocabulary. TheMurcian dialect is one of the southern dialects of Spanish and tends to eliminate many syllable-final consonants and emphasizes regional vocabulary, much of which is derived fromAragonese,Catalan, andArabic words. The general intonation and some of the distinctive vocabulary of the Murcian dialect share several traits with the dialects spoken in the neighboringprovince of Almería, north ofGranada, and theVega Baja del Segura, in theAlicante province.[84]
The region's highway network provides connectivity along the coast, with three highway links with Andalusia (Autovía A-91,Autovía A-7, and the tolledAutopista AP-7) and another three with the Valencian Community (A-7 and the tolled AP-7 and Autopista AP-37), but only theAutovía A-30 connects Murcia with inland Spain. It is thus the goal of the regional government to provide alternative highway corridors that connect the interior to the coastal zones.
The autonomous government is investing heavily in its highway network, both for trips along the coast and inland–coast connectivity. Due to the expansion of the regional network that this effort is expected to produce, Murcia has recently implemented a new naming scheme for its regional highways, more in accordance with that of the national network. When the renaming is complete, all highways will be identified by white-on-blue names that start with RM (forRegión de Murcia).
TheGross domestic product (GDP) of the autonomous region was 31.5 billioneuros in 2018, accounting for 2.6% of Spanish economic output. GDP per capita, adjusted for purchasing power, was 22,800 euros, or 76% of theEU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 84% of the EU average.[88]
Agriculture, ranching, and fishing contributed 5.99% of Region of Murcia'sGross Value Added (GVA). Extraction industries, manufacturing industries, and several power supply activities constituted 18.32% of the GVA.[89] The tourism sector provided 11.4% of regional GDP in 2018.[90]
35.9% of the land in the region is given to arable farming. Major crops grown are oat, barley, lettuce, citrus fruits, peaches, almonds, apricots, olives, and grapes.[91][92] It is common to find Murcia's tomatoes and lettuce, lemons, and oranges in European supermarkets.[93][94] Murcia is a producer of wines, with about 29,000 hectares (72,000 acres) devoted to grape vineyards.[95] Most of the vineyards are located inJumilla andYecla.[96][97] Jumilla is on a plateau where the vineyards are surrounded by mountains.Migrant workers are used in the agriculture industry.[98] In regards to fishing sector, the most caught species are anchovies, round sardinellas, sardines, chub mackerels, gilt-head breams, and pompanoes. Aquaculture breeds Atlantic bluefin tuna, gilt-head breams, and sea bass.[99][100]
Murcia has some industry, with foreign companies choosing it as a location for factories, such asHenry Milward & Sons (which manufactures surgical and knitting needles) and American firms such as General Electric and Paramount Park Studios.
During the 2000s, the economy of the region turned towards "residential tourism", in which people from northern European countries have a second home in the area.[101][102][103] Europeans and Americans are able to learn Spanish in the academies in the town center.
Despite the famous seaside resorts, the Region of Murcia is relatively unknown even within Spain, so it continues to be relatively unspoilt compared to other, more overcrowded areas of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Nevertheless, its more than 300 sunny days a year with an average temperature of 21 °C (70 °F), and the 250 kilometres (160 mi) of beaches of the so-calledCosta Cálida (Warm Coast) have attracted tourists for decades.
The region is also being promoted as a cultural destination with many highlights for visitors: monuments, gastronomy, cultural events, museums, historic remains, festivals, etc. The region is one of the Spanish autonomous communities that have grown the most in the last few years, and this has conferred on it the character of an ideal destination for services, shopping, cultural events, and conventions.
Murcia, the capital city, offers the facilities of a large city. It is the seventh-largest Spanish city by population with approximately 440,000 inhabitants in 2009. Murcia's sights include its famouscathedral with its 90-metre (300 ft) tall bell tower. Murcia is also a large university town with more than 30,000 students per year. It has more than 2 million m2 of parks and gardens. Murcia has a rich history tied to the Jewish community.
Cartagena is the region's second-largest city and one of the main Spanish naval bases. Sights include its recently restored Roman Theatre (among numerous Roman remains), a number of modernist buildings and many military fortifications.
Lorca is a large medieval town at the foothills upon which its famous castle stands. It is the second-largest municipality of Spain in area.
Caravaca de la Cruz, or simply Caravaca, is one of the five official Holy cities for Catholicism since it is claimed to house part of theLignum Crucis, the Holy Cross.
The interior of the Region of Murcia has plenty of castles and fortifications that show the importance of these frontier lands between the ChristianCastile and the MuslimAndalusia. They include:
Castle ofJumilla, a former Roman fortification turned by the Moors into anAlcazaba. The Castilian kings and themarquesses of Villena gave it its appearance of a Gothic royal residence.
Castle ofMoratalla, one of the largest castles of the province, built to defend the town of Moratalla from invaders from the nearby MuslimKingdom of Granada.
Castle ofMula, of Muslim origin, but as with many castles, eventually restored and renovated.
Royal Alcázar ofCaravaca de la Cruz, where the Holy sanctuary was built, also of Moorish origin, conquered by the Christians and finally home to several noble families.
Concepción Castle, inCartagena, built on one of the five hills of the old Cartagena, following the Roman taste. Now it is home of the Centre for the Interpretation of the History of Cartagena.
Lorca Castle, also known as the Fortress of the Sun.
TheCosta Cálida has 250 kilometres (160 mi) of beaches, from El Mojón, in the north nearAlicante, toÁguilas, in southwest Murcia nearAlmería.
One of the major destinations of Murcia is theMar Menor or Small Sea, located on theMediterranean. It is the largest natural lake in Spain and the largest salty lagoon inEurope.[110] It is separated from the Mediterranean by a 22-kilometre (14 mi) long narrow sandy strip known asLa Manga del Mar Menor or simplyLa Manga.[111] It is probably the most developed and overcrowded holiday area of Murcia, despite being declared one of theSpecially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) by theUnited Nations.
Mar Menor's muds are famous for their therapeutic properties.[112] Apart from Mar Menor, the Murcian coast from Cartagena to the frontier withAndalusia alternates between wild and unspoilt rocky areas, large sandy beaches, and the towns ofMazarrón andÁguilas.[113][114]
The needs of tourism have forced the area to add all kinds of facilities and services. A construction boom resulted in a huge number of estates, including the controversial holiday resorts ofPolaris World, second residences, and numerous malls.Thanks to theorography and climate of the region, these lands are suitable for golf courses, a fact that has been very controversial because of the need for water, which Murcia lacks, being a very dry region.
Other services include adventure tourism companies, tourist routes, guided visits, yacht facilities, nautical excursions, and sports federations.
Golf, and in particular golf tourism, has become important to the economy and draws visitors from around the world, particularly the United States,United Kingdom,Scandinavia, and Germany.[115] Unlike other parts of Europe, especially northern Europe, the weather in high season can almost be guaranteed to be dry and sunny. This has led to the creation of specialist golf holidays[116] to bring in visitors from April to June and September to November, especially. Unlike in other parts of the country,golf courses are quieter in July and August due to the extreme heat.
Parque regional de Cabo Cope y Puntas de Calnegre [es], betweenÁguilas andLorca, by the Mediterranean sea. The regional government attempted to amend Law 1/2001 of 24 April on Land in the Region of Murcia, to declassify a total of 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) of the land protected by the regional park, but the attempt was annulled by theConstitutional Court of Spain. Rare species of animals (Bonelli's eagle, Greek tortoise, martingale) and plants are threatened.
Calblanque Regional Park – between La Manga andCartagena, has beaches that are favoured by Murcians, although it is an undeveloped area.
Sierra de las Moreras [es] – is a mountain range that occupies part ofMazarrón municipality in the south of the region. It is a Site of Community Importance.[123]
The interior of the region, near the historical towns ofCaravaca de la Cruz andMoratalla, offers a number of rural accommodations and facilities, including cottages, farmhouses, country houses, and campsites. Visitors can engage in sports, day trips, and sightseeing excursions.
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