The municipal Casino on Calle Traperia might look like a gentleman’s club from the outside, but it’s open to the general public - just ask the commissionaire for a look around and he will gladly oblige.

Shops include El Corte Ingles, (the Spanish equivalent of Selfridges or Fenwick’s etc) and numerous designer label shops on the Calles Traperia and Plateria, dozens of great restaurants and a lively nightlife, especially during fiestas and carnivals.

In recent EEC research, the region of Murcia was singled out as the most economically dynamic in Spain and this is being reflected in the rapid development of Murcia as a tourist and cultural destination.

For lovers of nature, the Sierra Espuna National Park is 25-30 minutes drive away. Also nearby on a hillside about 5 miles from Murcia is the ancient Santuario de la Fuensanta, the home of Murcia’s patron saint.