Property Developments Murcia Costa Calida

 

Villa España ­Magical secret of Murcia

 

 

Murcia's attractions for anyone in search of the ideal second home abroad are considerable. Getting there is easy. Once there, getting about is child's play. It has some of the most beautiful scenery in Spain - nowhere else will you find anything like the placid, welcoming waters of Mar Menor, a lagoon cut off from the Mediterranean by the lido-style sandbank of La Manga, cheek by jowl with the rugged cliffs and coves of Calblanque, with its secluded beaches to rival Cornwall.You can happily lose yourself in the meandering streets of wonderful historic towns like Lorca and Cartagena. The glories of Murcia city grow on you as pedestrian-only, shop-lined lanes lead into one enticing café-lined square after another, each with its own architectural gem, whether it's the imposing 15th-century cathedral or the impressively ornate Church of San Juan de Dios And there are colourful local festivals galore, even in the smallest of villages. In this most Catholic of regions, there seems to be a saint's day, to make it fiesta time somewhere, almost every week. Murcia is known as the garden of Europe, producing first-rate fresh produce all year round. It's a cooking enthusiast's dream, for as every good cook knows, you just can't go wrong with top-quality ingredients.

It's not just the fleshy artichokes, the unbeatable, tangy tomatoes and the juicy citrus fruits fresh from the surrounding orange and lemon groves, but the succulent sea-food, freshly caught in the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor. Grey mullet roe is a regional speciality. The goat's cheeses and local bread are also mouth-wateringly good.

A trip to any of the fabulous markets is an adventure in itself.

The wine, too, is something special, if less well known than, say, Rioja. But the discerning palate will soon make discoveries such as the excellent wines made in the Jumilla area from the little known but delicious Petit Verdot grape.

This sprightly red wine is only one among many to be savoured.

The property prospector needs to be aware of more than golfing and gourmandising. Some of the best diving in Europe is to be experienced off Cabo de Palos; some of the best climbing is only an hour away in the glorious national park of the Sierra España. You want to ramble - help yourself (and no one will mind if you pick the occasional orange or two to refresh yourself. Just don't denude the entire orange grove!).

More seriously, there are modern medical facilities throughout the region and, important for the villa-owner whose family may spend long stretches of time in their Murcian home, four international schools.