Where to Stay in Murcia: City Areas and Hotel Tips

The historic centre of Murcia is the obvious base for a first visit. Almost everything worth seeing is within half a mile or so: Murcia's Cathedral and its museum, the Palacio Episcopal, the Palacio de San Esteban with the Al-Andalusian palatial complex beneath it, the Palacio de los Saavedra and the Archaeological Museum. A little further out, still within about a mile, are the Museo Salzillo, the Museo de Bellas Artes, the Museo de la Ciudad, the Monasterio de Santa Clara la Real and the Plaza de toros de La Condomina. Staying here means you can leave the car parked and walk.

Alcantarilla, roughly 5 miles west, is a separate town of around 41,000 people rather than a suburb, and it suits travellers who prefer a calmer, more local setting. Its own sights are the Noria of Alcantarilla, a museum built around the old waterwheel, and the Convento de los Mínimos. It is the same 18 minutes from Murcia airport as the city, so it works well for short breaks with an early flight home.

Neither area is on the coast, so think of this as a culture and food city break rather than a beach holiday.

As a city of more than 470,000 people, Murcia is a place for city hotels and short-stay apartments rather than the pool-and-buffet resort complexes of the Costa Blanca. The appeal is location: a room within walking distance of the cathedral and the old palaces counts for more here than on-site facilities. In the heat of July and August, when highs reach 35°C, a hotel with air conditioning and somewhere to cool off becomes worth filtering for.

Alcantarilla is a smaller town, so expect a more modest choice and a quieter, everyday Spanish atmosphere. It suits travellers with car hire who are happy to drive into Murcia for the sights. You can check hotel prices for both areas on this page and compare them side by side.

The best months are April, May and June, then September, October and November. Highs run from 22°C in April to 31°C in June, and from 30°C in September down to 21°C in November. March and September are the wettest months, with 68mm and 64mm of rain respectively, so pack a light layer. January, February and December are quieter shoulder months with highs of 17°C to 18°C, good for sightseeing without the heat.

Murcia airport (RMU) is the closest gateway with direct UK flights, 18 minutes from both the city and Alcantarilla. Alicante (ALC) also has direct flights and is 53 minutes from Murcia, which widens your choice of dates and departure airports. Some travellers bundle flights and hotel as a package: you can compare deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach here, alongside car hire and tours and tickets. As with anywhere in Spain, UK school holidays tend to push prices up, so a term-time trip usually gives more choice.