“The Spanish passion for living is deliciously contagious”

 

          

 

 

In terms of surface area the region of Murcia is the ninth largest of the Spanish autonomous communities.

 

From the geographical point of view, the region of Murcia stands out because of its multiple contrasts: dry vs. irrigated land, plains vs. mountainous areas, coastline vs. interior, vineyards vs. Mesetas.

 

Murcia has just over 170 km of coastline: coves and small beaches alternate with rocky shores and sheer, craggy cliffs. The Murcian littoral offers on the one hand unprotected shores with wild seas and on the other small coves with calm, placid waters. Sand-dunes, beaches, salt-water lagoons, mud-flats. The Murcia coastline includes numerous places of unquestionable interest to the naturalist. Not surprisingly many of these have been declared Protected Natural Areas, spots where even in our times you can find autoctonous species of flora and fauna, such as the Sabina mora, an autoctonous tree variety, or the fartet, a tiny, unique species of fish.

Climate
 
The region of Murcia has the typical Mediterranean semi-arid subtropical climate: namely an average annual temperature of 18ºC, with hot summers (max. 40ºC) and mild winters (average 11ºC).

 

 

Murcia city is the capital of the region Murcia and its Baroque churches and 19th century streetscapes make it worth a look. Its university adds a youthful vibe to what is essentially a mid-size city serving the agricultural basin that surrounds it.

 

The city of Murcia was founded in 831 by Abd-Al-Rahman II. The city wall offers a good idea of the importance achieved by the city under Arab rule, and the remains of part of the wall are still visible in different places around the city. From the time of the guilds, there remain two important narrow streets, La Trapería where a great vareity of clothes were sold, and La Platería, where all the jewellries and watches could be found. However it was from the 16th century, and particularly the 18th century, onwards that Murcia achieved an urban splendour that lead to its expansion beyond the city walls. It was during that period that the numerous churches - mainly baroque in style - that mark the entire urban landscape were built.

 

The most important religious building in Murcia is its Cathedral, construction of which began at the end of the 14th Century. Also noteworthy is its tower, measuring 92 metres in height and built in different stages between the 16th and 18th centuries. However, Murcia, rather than remain anchored in its past, has developed into a modern city.

 

The Semana Santa of Murcia is one of the most significant manifastations of the rich and colorful murcian culture. The artistic and spritual dimension of the processions provide the uniqueness of this festival. There is no other spanish city where the Semana Santa is celebrated like in Murcia, not in the way they are distributing caramels, sweets and presents, remembering ancient times when the monks gave food for those in need.

Within ten intense days the believers are recalling the Passion, the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Religion, Art and belief melt in to one perfect symbiosis. It is a festival for the feelings. The incense and the perfume of the flowers combine themselves with the sound of the horn, the drum the bugle, which are carried by the processers.

The Semana Santa begins and children as well as adults reach their hands out to get the first caramels.

The life-sized woodcarvings of the Passion by Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo date from the 18th century and are carried through the streets on the shoulders of the faithful.

A week later, the Spring Festival is a joyful celebration of the Murcian people's origins. On 'Bando de la Huerta' day, the locals put on splendid traditional costumes and spend the whole day in the streets eating and drinking.

The Youth Service of the City Council of Murcia

The Youth Service of the City Council of Murcia,in Spain, in the framework of Youth Programme and Youth Exchanges Programme, carries out actions that promote the participation of the local young people in the European integration process. Information and diffusion