Murcia is Fun
Culture & Tradition
Besides the beautiful natural corners, the nice weather and the unbeatable conditions to practice dozens of sports, Murcia also has a great cultural offer and leisure activities for all ages.
Tradition, art, culture and good weather merge to highlight the friendly and hospitable character of the Murcian people. One more reason to choose Murcia as the perfect place to live.
The Region gathers some of the most famous musical festivals in the country as well as traditional celebrations and cultural events of high artistic quality.
- La Mar de Músicas International Festival in Cartagena
- San Javier International Jazz Festival
- Aguilas Carnivals
- Flamenco Festival “Cante de las Minas” de La Unión
- "Patrulla Águila" Exhibition (San Javier)
- Holy Week
- Spring festival in Murcia
- Caravaca’s Wine horses
- Murcia Hot Rally (Harley and Custom)
- Moors and Christians (Murcia)
- Carthaginians and Romans
- Grape harvest celebration
La Mar de Músicas (The Sea of Music) International Festival in Cartagena
A international festival with 25 years of tradition, La Mar de Músicas is celebrated every July in Cartagena, a city with thousands of years of history and an enviable cultural legacy that has always been a crossroads for cultures and civilizations throughout the Mediterranean and a strategic point on the coast of the Region of Murcia.
The festival gathers music from around the world, focusing every year on a specific country and highlighting the artistic quality of its music. Thus, over the years, La Mar de Músicas has invited artists from different corners of the world that have done their bit in the arduous task of collecting sounds and melodies to achieve a musical blend that brings the public closer to the art of music.
The concerts are held in several venues, both closed and outdoors, throughout the city: the Cathedral, the Castle of the Conception, the Auditorium El Batel, the Auditorium of the Torres Park, the courtyard of the Marine Instruction Barracks, the San Francisco Plaza, the City Hall Plaza and the Port Promenade.
Recently won the prestigious prize Ondas of Best Festival 2019. La Mar de Músicas has been positioning Cartagena on the map of "world music" since 1995, focusing its program on countries on 5 continents, and accompanying concerts with exhibitions, talks, workshops, activities for children and with the will to decentralize the music and move it from a single stage and bring it closer to local neighborhoods.
San Javier International Jazz Festival
Summer and the sea are also the perfect setting to develop outdoor cultural activities. Thus the idea of celebrating a festival with a modern and casual character for jazz lovers was born 20 years ago. The municipality that undertook the difficult task of organizing an international event of this caliber was San Javier, hence the name of the festival.
The quality of the participants throughout its editions has allowed it to have great national and international repercussions. Held during the month of July, its programming focuses on the work of great figures of the jazz world and on offering performances of different jazz trends. The festival is held in the municipal auditorium of Almansa Park, with capacity for about 2000 people with good visibility and a spatial structure similar to a Roman theater.
Over the years, through the Jazz Festival of San Javier have passed such relevant jazz figures as Gary Moore, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Kurt Elling or Vonda Shepard.
Aguilas Carnivals
Viva el carnaval! Two weeks of music, dances, lights and joy ... that's how the carnivals of Aguilas are.
A celebration with more than 200 years of history and declared of International Tourist Interest, the Carnival of Aguilas has nothing to envy to the great carnivals of the world. Parades, contests and lots of color day and night, impact anyone who decides to visit Aguilas between February and March.
The carnaval of Aguilas offers spectacular parades with succession of troups and floats, amusement, lots of music and fun that create an indescribable atmosphere where stand out traditional elements of the Carnival such as the “Cascarones” of confetti and “La Cuerva”, typical carnival drink, based on wine and fruit. A great cocktail of emotions, capable of encouraging even the most introverted character, making the foreigner feel citizen of Aguilas for a few days, because if something characterizes this town it is the enormous hospitality of its people.
Flamenco Festival Cante de las Minas de La Unión
To the south, bordering the province of Almeria, is located La Unión, a small Murcian town, known for its mining tradition and especially for the International Festival Cante de las Minas (The Singing of the Mines), that emerged in the 60s and continues to be held every summer in August. The festival is one of the most recognized Spanish competitions in the world of flamenco because it has managed to perfectly merge the suffering that comes from working in the mine with the transmission of the “arte jondo” by definition.
The Cante de las Minas offers to the public every year an emotional journey in search of the deep feeling that flamenco awakens and although joy is also transmitted, the deepest themes usually transmit that human being's pain towards God and the eternity which is something intrinsic in man’s kind.
The origins of the festival are related to what was once lived in La Union in mining circles, homes and families, which later has been moved, in a more professional way, to theaters and spaces of cultural interest in order to magnify the art of flamenco.
Thus, currently the Cante de las Minas reunites singing, guitar playing, dance and other musical instruments playing, poetry, plastic arts, prose and other artistic manifestations that bring the viewer closer to the flamenco in its pure state.
The Eagle Patrol Exhibition (San Javier)
Patrulla Águila (The Eagle Patrol) is an aerobatic flight group of the Spanish Air Force based in San Javier. Its work in this area is known worldwide thanks to his high preparation and maneuvers such as inverted looping and landing in formation, which is something this patrol was the first one that has managed to do it. It is one of the few acrobatic teams that uses yellow smoke in their air shows, for the creation of the Spanish flag.
Its aerial exhibitions usually take place in the months of July and August and can be enjoyed anywhere near the San Javier Air Base, but especially on the beach of Santiago de la Ribera.
The Eagle Patrol exhibition is divided into three parts:
A first part in which the seven planes advance together performing various aerobatic maneuvers with different types of training. In this phase, the great rapport, coordination and precision of all its pilots is shown, performing showy maneuvers.
In the much more dynamic second part, the formation is broken by separating the planes into three groups: the SOLO, the PAR, and the ROMBO. Each element maneuvers in coordination with the others, taking turns in the execution of the maneuvers so that there is always one in front of you.
Finally, a third part in which again all the planes together complete the exhibition going on with the colors of the Spanish flag.
All maneuvers that are carried out are designed taking into account safety of both the audience and the team's pilots as a top priority, through constant and intense training where there is no place for improvisation.
Holy Week in Murcia
Holy Week is one of the most expected festivities by the murcians. Ten intense days that are lived with a special fervor and passion. It is a religious festival that represents the cultural identity of the Region, but at the same time stands out for its originality and artistic dimension. Faith, art and passion merge to delight the senses and unveil the spiritual side of that colorful holiday.
The celebrations begin on Ash Wednesday and represent the Via Crucis, recalling the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. A total of 15 brotherhoods take their "pasos" to the streets, among long lines of “Nazarenos”. The incense and the perfume of the flowers of the “pasos” blends with the horns, drums and bugles that put rhythm on the “bearers” while they parade. Thus the processions begin.
Each Cofradia has its headquarters, often a church or chapel, although some of the larger Cofradías also have substantial headquarter buildings in which to store their sculptured pasos, statues or the huge tronos on which they are carried in some places, and form the focal point of their processions, and each Cofradia has its own pasos, standards and tunics.
There are three types of pasos, an allegorical scene or a scene of the passion of Christ, known as a misterio, then the images of Christ, and thirdly the image of the suffering Virgin Mary, known as a dolorosa.
Throughout the week, the Easter festivities program includes different processions in different parts of the city, but the most significant and colorful are those of Holy Thursday and Good Friday. The most striking procession is that of Good Friday, in which more than four thousand Nazarenos, who wear the purple robe and carry true works of art made by the 18th-century Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo Alcaraz, parade. The one with the greatest fervor is the Procession of Silence, on Holy Thursday, which starts from the Church of San Lorenzo and makes the route with the street lights off and in the middle of an impressive silence by the Nazarenos and spectators. A silence that is broken only by the sporadic singing of the Nazarenos, in honor of the Crucified.
The celebration of Easter Week varies greatly in the different cities of the Region. That of Murcia is characterized by the Nazarenos’ generosity who distribute candies and gifts, reviving those past times in which the brotherhoods distributed food for the most needy. That is why for all of the above Murcian Holy week is recognized as a festival of International Tourist Interest.
Spring festival in Murcia
Parks and gardens in bloom, music and joy on the streets and squares, fantasy parades full of color... this is the Spring Festival in the city of Murcia. It is the celebration of the arrival of the most anticipated season of the year, the symbol of the new beginning that produces feelings of happiness and optimism.
Although they first appeared as an extension of the Carnival at the end of the 19th century, today the Spring Festival starts at the end of Holy Week with the traditional floral offering to the Virgin of the Cathedral of Murcia. Throughout the week of celebrations, different events are held, each more attractive and cheerful.
Tuesday of the “Bando de la Huerta” is one of the most original and joyful. Hundreds of Murcians from all over the Region come with their striking traditional costume to spend the holiday in the city and watch the parade of the typical floats along the main avenue of Murcia. These floats participate in the parade and they are in charge of offering the spectators to try the delicacies of the Murcian orchard.
The Battle of the Flowers is another key day of the festival. It is celebrated on Thursday and its parade is one of the most beautiful, since it includes floats adorned with natural flowers that reflect the richness of local nature and the incomparable Murcian spring.
The “Entierro de la sardina” (Burial of the Sardine) is the last day of the celebrations week. It is a festival of pagan origin that basically consists of a parody in which the burial of a sardine through the streets of the city is simulated. Murcians go out on the streets to have fun, sing and dance to the rhythm of the parade of the “sardiners” who distribute toys and candies to the attendees. The party ends at night with the burning of the sardine and spectacular fireworks.
Caravaca’s Wine horses
A unique celebration with lots of color, intensity and history. Oral tradition and legend blur historical data a bit, but there are those who claim that the Wine Horses date from the thirteenth century.
It is said that the Holy City of Caravaca, was surrounded by the Arabs of the Kingdom of Granada and within the city walls the Templars defended it. The lack of water forced the Templars to look for alternatives. They found wine, put it on their horses in some wineskins, offered it to the sick and they healed. Hence the name of “Los Caballos del vino” (Wine horses).
Since then it has been evolving until it shows itself today as a triple contest full of strength, beauty and emotion that is held every 1st and 2nd of May. It consists of several parades through the streets of the city, full of joy and colors. It is a sight for the eyes to contemplate the “harnessing” of horses, formed by several pieces embroidered with silk, rhinestones and threads of gold and silver.
What most attracts attention is the legendary race of the Wine Horses. It is a timed competition, which the horse performs accompanied by four young men running at his side, clinging to him, two in front and two behind, eliminating it from the competion if any of them lets loose before crossing the finish line. There are 80 meters of steep slope that, the fastest ones, run down in only 7 seconds. This is the peak of the celebration and an exceptional exercise in competition and mastery that uses up this unusual show, full of passion, emotion and strength.
Murcia Hot Rally (Harley and Custom)
This is one of the motorcycles themed meetings with the best charisma in Spain, it is highly recommended for having the three best elements combined - the best time of the year (May), an unbeatable atmosphere next to the beach and the best live music.
With thousands of attendees every year, this motobiker event has been revolutionizing the leisure program of San Pedro del Pinatar for five years, where all types of motorcycles and clubs can be found, with very clear purposes: traveling by motorcycle, meeting friends and having fun.
It is an intense weekend, full of rock concerts, tattoo artists, dancers and entertainers and especially spectacular demonstrations of the most original and attractive motorcycles.
Moors and Christians (Murcia)
The festival of Moors and Christians is one of the most fascinating and original celebrations within the range of festive celebrations of great roots and tradition throughout Spain. It is a great theatrical performance in which the actors are the inhabitants of Murciad dressed as characters of the past. The streets are used as scenarios to celebrate the patron saint of the city and remember past times of the Reconquest.
Although the party has a religious origin, over the decades it has been transformed in favor of the existing in any holiday playful component. However, it is its theatrical and representative of history component that makes it unique in its kind.
On the main streets of Murcia, different troupes that represent the two enemy sides parade - the Moor and the Christian side. Each troupe has its own “cabil,” where they celebrate and a king or captain to represent them. The parades are characterized by their spectacularity, not only for its costumes, but also for the participation of floats and animals, for their showiness and their percussion groups, becoming a great visual show.
Most of the events take place in the Medieval Camp that is located in the garden of San Esteban and although the party extends over several days, it focuses on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before the Pilgrimage of the Virgin of Fuensanta in September. The party ends with the reconquest of the city by the Christians. This happens in a final battle in which fictional shots occur. In this battle an artificial castle is taken that represents the city.
Carthaginians and Romans
The festival of Carthaginians and Romans has its beginnings in 1990 with the idea of recreating the events of the Second Punic War more than 2200 years ago, taking as a foothold the history and archeology of Cartagena, and that every year gets reinvented to gain more magnificence. The celebration revives all the heroic events that occurred in the period that begins around the year 227 BC, with the foundation of Cartagena and ends in the year 209 BC. with the battle and the subsequent conquest of the city by the Roman legions.
During the 10 days of the festival, visitors and Cartaginians walk along the city participating in the various recreational activities organized by the Carthaginian and Roman sides, and accompany the Carthaginian troops and Roman legions that disembark at the port and march towards the festive camp that is installed in the city, near the Carthagonova football stadium. The place is chosen by the visitors to continue the party every night, having the opportunity to visit the handicraft market and to enjoy the wide variety of specialties of the Cartagena cuisine offered in local bars and restaurants.
In the camp, people in charge of the party offer the public more than one hundred free activities, among which we can highlight the Aspar Tests with recreational activities for children offered by the Carthaginian Council and the Latin Fair with representations and typical Roman meals offered by the Roman Senate .
Grape harvest celebration (Jumilla)
Given that Jumilla is one of the regions where one of the best Spanish wines is grown and produced, it is not surprising that its festivities revolve around wine and its culture. During the grape harvest festival in August a large number of events are celebrated that illustrate the path that the grape goes through to become wine - from the vineyards, through the grape harvest itself, the grape crush, the elaboration and the tasting. It is a celebration that exalts the wine culture and offers everyone the opportunity to learn more about its tradition and history.
During the festival, activities for all ages are organized, but the most attractive are La Pisada de la Uva (Grape crushing) , the vine offerings, the inauguration of the Wine Fountain, the first Mosto to the Child of the Grapes and especially the Great Wine Parade where more than 50,000 liters of wine are spilt and traditional products are distributed among the attendees. It is tradition to wear a white shirt that will be turning purple as the day continues.
