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Jump over a bonfire to celebrate San Juan tonight

This week summer began and with all forecasters predicting that this year summer will last even longer and probably be even hotter than normal, it’s time to adopt nocturnal habits, retreating indoors during the day and emerging refreshed after an afternoon sleep and ready to enjoy the cooler summer air.
Stock up on Factor 50 suncream, a wide brimmed hat and a water bottle carrier for visiting guests who might be tempted to BBQ themselves on the first morning of a 2 week visit, pick up a practical one euro folding fan from the local “everything for 1 euro store” (a fly swat is also the best 50 cents you’ll ever spend) and settle down in front of a screen to choose from the dozens of options looming large over the summer for great trips out in Murcia.

This weekend a large block of schools break up for summer, and by next weekend the whole of Spain will start its annual summer holidays which last until the first week of September, so municipal open-air pools will all be opening either this weekend or next. Although these are great value, and most offer swimming courses, aqua aerobics etc, they can get busy, but worry not, Murcia has 200 odd beaches to choose from, including nudist, dog beaches, wild natural coves by the dozen and dozens of wide, sandy, groomed and serviced beaches with lifeguards. Click Murcia Beach Guide for orientation or of course, there’s always the Terra Natura Water Park in Murcia with lots of fun rides and ways to get wet!

This weekend most of the action focuses around the Noche de San Juan, a night on which water and fire are the main protagonists, with many rituals and superstitions linked to the concept of saying goodbye to the old and the bad things of the winter past and looking forward with optimism to the summer ahead and the new it brings with it.

So if you had a rotten winter, write down the bad things, throw the paper into the fire and jump over the bonfire tonight!

There are lots of free events on offer; San Javier has three big free events in La Manga, Santiago de la Ribera and San Javier itself, Águilas has a big welcome summer party down by the auditorium and beachside, Los Alcázares has a beach party with lots of music and free sardines, Alhama de Murcia has a Welcome Summer Fest inland and in San Pedro del Pinatar the biggest red prawn in the Mar Menor is going on the BBQ as the municipality “fries a falla” in its San Juan party. Elsewhere there will be plenty of local bonfires and San-Juan related events with their own local traditions; in Bullas for example, the main festivities are down alongside the Salto del Usero beauty spot where actors recreate the tragic story of unrequited love between a Moorish princess and her handsome Christian soldier as her ghost returns to the spot where she took her own life fearing that her lover was lost forever……..

Fiesta season is also underway; San Pedro del Pinatar is busy with its Fiestas patronales, Los Belones continues with its Fiestas of San isidro, La Costera in Alhama de Murcia honours San Pedro, Cañadas del Romero in Mazarrón holds its annual fiestas in honour of San Pedro, as does El Paretón in Totana and Abanilla.

We also have plenty of music on offer with a folk festival in San Javier, more folk in Archena, a free entry festival of early music in Lorqui, the Backstage sound Festival in Mula, Musica entre Vinos in Jumilla, the Gay Pride festival in Cartagena, free open-air dance in the Puerto de Mazarron, free flamenco and band music in Puerto Lumbreras, and a huge concert in Caravaca de la Cruz with M-Clan and Coti.Next week the San Javier Jazz Festival begins, with a whole month of fabulous music and there’s even free opera on the beach in Los Alcázares!

Lots of other alternatives are being offered for evening entertainment, such as the nocturnal tours of the Roman Theatre Museum in Cartagena, the nocturnal tours of the Medina Nogalte Cave House complex and castle, as well as the astronomical observatory in Puerto Lumbreras, the night time tours of Lorca castle… so much to choose from!

We also have lots of other sporting activities such as the Geocaching in Torre Pacheco, the Aidemarcha walk/run in San Javier, the Mar Menor Yoga Festival, the Summer sporting party in Lorca……
As well as the normal collection of guided routes, including a free English language theatrical guided route in Águilas this Sunday, lots of exhibitions and recommended places to visit.

So much to do, so little time!

Have a great week!

Don´t forget that Murcia has nearly 200 beaches (see our beach guide to help you choose!) and lots of places to visit throughout the year in the Where to Go section. If you want to see more about specific municipalities or towns, just use the town search box in the header of every page for detailed info or if you prefer moving water then the Terra Natura waterpark in Murcia has opened for the summer and has a special visit twice for the price of one entry offer.

Also don´t forget, tickets are now on sale for the San Javier Jazz Festival (including George Benson!), for the Música entre Vinos concerts in the bodegas of Jumilla, and tickets are also on sale for the Spanish National Ballet presentation of Carmen which is coming to Cartagena in July and looks really interesting.


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There are lots of static locations which can be visited at any time in the Murcia Region.This is simply a scrolling list, but if you click through to the Where to go section, the articles can be searched by category, ie museums, locations children might enjoy, walking routes etc

There are dozens of places to choose from and lots of activities, ranging from rafting down the River Segura, walking Route 66, visiting the historical monuments and archaeological sites which litter the region, touring the Licor 43 factory, mud bathing or visiting the regional parks, so much to do!

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