Guide to buying property in murcia
Looking at Spanish investment properties? Then you're bound to be considering Murcia as your main destination. From the Paramount Theme Park to La Manga's world-class golf resorts, the region has everything a buyer could wish for, including beaches, sports, culture and nightlife.
Don't know much about the area? Read MoveWorldwide.net's guide to buying property in Murcia:
Climate
Mild winters, warm summers, Murcia benefits from its location near the Mediterranean Sea, clocking up over 300 days of sunshine every year. The record temperature for Murcia is 46.1°C, close to the record for the whole of South Europe, making the area the perfect place for holiday home buyers and summer-loving tourists and, as a result, buy-to-let investors.
Lifestyle
Seafood and wine can while away the hours on the Coast, with beaches, clubs and tapas Bars the order of the day. But away from the sea, Murcia has enough to suit more sophisticated residents. From the city's Calle de la Traperia to the region's old silk workshops, Murcia has a reputation for shopping - only beaten by its famous plethora of high-end golf courses.
Geography
The Cordilleras Béticas mountains loom over Murcia's landscape, located in the east of the range. But between the peaks and the Coast, Murcia boasts Spain's largest natural lake: Mar Menor. Separated from the Mediterranean by a 22km strip, La Manga del Mar Menor, the 170km lake and its sandy spit is now home to some of the country's most popular resorts.
Economy
Murcia houses some of Spain's most well-known resorts, with Costa Cálida and La Manga heavily developed and tourist-driven, yet the region's economy is surprisingly independent of the travel industry. Indeed, many areas are unknown to foreign visitors, leaving the region's economy to depend upon agriculture, such as tomatoes and lemons, factories and wines.
Attractions to look out for
Santa Maria Cathedral
Jaime I the Conqueror transformed Murcia's Great Mosque from a Moorish place of worship into a Roman Catholic cathedral in the 14th Century. With a Gothic interior surrouneded by a Baroque facade, the striking mix of architecture includes the second tallest campanile (bell tower) in Spain at 93 metres high, behind the Giralda in Seville. The cathedral contains the remains of King Alfonso I The Wise under the main altar, which he requested in his will as an offering of love to Murcia. A visit to the region's main city and you may want to do the same.
Mar Menor
Spanning 130 square kilometres in total, the Mar Menor is a stunning strech of inland water. The lagoon is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by La Manga, but the strip of land is broken by several natural channels. The combination of beaches and double-sided coastline (with waters at two different temperatures) has given rise to numerous developments, villages and high-end tourist resorts - 50 per cent of the region's hotels are located here, along with water sports facilities and an ample supply of Murcia's famous golf courses .
Paramount Theme Park
La Manga and the Mar Menor are the in-demand tourist hotspots, but for many years the talking point of Murcia has been the Paramount Theme Park - and it doesn't even exist yet. Announced in 2010, the movie-inspired theme park will be built to the North-West of Cartagena, just 25 miles from San Javier airport. It is predicted to generate 20,000 jobs and attract 3 million visitors to Murcia every year; those two statistics alone already justify its reputation as a major boost to the region's post-recession recovery.
Getting around Murcia
San Javier airport is the main Gateway for air passengers heading directly to Murcia (although Alicante is a common point of entry for tourists), but not for much longer: Murcia's International Airport is finally complete and will take on all overseas traffic to the area. The airport, which caters for 3 million passengers per year, will open in October 2012. Test flights are now underway.
Trains
Murcia is well connected to all the other major towns and regions in Spain thanks to the country's reliable inter-city train network. Within the region, the Cercanías Murcia/Alicante commuter lines provide a frequent service of trams and trains that covers the coastline. Line C-1 connects Murcia to nearby Alicante, while C-2 reaches out in the opposite direction to Águilas.
Automobiles
Murcia's motorways make up a wide-ranging and convenient travel network. Indeed, the high quality of Murcia's travel infrastructure is one of the reasons the region was chosen for the Paramount Theme Park. New roads will connect Paramount directly to the new Corvera airport, as well as boosting the profile and investment potential for many previously under-developed locations.
Latbus is Murcia's regional bus service, ranging from Archena and Ricote to San Javier and Molina de Segura. For those in La Manga, ALSA provides local bus routes, as well as connections to cities along the Costa Calida.
For more property advice and investment tips, tried Moveworldwide's guide to buying property in Florida:
http://www.moveworldwide.net/blog/blog/2012/a-guide-to-buying-property-in-florida/