4 Best Sights in The Murcia Coast, Spain

This interesting Roman forum remained buried for over 20 centuries until excavations in 2008 and 2009 into the hillside revealed an entire block of Roman buildings. Highlights here include a thermal bathing complex, atrium, and the Decumano Calzada Romana, a section of the Roman road that originally joined the harbor and forum. The paintings on the walls of the banquet hall in the atrium and the mosaics in the baths are of particular note.

It's well worth the climb up to this castle, which dates from medieval times when it was the most important fortress in the area, due to its strategic position on the frontier between the fighting kingdoms of Christian Castile and Moorish Granada. The two watchtowers and main castle wall are from the 13th century, while the Jewish quarter and lovely synagogue date from the 1500s. Audio guides in English are included in the admission price.

Murcia's cathedral is a masterpiece of eclectic architecture. Begun in the 14th century, the cathedral received its magnificent facade—considered one of Spain's fullest expressions of the churrigueresque style—as late as 1737. The 19th-century English traveler Richard Ford described it as "rising in compartments, like a drawn-out telescope." The 15th century brought the Gothic Door of the Apostles and, inside, the splendid chapel of Los Vélez, with a beautiful, star-shaped stone vault. Carvings by the 18th-century Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo were added later. The museum, housed in the 14th-century cloisters, includes several Gothic paintings, Roman remains, and a walkway over the underground archaeological ruins. The bell tower, built between 1521 and 1792, rises 313 feet and offers magnificent views of the city from the top.

Discovered in 1987, the Teatro Romano dates from the late 1st century BC. This impressive theater was built into the northern slopes of the Concepción Hill and could seat over 6,000 spectators. The museum displays the most important pieces found during the excavation.