The awakening of this city and its surrounding province in south-eastern Spain follows the model of Bilbao, where government money and contemporary art also played a significant role. Murcia city is now a hot spot for top curators, and a dozen new galleries, museums and art spaces have popped up. It is also home to what many say are the best tapas bars (pictured) in Spain, a happy result of the city's prime spot between some of the country's richest arable land and the Mediterranean — seafood, tomatoes and pata negra ham being the jewels in the culinary crown.
Stay
The arty crowd needs to start throwing a hissy fit here, because tastefully inspired places to stay are still conspicuous by their absence in the city. The least offensive bet for designer sensibilities is Arco de San Juan (+34 968 210455, arcosanjuan.com), a former 18th-century palace in the heart of the city.
Eat
The tapas in Murcia are revered by Spanish chefs, and the pretty Plaza de las Flores in the historic centre is the best place to start a tapas crawl. El Bolito (Plaza Santa Catalina 1) serves great tortas de camarones (shrimp fritters), La Tapa (Plaza de Flores 12) does great plates of ham, and La Mejillonera (Plaza Cardenal Belluga, 7) offers mussels spiked with cumin and chilli. An hour west of the city in the hill town of Moratalla is El Olivar (+34 968 724054) one of the best restaurants in the region, run by chef Firo Vázquez.
Drink
Take your pick of bars to enjoy a cold glass of Estrella Levante, the local lager, but Los Zagales ("The Kids", Calle Polo de Medina 4) is a great old-school bar, whose kitchen sends out succulent fried squid and quail's egg canapes to be enjoyed beneath fading photographs of football teams and bullfighters. Bar Warhol (Calle Victorio 25) is a lively spot (though you have to go late – and that means around 1am – as the locals do), popular with students, that often has live music nights and photography exhibitions.
See
Beyond the grand cathedral, bishop's palace and ancient Roman ruins are a number of commerical art galleries that punch above their weight in provincial Spain. Espacio AV (manifesta8.com/espacio_av) is a "white cube" hosting contemporary art, photography and video shows. Galeria T20, on the other side of the old town, focuses on emerging artists.
