The Murcia province in the Costa Blanca offers holiday makers fantastic resort based vacations as well as an opportunity to immerse your self in some of Spains historic culture.

The city of Cartagena is located only 20 kilometers from La Manga del Mar Menor along the twisting scenic coastal highway, and 70 kilometers from Murcia it retains some of the areas most interesting historic sights.

At these distances it makes for the perfect day trip in your hire car. Cartagena is a must for any naval enthusiasts, being home to Spains current principal port and the vast majority of their naval fleet. The port it self is set far back in a natural cove but on both rocky peninsulas forts Galeras and San Julian. stand guard over the harbor.

The history of this natural port dates back to the fifth century BC when it was used by the Greeks and Phoenicians as a natural shelter. The city boasts a lively mixture of modernist architecture interspersed with Roman sites, buildings and monuments. It has all the charm and character of a local Spanish city along with an interesting history.

The Conception Castle is a modernist building which stands square and dominating it has a panoramic glass lift which offers by far the best views of the town. From the top of this lift you can see the Roman theatre, which happened to be found completely by chance. Up until recently much of this citys Roman heritage lay buried and un-disturbed.

In 1988 a few blocks were uncovered by heavy rain on the hill side, unfortunately almost an entire neighborhood had been built over the top of the theatre once residents had been happily relocated the painstaking excavation and re-construction of the theatre began; now a must see structure you can even observe the restoration work taking place.

As more and more of the history is uncovered on a daily basis, a trip at the start of your day to the local Tourist information could ensure you dont miss any new developments.

For the more adventurous a short drive from Cartagena (approximately 25 kilometers on the N340) will whisk you away into the stark dramatic landscape for which this region of Spain became so famous. This desert landscape gives the impression that you might be some where like Arizona rather than Spain, Tailored to the more adventurous its also a great place to take a picnic and soak up the breath taking scenery.

One of the best ways to spend a day with the children has to be a day at the beach. Enjoying the sea and sunshine seems to be becoming a thing of the past in the UK. So make the most of the Fantastic Spanish weather. There are miles and miles of golden, un-spoilt, sandy, blue flag beaches to be enjoyed in the La Manga area.

A trip to the near by beaches of the Mar Menor Lagoon offers 135 sq kilometers of safe shallow waters. The constantly calm warm waters of the lagoon guarantee a good day at the beach will be had by all. Open only to the sea through narrow inlets the lagoon manages to maintain higher salinity levels and a constant temperature around 5 degrees centigrade warmer than the open sea.

The lagoon offers a plethora of water sports from wind surfing, jet skis, sailing and kite surfing, to swimming and diving.

The Calblanque National park known as the virgin coast is a natural area of preservation. It offers outstanding beauty combined with activities to keep even the most energetic holiday makers entertained. Horse riding, cycling, nature walks and swimming in the crystal clear waters are all on offer. This can make the perfect day away from the resort, enjoying blue skies fresh air and the outstanding natural beauty.

Keep a look out for the rare Araar tree a left over from the areas Moorish history. And make sure you stop and take in the extraordinary fossilized dunes.

A little further away The Aquoplolis water park at Torrevieja is one of the biggest and best on the Costa Blanca. Built onto the side of a natural hill the park has more than sufficient numbers of slides and pools to keep the children entertained for hours, but dont forget the sunscreen.

Another great excursion that will keep the children entertained is the safari park at Elche. The fastest route in your hire car is to take the A7 heading North West from Murcia. Here visitors can observe the hundreds of animals at the park from the comfort and safety of a real river boat.

For a slightly more cultural day out the picturesque old market town of Lorca is not to be missed.

Lorca sits in the South West of the Murcia region and boasts a wealth of Churches, Roman villas, works of art, palaces and monuments; along side all of the usual Spanish bodegas, bars, cafes and restaurants. However the town is dominated by the large hill top castle and is worth a visit.

Plaza Mayor is the best point to start your trip and is easily accessible by hire car. It gained its name in the 18th Century and was designed as the central power base for the town; housing the collegiate, the mayors office, town hall, prison and any other important types who were deemed worthy. These days many of the buildings are open to the public.

Lorca plays host to many local fiestas and celebrations so be sure to check the diary if you consider heading here.

All of these destinations are easily reached with a hire car, making your holiday to the Murcia region a memorable experience.