Begin 2022 with a few days at La Manga Club

Ending 2021 at your home at La Manga Club is a great opportunity to play golf, breathe fresh air and enjoy pleasant temperatures far from the freezing winter of northern Europe. After the Christmas holidays and with the energy that the New Year’s arrival brings, you may be looking for ways to delve into the Murcian region and its customs. So here are a few little suggestions that can help you create an agenda for the next week without traveling far from the resort. They’ll help you get to know the festive and religious spirit of these important days in Spain and serve as an entree into Iberian culture. Ready to celebrate 2022?

Cartagena: a taste of three cultures

One of the peculiarities of the Region of Murcia is that Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures all converged here and have left a legacy of great historical value that is reflected through the region’s architecture and gastronomy. The activity “Guided tours with flavor”, organized by the Cartagena Department of Tourism, is a fascinating tour of the Medieval Cartagena. The route begins at the Ascensor Panorámico (the Lookout Elevator) with a visit the Castillo de la Concepción and views of the entire city. Then it skirts the church of Santa María la Mayor and heads towards the Museum of the Roman Theater before finally depositing the participants at a stop where they can savor the medieval-inspired “Gloria Bendita” tapa. The tour runs every Sunday in January and lasts for two and a half hours. Booking is required because capacity is limited, but can be done on this website.

From the Theater to the Domus del Portico

If you’re visiting your home at La Manga Club and you’re passionate about history, you will love visiting the Museum and the Roman Theater with an expert who can give you all the secret details of this beloved Cartagena site. Every Saturday of the month until January 29th, the route begins at the monument and follows the Callejón de la Soledad in the Pescadores neighborhood to the ruins of the theater portico preserved in the Domus del Pórtico. It’s an outdoor activity that you can safely enjoy. Book ahead of time here.

In nomine Dame

Legend has it that after the reconquest of Murcia, King Alfonso X the Wise donated a wooden carving of the Virgin Mary with the Child in her lap to the city. This icon, dating from the 13th Century, has been worshipped as the Virgin of Arrixaca. The name derives from the suburb of Arrixaca, the place where archaeologists and historians have found the oldest vestiges of her veneration, and a word whose origins are the Arabic term “Al-Rasc” or “elegant”. As part of the celebration of the centennial of the birth of Alfonso X, the Museum of the City of Murcia is hosting the temporary exhibition “In nomine Dame. Santa María de la Arrixaca: symbol and form”, which explores the artistic, literary, social, cultural and musical legacy of this important religious figure in the region. The exhibition is open until March 2022. You can find all the information on the Museum’s website.

And if you want to finish your Three Kings Day shopping or take artisanal Christmas products home from the local markets, remember that they are open until January 4 and distributed throughout different municipalities near the city of Murcia including Puente Tocinos, Zarandona, Espinardo or San Basilio. Extend your New Year’s celebration at your home at La Manga Club into January and enjoy every minute in this beautiful corner of Spain.