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Forts in Aguilas, left, and dolphins off coast of Mazarrón
com).After we had cleaned the salt water from our wetsuits and relaxed with a feast of fish at the nearby El Pez Rojo restaurant, we retired back to Cartagena, exhausted, ready for an more laid-back experience the next day.
It turns out no visit to the southeast coast of Spain is complete without a whale watching trip. We chugged away from the shore at Mazarrón and within an hour we spotted a pod of three fin whales surfacing.
Then we discovered a school of around 100 dolphins who gamely swam with our vessel for the next half an hour.
It was a magical moment that impressed even the crew who took us out – the astonishment on their faces at having seen so many creatures in one trip was obvious. (Adult €50, child
€40, cetaceosynavegacion.com). After that we moved further down the coast to Aguilas for a tour of the town and some fantastic tapas, but then, it’s hard not to get fantastic tapas in Murcia.
Aguilas, too, is full of history, as the last outpost in Murcia before travellers reach Andalusia. Fortresses and tales of conquerors are to be had by the bucketload at the San Juan de las Águilas Castle which towers over it.
Our final day saw us move inland, to Caravaca de La Cruz, named by the Vatican as one of the world’s five holiest cities. It gets this title thanks to the Basilica, which is said to hold fragments of the cross on which Christ was crucified.
The 900km Camino de Vera Cruz pilgrimage ends here, but the majority of the pilgrims we saw had travelled by coach rather than on foot.
A final stop in Murcia allowed us to take in the grand cathedral and the region’s capital city all-too fleetingly on our way home.
We left positively champing at the bit to return and spend more time in a destination which deserves to be known better.
Rooms at the four -star Hotel NH Cartagena start at £67 a night. Rooms at the four star TRYP Murcia Rincón de Pepe hotel start at £47 a night. Tickets and travel packages for the Kendal Mountain Festival on November 16-19 have been released. The family-friendly activity, arts and film event attracts 15,000 visitors and features a Himalayan inspired Basecamp village with free talks. More info at: mountainfest co.uk The Balearic Islands have introduced bloodless bullfighting. Now matadors will only be allowed to use capes, not swords or lances, and the bullfight will last just 10 minutes. The minimum age for spectators has also been raised to 18. spain.info