Murcia for under £100 a night

You may not have heard of it, but this Spanish city’s worth a visit for the food alone

NICKNAMED ‘europe’s Orchard’ thanks to its production of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers, murcia is home to a simmering gastronomic scene. Flat and walkable, Spain’s seventh largest city is worth visiting for restaurants alone, all offering reasonably-priced regional dishes.

Where to stay ■ Sercotel Amistad Murcia Hotel

AROUND five minutes’ walk from Murcia’s central shopping district of Gran Via, you’ll find this affordable, unfussy four- star hotel. Wood-panelled rooms are slightly old- school but spacious. Goodsize TVs, wifi and air-con. Room-only doubles from £65 (sercotelhoteles.com).

■ Hesperia Murcia Centro Hotel

IN THE heart of the city, this hotel is bright and modern, with white leather headboards and smart TVs you can link to your Netflix account. There’s also a gym. Room-only doubles from around £56 (hesperia.com).

■ Catalonia Conde de Floridablanca Hotel

DESPITE an extensive refurb, this hotel retains some of its old-world charms, such as the coat of arms showcasing the villages in the region. Double rooms are modern and airy. The pool is a bonus. Room-only doubles from £52 (cataloniahotels.com).

■ Hotel Cetina Murcia

JUST 100 metres from Murcia’s famous cathedral, hotel Certina is in a prime spot for exploring the city. interiors are contemporary and fresh with pops of colour and massive smart TVs.

Room-only doubles from £51 (cetinahotels.com).

Where to eat ■ Pura Cepa

ON THE edge of an unassuming plaza, pura Cepa is the place to go for an outdoor lunch (or dinner). The small corner restaurant serves a range of fairly-priced tapas, from its red shrimp croquettes (£2.40 each) and succulent iberian pork cheeks (£14.70) to the finest baked cheesecake in Murcia (£ 6, puracepamurcia.

■ AlmaMater

RECENTLY awarded its first Michelin star, AlmaMater offers fine-dining experiences for a fraction of what you would pay in the UK. Dishes are packed with innovative flavours, such as grilled fish with kaffir lime soup, coconut and lemongrass (£20). This quality restaurant is worthy of a splurge ( almamatermurcia.com).

■ Alborada

NOT much from the outside but Alborada food is superb. Try creamy jamon croquettes (£ 1.70 each), codfish salad (£ 13.90) and rice with vegetables (£14.70), a Murcian staple. Don’t miss dessert — flambeed milk (£5.20) ( alborada restaurante.com).

■ Los Zagales

This typical tapas bar, its walls adorned with cabinets, azulejo tiles and oak barrels, is where you go for cheap, no-frills food. For less than £2 try Murcia’s classic tapa, marinera Murciana — a glorified breadstick topped with Russian salad and an anchovy ( barloszagales.com).

How to get there

EASYJET flies directly from London Gatwick to Murcia for around £ 139 return ( easyjet.com).