Gone are the days when the most activity one would undertake on a holiday was a brisk swim and a turn on the waltzer.
Now, with the emphasis on personal fitness, holidaymakers are increasingly looking to supplement a few hours on a sunbed with some calorie-burning activity to assuage their guilt. And few places offer the variety of activities available in the Región de Murcia, in southern Spain.
From simple walking trails and pottery classes to paragliding or rock climbing - whatever the intensity of activity required, Murcia will provide. Its location, variety of terrain and temperate climate ensure nature provides a wealth of opportunity: hill climbing or mountain biking to the top of its towering massifs, scaling rock faces and limestone formations, or walking for hours on end along coastal footpaths once used by miners or fishermen... all are possible and invigorating.
Whether known as caving, pot-holing or spelunking, there are myriad options for enthusiasts with many caves and chasms containing interesting examples of pre-historic art. Caves can be found both on the coast and in the interior and offer a variety of difficulty ratings so that novices and experienced speleologists alike can participate.
With such a splendid coastline, two seas - the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor - and more than 3,000 hours of sun per year, it's no surprise that water sports are so prevalent in the region.
The tranquil waters of the Mar Menor, a saltwater lagoon, are the ideal setting for sailing, kite surfing, kayaking or jet skiing, while these activities may also be enjoyed in other areas of the Costa Cálida including Águilas, Mazarrón, Cabo de Palos, La Manga, El Portús, La Azohía and Isla Plana.
For those who find their thrills under the water rather than on it, the coast is also a haven for scuba diving and cavern diving. And, thanks to the area's numerous diving schools, even those who have never tried before will soon be able to dive among wrecks or in marine reserves.
If you prefer your water fresh, the River Segura is another great setting for adventure sports, offering down-river canoeing or kayaking and river rafting, as it flows through gorges and protected landscapes.
For cyclists, the Sierra Espuña Regional Park - now one of the greenest areas in the south-east of Spain - offers an accessible yet spectacular, circular four-section route which covers a total of 146km.
And, with its year-round sunshine, the Costa Cálida, Región de Murcia is suitable for any season... and for any budget, with a four-night break in June costing from just £22.50 per person, per night, at the three-star La Cumbre hotel in the picturesque city of Puerto de Mazarrón.
Access to Costa Cálida, Región de Murcia, is simple as it is served by Murcia-San Javier airport all year round, while Alicante airport is also nearby. Both airports are served by numerous airlines flying from a wide variety of UK and Irish airports with return flights costing from just £52.
For further information on companies offering activity holidays in the Región de Murcia, please visit www.murciaturistica.es/en/active_tourism_companies.
www.murciaturistica.es/en
ENDS
About Región de Murcia
The Costa Cálida, Región de Murcia is an ideal leisure and sport destination for UK travelers. The area offers year-round sunshine with an average temperature of 19.4°c and 315 days of sunshine per year.
The picturesque region is just two hours from the UK by plane, in the south-east of Spain. Región de Murcia is in a privileged setting within the Mediterranean basin and includes 252km of coastline, known as the ‘Costa Cálida' or warm coast. Visitors can take their pick from numerous sandy beaches; a variety of water sports and diving locations; 22 top-quality golf courses, all within easy reach of each other; delicious culinary delights; relaxing spas; and the opportunity to explore the beautiful countryside and regional parks.
The Mar Menor is a saltwater lagoon with warm shallow waters, gentle wind, sheltered coastline and many hotel facilities and sports infrastructures, which make it the ideal setting for water sports at any time of year, for all tastes and ages. Here, visitors can enjoy kite surfing, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and much more.
They can also enjoy diving in the marine reserve of Islas Hormigas, settled in Cabo de Palos, which has been recognised as one of the best places for diving anywhere along the Mediterranean and where you can explore everything from historical wrecks to amazing underwater landscapes.
The port of Mazarrón offers visitors a rich artistic heritage and a range of interesting leisure options, with more than 35km of beaches, unspoiled coves and rocky sea beds. Mazarrón Bay is sheltered by the foothills of the Sierra de la Almenara, while the port offers visitors many opportunities to learn about the town's seafaring tradition.
And just half-an-hour along the coast, another delightful port city, Águilas, blends a tradition of seafaring with a wide range of tourist facilities, making the most of one of its main attractions, the extensive coastline. There is much to remind visitors of its 19th-century heyday, when it was a major mining enclave, such as the Hornillo jetty, where iron, lead and silver were loaded on to ships.
There is always something going on in the region with a host of big events and festivals taking place throughout the year, including an international music festival in Murcia at the beginning of May, or the varied summer festivals including ‘La Mar de Músicas' in Cartagena, or the International Jazz Festival in San Javier, both in July. And visitors can also enjoy August's ‘El Cante de Las Minas Flamenco Festival' in La Unión.
Región de Murcia is the perfect holiday destination - for sea, spa, or sport, countryside, culture or cuisine - at any time of the year, whatever your passion.