Useful information for visitors to Polaris World and the Murcia region

We've compiled this section to help you make the most of your visit to the Murcia region and the Polaris World resorts. We've included just a small selection of tried and tested suppliers of services based on our own experiences. There are of course many, many more and ultimately there's no substitute for exploring and finding out for yourself. We do hope though that you'll find this a useful place to start.

Flights to the region

One of the great attractions of the Murcia region and the Polaris World resorts is that the flying time and plentiful choice of low cost flights really do make it a weekend destination for visitors from the UK & Ireland. From most regional airports in the UK there is now at least one flight daily into Alicante and Murcia airports and there'll be more to come when Murcia's new international airport opens at Corvera in 2010.

Leading airlines providing daily services year round include:

• Ryanair
• Easy Jet
• Jet 2
• Fly Globespan
• Flybe
• BMI Baby
• Thomson
• Monarch
• Aer Lingus
• Thomas Cook

Airports

Alicante airport, situated just to the south of the city of Alicante is very well linked to all of the Polaris World resorts and around a 45 minute journey away via the motorways A7, AP7 and A30. The airport is currently being extended to provide additional terminal facilities for passengers as volumes increase. Already you will find very well stocked duty free shops, a small selection of boutiques and a choice of bars and snack restaurants after you have cleared security control.

Murcia Airport is located on the shores of the Mar Menor Sea close to the town of San Javier and approximately 30 minutes drive from the city of Murcia. It is the closest airport to the Polaris World resorts. Facilities at the airport are limited although the departure lounge area has been improved. Catering is limited to one cafeteria located before security and a snack bar outside adjacent to the main car park. There is a Subway on 'airside' and a small duty free shop.

Both Alicante and Murcia airports are managed by Aena

Hiring a Car

Car hire prices remain below average in Spain and you’ll find a good choice of suppliers at both airports. It is best to book before you travel and pick up the keys from the rental office inside the arrivals terminal. Your vehicle will be waiting for you just outside the terminal. Companies we can recommend based on our own satisfactory experiences include Centauro and Auriga. You may find it cheaper to book via an internet broker e.g. Sky Cars and Car Jet.

Where to stay

If you are visiting the region before you own your own Polaris World property then you're going to need somewhere to rest your head.

Without doubt, the region's finest hotel’s are the two Intercontinental hotels located on two of the Polaris World resorts: The Intercontinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa offers luxury accommodation in beautifully appointed rooms with fine dining options, an exquisite spa and excellent swimming and fitness facilities. The Intercontinental La Torre Golf Resort is similarly luxurious. Although very reasonably priced for the level of luxury afforded, the Intercontinental hotels are amongst the most expensive in the region.

Less expensive alternatives include the NH Hotels in the region's major cities of Cartagena and Murcia. Both provide a very high standard of four-star accommodation in excellent locations. The NH Cartagena is perfectly situated overlooking the splendidly refurbished Marina and Port area and close to the historic attractions and shopping of the city centre.

Four-star accommodation on a lower budget is provided at the excellent Traina Hotel in San Pedro del Pinatar, just a 10 minute drive away from the main cluster of Polaris World resorts.

You may also choose to rent an apartment, villa or townhouse on a Polaris World resort and experience the lifestyle first hand. Polaris World Vacation Club is Polaris World's own property rental division or you can try independent web portals like My Villa Renters and Holiday Rentals.

Murcia Tourist Information

For extensive information about the region and its attractions visit Murcia Turistica. Wikipedia also has an excellent page devoted to Murcia, which details some of the history around the region.

Murcia Weather

The region enjoys more than 320 days of sun a year and mild temperatures even in winter with a yearly average of around 21°C. BBC Weather provides a 5 day forecast for the region which is usually one of the most accurate.