Cities and Towns of the Region of Murcia
The cities and towns of Murcia hold one of Spain’s best kept secrets. There is an enormous variety and to list everything would not be possible on this website. We will give you a small taste of what is available. Murcia
The regional capitol - Murcia City, is known as the “Baroque Capitol of Spain” for its wealth of fine buildings and is a fantastic place to explore. It is shopping heaven with many up market shops and department stores. You can wander through the pedestrianised areas to beautiful squares which are just waiting to be discovered. There is a magnificent Cathedral, a beautiful monastery, gardens and parks, the list is almost endless. To explore it all would take many months.
Cartegena
The second city of Murcia, Cartagena is a port city and has been a port since pre-Roman times when the Phoenicians settled here in because of the excellent natural harbour. The front has recently been renovated and is now a broad promenade with restaurants and bars overlooking the marina and port. There is a good shopping area hese and it starts in the Calle Mayor, a pedestrianised street adjacent to the palace near the front. This was an important city in Roman times and there are Roman remains scattered through the city including a Roman amphitheatre. Several festivals are held here during the year. The most notable of these is a Roman vs Carthaginian fiesta which re-enacts of the battles that took place here in years gone by.
Caravaca de la Cruz
This is one of the World's 5 Holy Cities (including Jerusalem and Rome) and is situated in the heart of the beautiful Murcian countryside. At its centre is the magnificent church that is surrounded by the Knights Templar Fortress. Caravaca is a fascinating place to explore and is just one hour from the coast. These are but a few of the points of interest in our region - come and explore them for yourself!
South from Murcia the motorway takes you past the town of Alhama de Murcia with its Moorish castle, Roman spas and beautiful church. Continue south to Totana which again has a beautiful church and an enormous market every Wednesday. Both of these small towns are on the edge of the stunning Sierra Espuna Regional Park. This area is a paradise for walkers with dedicated trails cris-crossing the mountain area which is covered in pine trees. On the southern edge of the Sierra Espuna about 7km out of Totana is the sleepy medieval village of Aledo with its Moorish tower and church on a rocky promontory. Between Aledo and Totana is the La Santa Monastery which has been restored and turned into a hotel. The church here is stunning with almost every inch painted with scenes from the Bible and the gardens are a fantastic place just to relax. Further south on the motorway we arrive at Lorca. This is a large town with a lot of history. It has been fought over several times in the wars between the Christians and the Moors. It has an excellent shopping area but is most famous for its large fortress which dominates the town. It is possible to tour the fortress with an English speaking guide. Lorca has a fabulous fiesta at Easter.
Returning to Murcia and taking the motorways inland (westward) we discover the Ricote Valley. This region is famous for its unspoiled scenery with apricot and plum orchards, vineyards, olives, cereal crops and even rice growing in the fields between the mountains. This is a great area to explore all of the small villages and towns and there are some real gems here. As an example , Archena which is a small town with large church on the central hill. However it is most famous for its hot springs which have been in use since Roman times and are located in beautiful lush surroundings. Further inland is Jumilla which is a major wine producing area with it’s own wine fiesta !
The small town of Mula with its narrow streets is nestled beneath the castle and has some beautiful churches. The Bullas is another village famous for the excellent wine from this region and contain some lovely old buildings. Further west we come to Calasparra which is famous throughout Spain for the rice that is produced nearby (reputed to be the best in Spain). The narrow streets in this small town have been pedestrianised and there are several cafes and restaurants to while away the hours. During September there is a fiesta here where the bulls are run through the streets (as at Pamplona).
On the edge of Calasparra is the Sanctuary, (Santuario de Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza) which is a church and monastery built into the cliff above the Rio Segura. Typical of this area, this beautiful spot is not on the “tourist trail”, neither is the nearby Cenajo Lake where mountains drop into a lake of vivid turquoise colour (comparable to the Canadian Rockies). Westward still, we come across the typical village of Cehegin with its beautiful church dominating the houses below.
Close by and almost on the border is the town of Caravacca de la Cruz. This is one of the World’s 5 Holy Cities (this includes locations such as Jerusalem and Rome). It is dominated by a fortress on a hill which now guards the large church at its centre. In 1232 a Christian prisoner here, converted the reigning Moorish Sultan following the appearance of angels bearing a cross. The cross was lost during the recent civil war and has been replaced by one from Rome, which has inside it a remnant of the original wooden cross. This town therefore is a site of pilgrimage. It is also famous for it’s week long wine horse fiesta held in May with events culminating in the racing of horses, with magnificent jeweled mantles, from the fortress to the streets below, an amazing spectacle.
This then is just a taste of what Murcia has to offer. Murcia really does have everything - you just have to explore. |
