11 corners to discover in the Region of Murcia

To celebrate Tourism Day, we leave you 11 places to get to know the Region of Murcia in depth.

One of the attractions of the Region of Murcia is its coast washed by two seas: the Mediterranean Sea and the Mar Menor. Although summer is over, the beaches continue to be an idyllic destination for the autumn months, and even in winter, something in which the climate so characteristic of these lands also has a lot to do with it. Therefore, one of the places where you can enjoy a day of connection with nature is Puntas de Calnegre.

Less known than its neighbor Calblanque, this regional park, located in the Lorca districts of Ramonete and Garrobillo, offers several plans. From hiking routes, enjoying the sunrise or sunset with the sea in the background, walking through its wild coves and visiting the medieval castles scattered around the area or enjoying the native cuisine.

Also known as the ‘Enchanted City of Bolnuevo’, it is one of the flagship landscapes of Mazarrón. An example of how the passage of time and the sea has left its mark on the land, forming a unique place of yellow tones that can remind us of the dunes of a desert even though it is located next to the sea. A place that does not leave any of its visitors indifferent, due to the peculiar shapes that have been perpetuated in the rocks, and that gives a mystical atmosphere to this environment.

The Bolnuevo clays, which are made up of silica and aluminum, are a Natural Monument of the Region of Murcia, both for the spectacular landscape and for the value of the fossils of crustaceans and mollusks that rest in the clays.

The Fuensanta Sanctuary, in Algezares, is one of the most special places for the Murcians of the capital. This enclave, one of the most emblematic of the city, offers an unbeatable panoramic view of Murcia and its orchard, from where you can enjoy the sunset surrounded by nature. In addition, in 2019 a new ‘green boulevard viewpoint’ was inaugurated, and it has the Quitapesares terrace with some of the most typical tapas of Murcian gastronomy.

But beyond the views, another of the obligatory stops, if you choose this place, is to visit La Morenica, patron saint of Murcia, and her temple. An architectural work of baroque design that is made up of three naves: a larger central one and two lateral ones with chapels. On the other hand, the façade, the work of Toribio Martínez de la Vega in 1705, presents two towers and a semicircular arch door, crowned by two angels holding the coat of arms of the Cathedral Chapter and a central niche with the image of the Virgin of Fuensanta flanked by San Patricio and San Fulgencio.

This municipality, located in the Ricote Valley region, takes its name from the Arabic Hosos, which means orchards. A place where history and tradition still resonate through its streets. Surrounded by the mountains and the Segura River, it leaves a landscape in which its urban center merges with nature, in one of the last refuges of the Moors who inhabited Spain in the 17th century.

Among the places that can be visited are the Church of San Agustín, Mudejar style and one of the most important, and the Mayés reservoir.

Located between Calasparra and Cieza, the Almadenes Canyon is one of the stretches of river ecosystems in the Region. In this area the Segura River excavates a deep canyon, in which the predominant geological materials are limestone. In addition to its scenic beauty, this area is also characterized by its biodiversity, both in terms of flora, among which poplars, ash and willows stand out, and fauna, which is home to everything from the eagle owl to the short-toed eagle and even The Otter.

One of the main tourist attractions of this area are adventure and water sports such as hiking, canyoning and, especially, river trips in inflatable boats and kayaks.

It is the right destination if you want to know a little more about the history of the Region of Murcia. Located in the Sierra de la Atalaya, in Cieza, this Muslim archaeological site is one of the most important in Western Europe and from the Al-Andalus era.

This archaeological site houses about 700 houses dating from the 11th century. In addition, it also has a small neighborhood of 19 houses that still preserve their streets and walls, although hundreds of homes are buried beneath the nearby lands that have not yet been excavated.

Perhaps this place is the closest thing to a lunar landscape that can be found in Spain. It is a place made up of ‘badlands’, located in Abanilla, on the way to the Baños de Fortuna, in which the lack of vegetation and water erosion in the clay lands have created a natural space that impresses with its desert air, in which seems that civilization is far away.

If at first glance this landscape is already a spectacle, with the orange tone of the sky contrasting with the grayish color of its badlands during the sunset it is wonderful.

The Roman legacy that was reflected in Cartagena is still present today. Millennial infrastructures that, although over time were buried under the new buildings that currently make up the city, little by little have been coming to light so that both locals and foreigners can learn first-hand about the history of the port city.

The House of Fortune, whose access is located in the Plaza de Risueño, allows us in the 21st century to recreate what a Roman home was like in the 1st century by visiting all the rooms: the dining room, the living room and the bedrooms, as well as of personal objects or household items used at that time. In addition, of all the history it covers, another of its peculiarities is that it is located in the basement of a modern house.

The history of this building is quite curious. Its origins date back to the beginning of the 20th century, when the Cartagena businessman Pedro Conesa commissioned the Valladolid architect Tomás Rico to build this infrastructure that had the objective of being a life-size dollhouse for his granddaughter Antonia.

Designed by Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer who built the most famous Tower in Paris, this particular house is located in the Plaza Mayor Ulea. According to the official chronicler, Joaquín Carrillo, its owner, José Ríos, was dedicated to exporting fruits and had a stall in the Central Market of Paris, which is why he frequently traveled to the French capital, which is why he ended up being a friend of Gustave. Eiffel, who was a regular customer at his stall.

As a result of this friendship and their frequent visits to the Archena spa, a recommendation from Ríos for joint pain, the initiative arose to build the Casa del Cura, as it is known since for a time it was the residence of the parish priest. Finally the parish house was disabled and abandoned. It was in 1980 when its restoration was carried out, finishing the works in 1985.

Built to commemorate the victory of the Lorca people against the Nasrids in the Battle of Alporchones on March 17, 1452 and dedicated to Saint Patrick. Although the work, designed by Jerónimo Quijano, master of the works of the Bishopric of Cartagena, took more than 200 years – between 1536 and 1780 -, it presents a marked Renaissance air, which is more present in the first areas built.

Conceived with cathedral air, its interior is divided into three naves, side chapels between the buttresses, choir and back choir, high transept, ambulatory with radial chapels and a tower at the head that houses the sacristy inside. The façade and its union with the rest of the temple were carried out between 1694 and 1710 under the direction of José Vallés.