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murcia
the province of murcia lies south of alicante (alacant) and stretches inland to albacete and southwards to almeria. known since moorish times for the fertility of its land, murcia's agriculture has prospered as its once rich mines have declined. much of the province is planted with fruit, olives, rice, nuts and vegetables, particularly around its capital, murcia. inland lie arid and beautiful mountain ranges, vineyards, historic towns and forgotten villages, where few tourists venture....
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san juan de dios murcia
the oval interior of this flamboyant baroque building has doubled up as both church and museum for some years. the usual catholic mass is celebrated every sunday, but for the rest of the week the church acts as an elegant ecclesiastical backdrop for a fine collection of religious imagery, including works by artists such as salzillo, beltran and bussy....
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aguilas
well off most foreigners' routes, aguilas is one of the most southerly of the resorts in this area, lying on the golfo de mazarron. this arid stretch of coast is a popular spanish holiday area that has kept much of its character, and escaped the worst type of development. first inhabited by the phoenicians, followed by the romans and arabs, aguilas's modern appearance dates largely from the 1780s when the present grid patterned town was built to serve as a port for the local mines....
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cartagena costa blanca
cartagena, built around a superb natural harbor, was founded by hannibal as his iberian capital and named after north african carthage. a major port and administrative centre, its strategic importance continued for centuries, as the numerous surrounding castles and the vast arsenal testify. its wealth came from mining, which paid for churches such as santa maria de gracia and la caridad, as well as the large number of modernist buildings around the city....
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fortuna murcia
a few kilometers outside the workaday town of fortuna lies the balneario, one of murcia's handful of thermal hot springs, used by the romans and arabs, the water quality is among the best in europe for rheumatic and respiratory complaints, the spa's layout today dates from the late 19th century, with an atmospheric group of dignified hotels set around palm shaded promenades,...
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jumilla costa blanca
set in the rolling sierras of murcia's northern corner, jumilla, a small agricultural and market town well off the beaten track, is a mecca for wine buffs. first planted by the romans, the vineyards are among europe's oldest and some of the very few not to have been damaged by the 19th century phylloxera outbreak. the full-bodied and intense reds have an alcohol content as high as 16 per cent - best drunk mature, the mid-1980s are the years to look out for. you can learn more in the idiosyncratic museo del vino (wine museum) before a visit to the lovely franciscan monastery and its little museum, the museo jeronimo molina, other high points here include the castle, a pretty theatre, some fine old mansions around the main square and a remarkable local museum crammed with objects,...
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mazarron costa blanca
lead, silver, iron and zinc were mined in mazarron from earliest historical times by carthaginians, romans and arabs. the mines have been worked out for years, but some of the handsome buildings erected from mining profits remain. defensive towers, built against berber pirate attacks, survive, though the castle of los velez is in ruins. the torres de los caballos, next to the convent of la purisima, and the torre vieja de la cumbre are worth a look, as is the beautiful mudejar paneling in the church of san andres....
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mula costa blanca
situated by the mula river, the town is packed with hidden delights and famed for its artisan traditions. dominated by the 16th century castillo de los velez on the hill behind the town, the old quarter's narrow streets are scattered with fine buildings and churches, notably 16th century santo domingo and san miguel. the museo del cigarralejo is housed in a baroque mansion in the heart of town; its huge collection of iberian art, excavated at a nearby necropolis, is one of murcia's best. within easy reach is the reservoir at la cierva, and the little spa at barios de mula....
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segura valley costa blanca
the moors were the first to irrigate the segura valley, making it incredibly fertile; they planted orange, almond and fruit orchards, and remained here until the 17th century. still lovely, despite the inevitable development, the valley includes diverse landscapes and a scatter of interesting towns and villages. further on, ricote, with its brightly colored houses, is worth a stop before continuing towards blanca....
totana costa blanca
quickly reached down the motorway from murcia, totana lies on the edge of murcia's splendid sierras, a good starting point for exploring the hill country. the town is mainly known for its pottery, made here since moorish times. more than 20 potteries still function, producing an incredible range of ceramics, huge earthenware storage jars, pots and bowls. some of these are still fired in the traditional arab-style kiln, the tosta, where the pots stand on a perforated floor above the heat source. workshops still produce the cantara de totana, a traditional pitcher, probably first designed by the romans. if you're shopping, head for the old pottery district in town, rather than the outlets aimed at the tourists along the main road....
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