The Region of Murcia has a lot of surprises that you are yet to discover, and that you simply must visit. Surprises like the one offered by the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, an area that also border with Granada and has a lot of history that is has resulted from the passage of different cultures throughout the ages.
It is more than 600 metres high, and due to its religious activity, it is classified as a Holy City, a title given by the pope John Paul II, or City of the Cross. It is precisely its location that gives it a unique landscape that is well worth a visit.
Do you want to know which are the places you can't miss in Caravaca de la Cruz? We have prepared a tour of the most charming corners of this city.
First of all, we highlight the natural spots of this area, with the Fuentes del Marqués at the top of the list. A route on the outskirts where you will find numerous water springs. In this area you can also find a small medieval castle called the Torreón de los Templarios.
If you want to explore the area on foot, by bike or on horseback, the Northwest Greenway takes you along the old road that connected Murcia with this municipality. Along the way you will be accompanied by views of the Sierra de Mojantes mountain range, with an area declared a SPA, and the Sierra del Gavilán mountain range, where you can perfectly appreciate the Pico de la Peña Rubia peak, beneath which you will find vast oak groves to lose yourself in.
If we talk about the monumental heritage, we must highlight the symbol of Caravaca, which is the Basilica de la Vera Cruz, dating from the 17th century and where the famous Cruz de Caravaca (Caravaca Cross) is erected. Here, the Islamic influence is very much present in the Real Alcázar. Its own museum can be found in this same space.
Other religious buildings include the churches of El Salvador and La Soledad, as well as several convents. The convent of the Barefoot Carmelite Mothers and the Carmelite Fathers of Caravaca de la Cruz are the most important ones.
Outside religious worship there are also attractions in the municipality. Among them are the Town Hall, the Bullring and the Castle, together with the medieval quarter which is one of the places not to be missed either, where you can still see the remains of the walls.
But as we have said, this has been a land that has served as a settlement for different peoples throughout history, and the proof of this can be found in the different sites found in the city, such as the Camino del Molino, which is considered the largest burial site in the Peninsula. Nearby you can visit the circular houses of the Molinos de Papel settlement.
But in the Estrecho de la Encarnación you can take a walk-through prehistoric times without leaving this site. There are remains from the Palaeolithic, Bronze Age, Roman and Muslim periods. A complete representation of great importance.
If you travel in May, the Fiestas de la Santísima y Vera Cruz de Caravaca are the most typical ones, which include the Caballos del Vino and the Moors and Christians festivities. These activities, which are typical of the folklore of Caravaca, have been declared events of International Tourist Interest.
The Fiesta de las Cuadrillas, and the always intensely lived Semana Santa (Holy Week), which is Spanish Catholic Easter, are two of those that you should not miss, accompanied of course by a gastronomy full of contrasts with dishes such as tartera, empedrado or a nice pot of muerte marrana (“pig’s death”), which, despite what its name might suggest, is quite delicious.
Enjoy your trip to Caracava de la Cruz!
