The region of Murcia lies to the south of Valencia and is little populated except in the areas around the rivers. The mountains stretch right  to the sea.The summer months the weather can be almost unbearably hot with temperatures reaching 40 degrees yet the winters are mild. The province of Murcia is irrigated by the Rivers Segura, Murdo and Sangonera which makes ideal conditions for the many orchards of citrus fruit. In contrast the area also has expanses of dry, arid land where olives and vines thrive, then turning to desert-like land covered in cacti and palms.
    
MURCIA

Murcia city is described as being one of the most beautiful and historic in Spain.

It stands on the banks of the river and enjoys year round sunshine. Murcia also has the highest temperatures in the region.

There is huge Moorish influence in the city, not least of all the impressive city walls. After the reconquest, the 20 mosques in the city were converted into churches. The Cathedral is the most highly viewed building in the city,the first foundation stone was laid in 1388 by Bishop Pedrosa and took four centuries to complete. There are many different styles and cultures in Murcia including 23 different chapels.
    
As you explore the city, there is a historical building on every corner. Many are pristine and those that aren't are slowly being restored to their former glory.A must see is the Bishop's Palace situated near the Cathedral. Dated 1748 it has two fantastic facades.

The Convent Church of Santa Ana is 18th century and is the third church to be built on this site, the original being1490. Here you can try the freshly baked cakes, made by the nuns and served through a revolving hatch.

The Almudi dates from 1602 and was formerly the storage place for public corn collected as tithes. It was reconditioned in 1985 and now houses the art centre and city archives.
 
ALHAMA DE MURCIA
 
Alhama de Murcia is one of the historic towns located along the N-340, which runs from Murcia to Andalucia. Alhama lies close to the base of the Sierra Espuña at 176 meters above sea level.
The history of the town began during the Roman Empire when a tower was constructed to lookout over the valleys of the Guadalentin and Sangonera rivers.The Moors used the remains of the tower and foundation to build an amazing fortress with commanding views for for miles.
Visit the old Roman thermal baths or soak up the atmosphere as you stroll through the streets passing churches and chapels and other buildings of both historical and architectural interest.
 
To the front of the town the cultivated plain bears vineyards of table grapes. These areas are known as la huerta (the garden) due to the  fertile land, other than the vineyards, orchards of citrus trees, along with almond and olive groves,peppers, cereals and melons are also grown. To the north and west the orchards extend to the very slopes of the Regional Park of the Sierra Espuña.The natural park is a short drive from Alhama De Murcia with mountains rising to 1585 metres and is popular for outdoor pursuits such as hiking,cycling and even hangliding also it is home to a diversity of wildlife.
 
CALASPARRA

Calasparra is situated where the rivers, Segura, Argos and Quípar converge and is surrounded by the sierras of Puerto and of Molino.

This area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and cave paintings over 4,000 years old have been found here due to its position and the importance of water for crop production. Iberians, Roman, Moors and Christians have all stamped their marks o¬n the history of Calasparra, which makes it of great monumental and archaeological importance today.

Rice fields can be seen around Calasparra, irrigated by the water from the rivers. The abundance of wine, fruit and vegetables produced from this fertile plain, is due to the waters of the river Segura to produce crops of excellent quality for a large part of the year.

Local dishes feature the rice grown here with chicken, vegetables and rabbit are among the favourites.

CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ

Situated in the northwest corner of the province of Murcia, Caravaca de la Cruz is of great historic and religious interest. After Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liébana, the town is considered to be the fifth holiest in the world. Caravaca was previously inhabited by the Iberian and Roman people, but the origins of its current appearance bear Moorish influence. After the Christian Reconquest, it was governed by the Order of the Temple and later by the Order of Santiago. The main feature is Caravaca's castle, which rises above the houses of the town. Of Moorish origin, it was extended in the 15th century by the Templar Knights and later passed into the hands of the Order of Santiago. Fourteen towers guard the Sanctuary of the Santísima y Vera Cruz, which was built during the 17th century. The façade, which was added a century later, is in the baroque style. The whole site has historical and artistic heritage status and houses the Museum of Religious Art and History. Another religious building considered important to Murcia's renaissance architecture is the church of Salvador, which has been declared a Historic-Artistic Site. To complete the tour of the city it is necessary to visit the church of La Soledad, today the Archaeological Museum; the Carmelite convent, founded by San Juan de la Cruz; and the Purísima Concepción, built in the 16th century on the site of old church of the Knights Hospitaller of San Juan de Letrán.

MULA

Situated north west of Murcia in the Mula river valley,this area was inhabited by the Moors for many centuries and the 16th century castle of Marques de las velez dominating the hilltop overlooking the town serves a reminder of these times.

The Plaza Mayor is the heart of the town and the Town Hall called the Audencia del Marqués de los Vélez, built in the 16th Century is located here. In the middle of the square stands the monument to the Tamborrada Players, who, during Easter Week can be heard drumming in every corner of the town.These unique drumming processions start at midnight on the tuesday night and continue through to Wednesday afternoon,again during Friday morning and Sunday afternoon.

Other historic buildings to be seen in Mula  include:
The Monastery of the "Encarnación", a majestic 17th Century building and within it the church treasures its chapel in honour of the Virgin and is proud of its beautiful renaissance tower.  The Convent of the "Purísima" is a mixture of baroque and renaissance architecture and has lovely cloisters. The two churches of interest in Mula are: Iglesia de San Miguel located in the Plaza Mayor and Iglesia de Santo Domingo built during the 16th century and notable for its splendid facade and neoclassical design.The Patron Saint of Mula is the Virgen del Carmen and she is venerated in a hermitage of the same name. The Museo del Cigarralejo exhibits a huge collection of Iberian art which was excavated at the nearby necropolis, this is housed in a superb baroque mansion in the middle of the town.

Absorb the atmoshpere as you wander through the winding lanes of the well preserved old town and admire the views of the sierra de Espuna as you head up towards the castle which is free to visit as long as you have a head for heights.Mula has a unique charm of its own and its inhabitants are friendly and relaxed. As a popular haunt  for craftsmen and artisans,Mula is noted for its production of crafts especially pottery and textiles and holding a regular craft market makes this town a must visit for tourists.

The nearby Baños de Mula thermal baths have been in existence since Roman times and are famous for their healing and medicinal qualities. The Cierva Reservoir (Embalse de la Cierva) is formed by the Mula River and is also close by and worth visitng.

CEHEGIN

Cehegín, perched on the hilltop called Cerro del Puntarrán, lies between the rivers Argos and Quiper, 600 metres above sea level and 65 kilometres northwest of Murcia with around 14.000 inhabitants, the town is so rich in history that it is one huge historic monument.

Evidence of former glories of the town can be seen in the remains of the city of Begastri, occupied by both Romans and Visigoths.

The whole town is built layer upon layer of various cultures that settled here dating back as far as 2400 BC.

Its antique quarter owes its layout to the Moorish settlements in the upper part of the town, and is a monumental gallery of stately homes, churches, convents, palaces and public buildings, some of evident value, such as the Church of la Magdalena, the Palacio Fajardo (an example of Murcian Baroque) or the Peña Jaspe.