Cehegin
Cehegin is located in the Northwest of the Murcia region 592m above sea level. With a population of around 16,000, it's landscape boasts mountains, valleys, reservoirs, forests, various flora and fauna as well as orchards of soft fruits, olives and lemons.
The municipality, which was once the epicentre of southern Spain, dates back to prehistoric times. The site of Begastri, where you can discover how the first inhabitants lived, can still be visited today. Here you will see cave paintings and remains of the settlement.
But what mainly characterizes Cehegin now is the compact old town. Family houses and humble medieval dwellings combine to make a place of history and calm.
Its traditionally agricultural economy is now supplemented by natural stone extraction and the emergence of rural tourism.
Caravaca de la Cruz
Caravaca is a very holy town, the 'town of the cross' that gives it its name. A place of pilgrimage and worship, tradition and culture, Caravaca de la Cruz is one of the five holy towns in the Christian world. A symbol of religious devotion, the Cross of Caravaca miraculously appeared in Caravaca in 1232, carried by two angels. It was later recognised as the 'Vera Cruz' by the Catholic Church, an authentic relic of the cross Jesus Christ died on. Today, the cross is still kept in the Vera Cruz Sanctuary.
The town also boasts a rich architectural legacy, including the castle walls and its turrets, which date from the 13th century, interesting 16th-century churches and convents, typical Murcian baroque-style churches and buildings with coats of arms from its more recent aristocratic past.
Calasparra
Calasparra is situated in a mountainous region in the northwest of the province of Murcia. In contrast to the surrounding arid terrain, Calasparra benefits from being crossed by four rivers, including the Segura. This has enabled the cultivation of rice, for which the town is noted, and dates back to the 14th century. Calasparra has an area of 193 km˛ and a population of approximately 10,000.
Bullas
The town of Bullas has existed since the times of the ancient Romans and grew during the centuries of Moorish dominion of the Iberian Peninsula. After its reconquest by Christian forces in the 13th century its prosperity increased due to agriculture and wine production. The region used to produce wine in bulk until the 1980s when private wineries began to invest in the equipment and technology required for the production of bottled and labelled quality wine. It acquired official DO status in 1994.
The municipality of Bullas has an area of 82 km˛ and a population of 11,435 (2004). The town of Bullas is at an altitude of 643 metres and lies 53 km from the provincial capital, Murcia.
Mula
Mula is situated to the Northeast of the Sierra Espuna Natural Park and is reached quite easily off the Autovia which runs from the City of Murcia into the Northwest of the region. The area was inhabited by the Moors and the castle of Mula, a remnant of their occupation, still sits overlooking the town and can be visited today. The Plaza Mayor is the centre of the town and the Town Hall, the Audencia del Marques de los Velez, dating back to the 16th century, is located there.
Mula is best-known for the tamboradas (drumming processions) made during Holy Week, which in southern Spain are traditional of a region formed by Mula, Moratalla, Hellín and Tobarra.