El Sabinar – Karst Landscapes, Juniper Trees and Culture

El Sabinar combines plains planted with wheat or barley with rocky cliffs and rock shelters. Traces of rock paintings are visible in the protected rocky areas. Here, open cultural landscapes meet traces of earlier times directly.

Nature

The natural surroundings of El Sabinar include the karst landscapes of the Calares de la Santa. These landscapes are home to several centuries-old examples of Spanish juniper, which have been declared a World Heritage Site. Animals found in the landscapes around El Sabinar include, among others, ibex, falcons, eagle owls, eagles and red-billed choughs.

Paths Through the Landscape

In the forest that gave El Sabinar its name, you can follow a marked circular route on the GR 7 along the southern side of Cerro del Castellar. The path leads between fields and monumental juniper trees to the Calar de la Santa. The name refers to the sabina, a tree species that was very common in the land of the ancient Sabines.

Ruta 1: Pequeños Núcleos de Población Moratalla is an easy, 45-kilometre one-way route by car. It leads from Moratalla via Bejar, Campo de San Juan, El Sabinar, Calar de la Santa and Benizar. Circular route, car journey and multi-day pilgrimage differ in form; you can incorporate the respective details separately into your own daily itinerary.

The forms of travel mentioned differ in their organisation and rhythm. They can therefore be treated as separate travel components rather than being subsumed under a single idea of travelling. This allows your own planning to distinguish between movement, changes of location and the character of a religious route, without equating a circular route, car journey and pilgrimage either linguistically or in practice. The order of these priorities also remains a matter of individual daily planning. Those who combine several forms can treat them as independent sections of the journey.

Culture and History

The Ermita de San Bartolomé in El Sabinar dates from the 18th century. The rectangular, single-nave building has a pitched roof and preserves the structures of the Baroque period. Another historical reference is the Tercia, a grain silo built in El Sabinar during the Early Modern period, reflecting the importance of the place for the Encomienda de Santiago.

Festivals and Religious Routes

The Fiestas en El Sabinar, held in honour of the patron saint San Bartolomé, take place from 20 to 26 August. On one evening of the festivities, the patron saint and the Virgen de la Rogativa are carried together in a procession. The annual Romería of the Santuario de la Rogativa includes a multi-day route; during it, the image from the sanctuary spends the night in El Sabinar.

When booking a holiday apartment in El Sabinar, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions set the framework for your own planning. The choice of accommodation stands alongside the various themes of the place: karst landscapes, routes, historic buildings and festivals.

Other Places

La Palma, Totana, San Pedro Del Pinatar, Alhama De Murcia, San Javier, La Puebla De Mula, El Saladillo, Archena

To the main travel overview: Murcia.