Holiday apartment in Calasparra – Canyon, caves and rice fields

In Calasparra, the Cañón de Almadenes, caves, rock art and rice cultivation come together. The Cañón de Almadenes is particularly striking: this protected natural area in the Region of Murcia was formed by the Río Segura, runs through Calasparra and Cieza, and preserves valuable remnants of riparian forest.

Nature

The Sendero del Bayo in Calasparra is a circular trail of just over six kilometres, suitable for hiking and enjoying nature. Hiking, canyoning and, in particular, river trips by inflatable boat or kayak are available in the Cañón de Almadenes. During these trips, visitors can travel down the canyon.

At certain times of year, the rice fields of Calasparra are a tourist attraction, drawing visitors from the region as well as from farther afield. Tourist circular routes in the PR category run through the rice-growing area of Calasparra and along the Río Segura corridor. They are mainly travelled on foot; during sowing in spring and harvesting in autumn, they are also used by mountain bikers and visitors on horseback.

Culture

At the Abrigos del Pozo, visitors can access a restored prehistoric passage, a wooden walkway and a footbridge suitable for people with disabilities. The archaeological site is located in the Cañón de Almadenes area near Calasparra and contains schematic rock paintings dating from around 4300 BC. They depict people, animals and symbolically significant objects.

The Cueva del Puerto offers a guided, illuminated cave route of 700 metres through galleries and chambers with different speleothems, as well as stalactite and stalagmite formations. The tour also includes the Sala de Minerales Luminiscentes, considered unique inside a cave in Europe, which displays around 1,500 minerals from around the world.

The Santuario de la Virgen de la Esperanza de Calasparra is located in a grotto near the Río Segura. The temple, carved out of the rock in the 17th century, houses the two images of the Virgin Mary, La Pequeñica and La Grande. Calasparra's old town is also home to the Iglesia de San Pedro, an example of regional Murcian Baroque architecture from the 17th century. Its three naves follow a Latin-cross floor plan.

History

The Museo Arqueológico, housed in Casa Granero, preserves and displays almost 700 archaeological and natural history objects, as well as finds from the municipality and its surroundings, dating from the Palaeolithic to the Muslim culture of the 13th century.

The museum's second floor contains heavy machinery from the 19th century, preserved from the rice mill of the Condes del Valle de San Juan. It also features tools used for sowing, harvesting and collecting rice, as well as ethnographic objects donated by local residents. The first floor explains the region's rice-growing area, the cultivation process and recipes featuring rice as the main ingredient. Historical photographs of female and male rice farmers, along with various rice varieties from Calasparra, are also displayed there.

Further destinations: Zarcilla De Ramos, La Condomina, Los Alcázares, Los Cuarteros, Valladolises, Llano de Brujas, Henares, Canteras

For the higher-level travel overview: Murcia.