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Calasparra tourist information

Calasparra is a municipality of around 10,500 inhabitants which is part of the Comarca del Noroeste, in the north-west of the Region of Murcia, sharing its boundaries with Moratalla, Cieza, Mula, Cehegín and the province of Albacete.

Calasparra owes its rich history to its geography. criss-crossed by the rivers Segura, Argos and Quípar. These rivers created fertile riverside agricultural zones, a landscape of rocky outcrops and deep gorges such as the Cañon de los Almadenes, the Cueva de los Monigotes, the Cueva del Puerto.

The mountains in the Sierras of San Miguel and San José are surrounded by vast plains of dry crop landscapes, where wheat, olives, carobs and almonds grow amidst the vineyards.

Closer to the water's edge, apricots, peaches, pears, apples and cherries enjoy the benefits of the warm southern Spanish climate and irrigation, two factors which also combine to make Calasparra a nationally renowned rice growing area.

These rich natural resources have attracted inhabitants for thousands of years: the Abrigo del Pozo rock paintings is testament to a prehistoric presence, the Villa Vieja is an abandoned Moorish settlement, the Castle of San Juan a reminder of medieval Calasparra, and the Palacio de la Encomienda de la Orden de San Juan de Jerusalén the seat of the religious knights who owned Calasparra for 600 years.

Close by is the sanctuary of La Esperanza, cut out of the rock face and set in riverside gardens, a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people every year and the home of the Virgen de la Esperanza.

The sanctuary is the centre of one of the most important religious occasions in Calasparra every year, the Romería de la Esperanza, although the Fiestas held in honour of the town's patrons, the Fiestas patronales de San Abdón and San Senén, also attract vast crowds due to the encierros or bull runs which form a central part of the events. The autumn Feria is dedicated to rice and bullfighting, while the Semana Santa and Flamenco festival are also important cultural activities in Calasparra.

Agriculture, especially fruit production and canning as well as rice production, remains the most important industry, although rural tourism is also an important element of the local economy, allied with residential tourism, which has attracted various expat residents to make Calasparra their home on two urbanisations built within the municipality. The combination of culture, landscape and tourist activity combine to make Calasparra an attractive municipality which retains the true essence of Murcia and a good base from which to explore the north-west of the Region of Murcia.

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Cañaverosa tourist information point at the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Esperanza in CalasparraA green oasis of nature and wildlife in Calasparra in northern Murcia The tourist information point of Cañaverosa in the municipality of Calasparra is located at the entrance to the astonishing Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Esperanza, alongside the..

The rice fields of Calasparra, a unique day out in the Region of Murcia!Calasparra is one of only three areas in Spain with Denomination of Origin status for locally grown rice Despite rice being one of the commonest foods on the planet it is a relatively rare sight to see the product being cultivated in Europe, but in Calasparra..

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The nature reserve of the riverbank woodland in CañaverosaA lush green environment on the banks of the upper reaches of the Segura in Calasparra and Moratalla Cañaverosa is the only one of the three nationally recognized nature reserves in the Region of Murcia to be located on land, with the other two both..

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Romería de la Virgen de la Esperanza in Calasparra every 1st MayThe figure of the patron of Calasparra is brought from her rural sanctuary into the town Every 1st May the figure of the Virgen de la Esperanza is brought down from her sanctuary outside Calasparra to the town below, where she remains until the first..

Mass times in CalasparraCatholic services in Calasparra Use clicks to individual churches for maps and location details. Iglesia y Convento de la Merced Monday to Friday 19.00 during the winter and 20.00 during the summer. Click La Merced, Calasparra Iglesia..

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Fiestas in CalasparraCalasparra Fiestas and Traditions Calasparra has a number of local fiestas and festivals throughout the year, intertwining its rich history with the main local traditions which define the town, namely the agricultural links of Calasparra, rice growing and..

Romería to the Sierra of San Miguel, Calasparra Calasparra, this is a new Romería to the Hermitage of San Miguel This is a new Romería which started in Calasparra during 2002 following the restoration of the Ermita, the little hermitage , which looks out over the Sierra. A good number of..

The Order of San Juan de Jerusalén in MurciaThe Order of Saint John the Hospitaller in the Region of Murcia 1244-1851 The Orden de San Juan de Jerusalén is a religious order of knights known in English as the Knights of the Order of Saint John the Hospitaller, which grew from a brotherhood..