Mazarrón Pedanías, Bolnuevo.

An introduction to Bolnuevo.

The coastal locality of Bolnuevo is part of the wide variety of landscapes and environments which can be found throughout the municipality of Mazarrón, it´s host of small coves as well as longer, sandy  beaches, making it a popular summer holiday destination, although it has an established population of permanent residents throughout the year.

Set aside from Mazarrón and the Port, it has it´s own small village feel, with a full range of facilites just a few metres from the open expanses of wide, sandy beaches.

History of Bolnuevo

Bolnuevo itself has little trace of ancient history, although was undoubtedly part of the historical events which unfolded in Mazarrón during its early years, Click History of Mazarrón.

Close by in the Puerto de Mazarrón there are signs of activity in sites such as the Cabezo del Castellar, ( Click Cabezo del Castellar) a location used for loading and unloading  ships transporting minerals and trade goods by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, who all traded along this coastline, but there are no physical traces of the participation of Bolnuevo in any of the activities at this point in time.

The first real mention of Bolnuevo in any historical context is the documentation of the construction of a series of watchtowers along the Mazarrón coastline, the Torre de los Caballos being the tower which can still be visited in Bolnuevo today.

The proximity of this region to the African coast made it a natural target for the pirates who traded in the African ports, and who frequently raided the Murcian coastline, taking hostages which were either ransomed or sold as slaves in the markets, as well as livestock and anything saleable.

By the mid 16^th century Mazarron was occupied by around 2100 people, who worked in the mines or earnt a living through fishing or agriculture, but due to the constant threat of attack it was decided to construct a series of watchtowers which could give the townspeople the opportunity to seek shelter when pirate ships approached.

In total Mazarron had 5 towers, stretching from LAzohia, now under the control of Cartagena, to Bolnuevo, with the Torre del Molinete set slightly back from the coastline to facilitate internal communication.

Each was built as a defensive structure and was entered via a rope on the second floor, but their primary function was to give warning of attack, using smoke signals by day and fire by night.

This tower is known to have been completed by 1577 as municipal records clearly show expenditure for an impending state visit, and by 1660 was being used by Bolnuevo fishermen as a net store, but had certainly fallen into disrepair by the middle of the 18^th century. 

However, the most famous chapter in the history of Bolnuevo took place in 1586, The Milagro de la Purísima,  and was followed by the construction of a small hermitage, although the building which is still linked to the Torre de los Caballos, was amplified at a later date.

The Romería of Bolnuevo is one of the best known in the Region of Murcia. It is in celebrated in honour of the Virgen Purísima, the patron saint of Mazarrón, and her image is kept for a few days in Puerto de Mazarrón before it is returned Bolnuevo in a spectacular Romería, celebrating the Milagro de la Purísima, the patron saint of Mazarrón, who saved the town from attack by Berber Pirates. ( Click Bolnuevo Romería.)

Both the tower and the church were repaired in 1946, as they had been abandoned and were in a state of near ruin.

The Torre de los Caballos was fully restored and opened to the public in 2010. ( Click, Torre de los Caballos, Bolnuevo.)

Population levels of Bolnuevo remained insignificant for the 200 years following the miracle, due to the ever present danger of pirate attack, and even at the peak of the mining industry in Mazarrón, around the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th, Bolnuevo was not a significant population centre.

It was just a tiny fishing village, like Cope, Calabardina and Alamillo, using the old "almadraba" fishing technique.

The almadraba was used in antiquity by the Phoenicians, and maintained by the Moors. It consists of a large net being dropped into the tidal current from various boats, from where it is then drawn in to bring in to the surface, or sometimes to the shore, where other people await its arrival. Often it succeeds in trapping fish as large as tuna.

Each year in the tiny village of El Portus within the Cartagena municipality, the locals carry out a demonstration of this fishing technique during their local fiestas.

At the same time Bolnuevo, like many other small fishing villages, also maintained its old tradition in salting fish and producing delicacies such as roe, which could be prepared in situ where the catch was landed.

The fishing activity of the village dropped considerably in the middle of the 20^th century, and it was into this vacuum that the tourism boom stepped.

During the 1950´s the building boom started, covering the hillsides of the village with modern construction and the camping site opened up on the beachfront.

Although there is a good degree of coverage, most of the buildings are single or double storey, so the effect is very much that of a residential community rather than a high density holiday village.

Bolnuevo is very popular with summer visitors from throughout Spain, as well as being a popular choice with residential ex-pats or owners of second holiday homes.

Bolnuevo Fiestas

The main Fiestas patronales are celebrated in November, focused around the Romeria of Bolnuevo, or Bolnuevo Sardine Festival as it is commonly called by local ex-pats.

This is celebrated on the Sunday following the 17th November, when the Virgen returns to Bolnuevo, although the celebrations begin beforehand with the first part of the Romeria taking place in which the Virgen is carried into Mazarrón prior to her triumphant return.

Bolnuevo Natural Heritage

Bolnuevo beaches

Bolnuevo is blessed with two types of beaches : to the one side Bolnuevo beach, and to the other the wild coastline which leads to Águilas, dotted with wild rocky coves and nudist beaches, with the wild beauty of the Sierra de las Moreras as a backdrop.

The main Playa Bolnuevo is a vast, sandy beach which stretches right along the coastline towards Mazarrón. It is extremely wide, so even in high summer only maintains a medium density level. Click Bolnuevo beach.

On the other side is a series of colourful rocky coves, naturist beaches and then stretches of wild, empty beaches, heading towards Percheles and the Cañadas del Gallego beaches. ( Click beaches beyond Bolnuevo)

Bolnuevo erosions or Gredas de Bolnuevo.

Another feature which draws visitors to the village is the "enchanted landscape" of the rock formations behind the main beach. These curious limestone shapes have been formed over millions of years by wind erosion, and seem almost like modernist sculptures. The white clay of which they consist is a mixture of silica and aluminium, and is widely used in pottery.

The wind erosion has been made more powerful by the fact that the air carries particles of sand and seawater, and this is what has sculpted the rocks into such a magical landscape, reminiscent to many people of giant mushrooms which seem to defy the laws of gravity. Often the rocks are the backdrop for shows and concerts during the local fiestas, and many people even choose to have their official wedding photographs taken there.

Sierra de las Moreras, Bolnuevo.

This is an important natural zone, a protected natural area which is not only home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, but also a glorious area for walking and cycling. From the Sierra, the Rambla de las Moreras flows into the sea, connecting with the Mediterranen at the head of the Playa del Castellar, ( Click Playa del Castellar.) where there is an area of canes and a natural water channel.

Although this is a tranquil area, it was also the scene of the worst disaster in Bolnuevos history when it burst its banks and swept away the campsite, which at that time was closer to its mouth. Click for Bolnuevo Gota Fría.

Most of the time, however, it is a tranquil location for wildlife, attracting a wide range of species.

Living in Bolnuevo as an Ex-pat.

There are a good number of ex-pats both living and owning holiday property in this area, with both apartment and residential properties available. Many families choose Bolnuevo because the hillsides are very much a residential district, occupied all year around, rather than just a holiday complex, and a good number of detatched, walled properties are available, many of them more mature than in other areas.

There are plenty of facilities available in the Mazarron municipality, including well-equipped new Health Centres.

There is also a busy variety of clubs, societies, charities and sporting associations within the Mazarrón area, a large amount of ex-pats being concentrated into the nearby Camposol Urbanisation. For full details of local events and news, select the South West Murcia section of the site to see the many activities taking place.

There are a good variety of shops in Bolnuevo, with a large number of bars and restaurants which cater for the summer holiday trade, and weekly markets, supermarkets and shops in nearby Mazarrón.

Where is Bolnuevo, Mazarron?

Click for map, Bolnuevo Mazarrón.