March 21 Guided tour of the Villa Vieja Moorish remains in Calasparra

A great way to start a day exploring in and around the town of Calasparra

The Villa Vieja just outside Calasparra in north-western Murcia is the area where the Moors first settled, and although it is now in ruins it is regarded as the origin of the town, located on a picturesque hill above a bend in the River Segura.

This settlement was probably a farming community, an “alquería”, which reached its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is strategically located on a small hill next to the River Segura, about 6km by road to the north of the modern-day town of Calasparra and very close to the remarkable Sanctuary of La Esperanza.

The settlement was abandoned following the Christian Reconquista of what is now Murcia, and the visit is a perfect prelude to a day in and around Calasparra, possibly including lunch based on the locally grown rice!

The tour on Saturday March 21, which lasts approximately two hours, begins at 10.30 at the BP petrol station just outside Calasparra, and participation costs just 1 euro per head. Prior booking is required online here or at museodelavilla@calasparra.org and further information is available from the Calasparra tourist office (telephone 968 745325 / 968 745325, email oficinadeturismodecalasparra@gmail.com).

Please note: the tour is in Spanish, although the tour guide will doubtless have some English!

Comfortable clothing and footwear are recommended.

For more local information go to the Calasparra section of Murcia Today.