The gun battery of Castillitos, one of the most popular family days out in the Costa Calida!
A medieval-looking fortification housing massive Vickers guns in the mountains between Cartagena...
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There is a huge variety of views, from Yecla in the north to Águilas in the south, but is your favourite on the list?
Choosing the best view in the Region of Murcia is an impossible task, partly because everyone is entitled to their own opinion but also because just when you think you’ve decided on your answer, another one comes to mind!
The 17 locations are all spectacular in their own way, but inevitably readers will have their own favourite views in the Costa Cálida that are not on this list:
1. Mirador Patio de los Yébenes in Moratalla, with panoramic views out over the old town of Moratalla in the north-west of the Region and most of the rest of the municipality. Located on the lower slopes of the Cerro de San Jorge, it is reached from the Paseo del Cerro de San Jorge, which skirts the old town centre, or via the Camino del Peñón de la Encantada.
This second route is well-known on account of a romantic legend concerning a Visigoth countess named Ordelina, whose father died before the marriage to Sigiberto that he arranged for her. Free of his orders, Ordelina decided to marry Sigiberto’s rival, but on the wedding night (on the eve of San Juan) the spirit of her late father appeared and ripped her soul from her body, leaving her groom embracing a corpse.
The soul of the maiden took refuge, along with her jewels and belongings, in a cave in Benamor, hidden behind a boulder and emerging only every Night of San Juan for a few hours: countless locals claim to have seen her ghost here.
2. Mirador Paseo de la Concepción in Cehegín, located at one of the highest points of the historic town centre alongside the church of La Concepción, which was declared a National Monument in 1980. Inside the church is impressive Mudéjar-style woodworking and visitors are admitted at weekends from 11.00 to 14.00 and on Saturday evenings from 20.00 to 200.
But the real attraction of the location is the view out towards the Plaza del Castillo and the heart of the old town. Parking is plentiful in the area.
3. Mirador de El Cigarralejo in Mula. 3 kilometres from the town centre on the road which leads to the Cierva reservoir the viewing point is close to the remains of the Iberian settlement of the same name, and looks out over the River Mula, the reservoir, the fertile countryside, Sierra Espuña and the castle of Los Vélez which stands over the town.
4. Mirador Alto de Bayna in Blanca. Recognized by El País newspaper as one of the finest views in the Iberian Peninsula. The viewing platform was built in 2004 and stands on the edge of a rocky outcrop a few dozen metres above the River Segura, affording views of pine-clad mountains and a seemingly endless collection of homes and farmsteads in the green countryside of the Ricote Valley.
Water birds including heron and many others grace the scene, while wild boar root around in the greenery on the riverbanks as they search for food.
5. Balcón del Cañón de Almadenes in Cieza, looking out over the deep gorge cut into the rock over millions of years by the River Segura: a popular destination for rafters!
6. Mirador del Lugar Alto in Abanilla, the highest point of the town. From here the view looks out over Abanilla itself – a lovely place for a morning out – and the surrounding countryside of the east of the Region of Murcia.
7. Mirador del Castillo de Jumilla. The view from the castle of Jumilla, perched high above the town and the surrounding countryside (home to the vineyards which are responsible for the highly acclaimed local wines), looks out towards the mountains which characterize the area. The sky, the lay of the land… something about the scale of the vistas humbles the onlooker!
8. Mirador La Molineta in Yecla. This is not to be missed during a visit to the northernmost municipality of Murcia: great efforts were made to make the viewing point accessible, and it was all worth it!
9. Mirador del Collado Bermejo in Totana. This amazing spot at just over 1,200 metres above sea level affords one of the best panoramic views of the mountains of Sierra Espuña, including the Umbría de Peña Aparatada, Peña Apartada itself, the peak of Cerro de la Garita and the lush green valley of the River Espuña, with the Badlands of the Barrancos de Gebas in the background. Looking north, the skyline is dominated by the Morrón de Espuña, while to the west are the Barranco de Enmedio and the peak of El Cerro de Pedro López.
10. Mirador del Medina Nogalte en Puerto Lumbreras. Standing at the restored 12th century castle of Puerto Lumbreras, around which are dozens of cave houses which were still inhabited until well into the 20th century and some of which can now be visited, walkers can admire stupendous views of the town itself, much of the municipality and the mountains which hem it in.
11. Lorca castle. The Fortress of the Sun proved impregnable throughout the turbulent Middle Ages, and the views from the grounds go a long way towards explaining its invincibility. When the site was chosen, of course, King Alfonso X El Sabio was not thinking about photo opportunities and selfies, but his choice of a location with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the Guadalentín valley had this fortunate side-effect!
12. The Mirador de la Fuensanta in the mountains outside Murcia is one of the best-known viewing points in the Costa Cálida, and an extremely popular destination for residents of the regional capital getting out of town for a few hours. The view looks out over the city itself and the surrounding “Huerta” countryside, and it’s easy to get lost in your thoughts as you gaze at the city from far above!
The location is also one of great importance to the Murcianos as this where the patron of the city, “La Fuensanta”, resides in her Sanctuary for much of the year.
13. Mirador de la Sima de las Palomas in Torre Pacheco. The Sima de las Palomas is best-known for the archaeological digs which have taken place here in recent decades, revealing evidence of Neanderthals in the area some 50,000 years ago. But the views are also well worth a visit, looking out towards the five islands of the Mar Menor.
14. The Mirador Colina de la Concepción in Cartagena is alongside the castle of the same name and offers great views over the city (standing as it does on the highest of the five hills around which Carthago Nova grew under the Romans), the natural harbour and the Mediterranean.
15. Mirador del Monte Blanco II in La Manga del Mar Menor, one of the best places to enjoy the unique view of the slender spit of land which is La Manga between the Mediterranean on one side and the Mar Menor on the other.
16. The view from the Mirador Juan Manuel Serrat in Águilas might not be the best-known in the town, but it is a striking one, looking out over the Hornillo bay and loading jetty and the Isla del Fraile towards the imposing headland of Cabo Cope.