EUROPEAN TOURING ROUTE - ETR // SPAIN

ETR // SPAIN - THE ALMERIA ROUTE

Murcia - Mazarrón - Águilas - Mojácar - El Mirador de la Plaza Nueva - Carboneras - Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata - San José - Desierto de Tabernas - Sorbas - Vera - Murcia (522km)

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We leave Murcia early, and take the highway to Mazarrón, a ride of about 50km. The town and port of Mazarrón, in the heart of the Costa Cálida, offers visitors a rich artistic heritage, and a range of interesting attractions and locations, dotted along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The Bay of Mazarrón is sheltered by the last foothills of the Sierra de la Almenara, a mining area that has been in use since the Carthaginian era.

In the harbour area, the fishing dock and the fish market are a chance for visitors to learn more about the town’s seafaring tradition. A good way to do this, is by visiting the Roman Salt Preserving Factory Museum , which features part of a large industrial complex dating from the 4th and 5th centuries, which was used for producing foods preserved in salt. The defensive towers on the Los Caballos peak are just a stone’s throw away.

THE ENCHANTED LANDSCAPE

Known as the “enchanted landscape”, the Bolnuevo Erosions are a curious formation of naturally sculptured 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. Quite often, the rocks feature as the backdrop for shows and concerts during the local fiestas.

ONWARDS TO ÁGUILAS

From Mazarrón, we ride along national road N-332 to the old Roman fishing port of Águilas, enjoying the fantastics curves this great road throws at us. Situated on the Costa Cálida, Águilas became a major mining enclave in the 19th century, and a lot of activity was based around the Hornillo jetty, where iron, lead and silver from the nearby mines, was loaded onto ships.

We ride further along the coast to Mojácar (Andalucia), and we will take a stop at El Mirador de la Plaza Nueva, where we can enjoy spectacular views from the hills over the sea, overlooking solitary coves and beaches, such as La Higuerica, La Carolina or Calabardina, with crystal-clear waters.

We continue our Mediterranean experience along the Costa Cálida, enjoying fabulous views along this spectacular road, taking in many great curves and vistas, until we arrive at the village of Carboneras, located at the start of the Cabo de Gata Nature Park. The 16th century fortified castle dominates the town, as well as two watchtowers that date from the 16th and 18th centuries. The entire region of Cabo de Gata is an area of outstanding beauty, and you could spend days exploring the area’s beaches, bays and villages.

The area enjoys a Mediterranean sub-tropical climate, which means you can enjoy the region at any time of year.

RIDE TO THE END OF SOUTHEASTERN SPAIN

When we arrive at the lighthouse of Cabo de Gata, we can say that we have been where the south eastern Spain ends. The lighthouse was built on the ruins of the castle of San Francisco de Paula, a section of the existing coastal defence battery of the Almería Coast, which was destroyed during the War of Independence, when Napoleon was causing problems here. Before this, it was known at the time of the Greeks and Phoenicians, and has been used throughout history as a navigational reference point for sailors.

The lighthouse was originally constructed as a warning to mariners, of the presence of the dangerous reef, situated one nautical mile into the sea off the lighthouse, the cause of many bad shipwrecks, throughout history.

After a short break, we ride on, and stop at San José to have lunch. San José was once a small fishing village in the 18th Century, and is situated around a shallow bay towards the south end of Cabo de Gata Natural Area. These days, San José is the most important tourist hub of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar National Park. The fishing activity, once the principal economic activity of the town, has now been replaced by tourism. However, it has managed to do so without losing any of the original beauty and quality of scenery, thanks to its location between volcanic mountains, and stunning beaches and bays.

EVENING RIDE INTO THE DESERT

In the evening, we’ll take a nice ride through the Desierto de Tabernas, until we arrive at Sorbas, an extremely impressive village, also known as Cuenca la Chica. Sorbas is situated on a small plateau over the Río Aguas, and the white houses almost appear to be suspended over the ravine.

The most important attraction is the Karst Formation in the Yesos de Sobras, the most important of its kind in Europe. A product of rainwater falling over thousands of years, this geological jewel has many caves and caverns, including ‘El Agua’, the biggest of them, or ‘Covadura’, the deepest cave, and ‘Tesoro’ or ‘Yesos’, considered the most beautiful.

The urbanization and growth of this town is also quite interesting, and in some cases surprising, considering the fact that many of the houses are suspended on the edge of a cliff. Among the web of steep and narrow Arabesque streets there are various viewpoints - Porche, Castillo, Calvario and Torreta - from where visitors can contemplate the hanging houses, and the beautiful environment that surrounds them.

We ride onwards to Vera, the walled renaissance town located in the Levante of Almería. The town was originally called Baria, and was located closer to the sea near Villaricos. Before the Arab occupation, the residents moved the town to the hill of Espiritu Santo, however, a huge earthquake subsequently destroyed the area in 1518. Legend has it, that when Queen Isabel climbed to the top of the hill, she fired an arrow, and ordered that Vera be rebuilt wherever the arrow landed. The town as we know it today, was rebuilt in the 16th century, and later developed further, in the 18th century.

From Vera, we’ll ride the backroads until we arrive back in Murcia, where we can relax after riding 600 spectacular kilometers.