Fuentes del Marqués site

What it is

A place of water and shade at the foot of the Gavilán and El Buitre ranges, just over 2 km from the town centre. It is fed by the Sartenes, a large spring and a small one at the back of the site, with an average flow of about 320 litres per second. In the Templars' Tower, from the 16th century, is the nature interpretation centre.

The tourist office presents it as the place with the most important springs in the Region of Murcia, surrounded by varied woodland. The name comes from its former owners, the Marqueses de San Mamés, and from its springs. The regional Tourism Institute highlights the cleanness of its springs and the environmental quality of the surroundings.

The Templars' Tower

The fortified tower is the most recognisable feature of the site. Its origin is unclear: it is thought to stand on the foundations of an earlier tower, and the first written record of buildings on the site is by the Arab geographer Al-Himyari, between the 13th and 14th centuries. Today it houses the nature interpretation centre, which explains the history and traditions of Caravaca, the local fauna and flora and the site itself. Neither the tourist office nor the site's website publishes its hours: if you want to go in, call the office beforehand. The site also has a municipal hostel.

Getting there

On foot, along the Camino del Huerto; by car, along avenida de los Andenes and the Camino de Mayrena. The two meet at El Molinico and from there the access to the Fuentes starts. A round trip on foot from the centre is about 4.5 km, flat.

At weekends and on public holidays traffic to the site is restricted, and there is a park-and-walk car park nearby. The site's website had a ticket booking system for visitors from outside Caravaca, but now says that temporarily no ticket is needed. Before going, check whether that has changed.

Rules

Dogs on a lead. You may not swim in the springs, light fires, smoke or throw cigarette butts, wash utensils in the water, camp, or enter with motor vehicles; nor hunt or fish. Walk on the marked paths and leave rubbish in the bins.

With children

It is a flat, short walk, comfortable with small children; keep an eye on them near the springs and irrigation channels. The site's website has a botanical itinerary prepared with students from the San Juan de la Cruz secondary school. From the tourist office, at calle de las Monjas 19 (968 70 24 24), they give you the map; the return to the centre can be combined with a stroll round the old town or the climb to the basilica.