From the Templete to the plaza del Arco through the old town

The route

It starts at the Templete, the pavilion where the Bathing of the Cross and the blessing of the waters are held every 3 May, and climbs through the old town towards the church of El Salvador, from which the Cross processions set out. It continues along calle Mayor, where there are several noble houses and the Círculo Artístico hotel, to the plaza del Arco, with the Town Hall, and from there the Cuesta del Castillo leads to the basilica. These are the settings of the May festivals: doing it on foot, you understand where the Cross, the Moors and Christians and the horses pass.

The Templete

It is an 18th-century work by José López and has a circular plan. It rests on a podium from which the pillars project and is crowned with a dome on a drum and a six-bay lantern. It is also called "el Bañadero" for the ritual blessing of the waters held there every 3 May, which gave rise to the patron-saint festivities.

What you come across

The parish church of El Salvador is, according to the tourist office, the jewel of the Murcian Renaissance: a hall church with Ionic columns that carry rib vaults at great height, with an imposing tower and a large high altarpiece. Since 2015 it has held a relic of Saint John Paul II. On the way you also come across the former church of the Society of Jesus, today a cultural centre, the convents of Santa Clara and del Carmen and the parish of the Purísima Concepción, with a Mudéjar coffered ceiling.

If you want to visit a museum, the old town has several: the Museum of the Festival, in the Uribe palace, which explains the origin and rituals of the festivals; the Carrilero Museum, in the former mansion of the Marqueses de San Mamés, with work by the Caravaca artist José Carrilero; the La Soledad Archaeological Museum, in the former church of that name, and the Wine Horses House-Museum. Up above, within the walled enclosure of fourteen towers, is the basilica, with its Baroque façade of local marbles, and the Vera Cruz Museum.

Practical information

The tourist office is at calle de las Monjas 19, right in the centre (968 70 24 24), and is also open on Sunday morning, from 10:30 to 14:00. There they give you the map with all the monuments numbered and tell you which museums are open that day. The office itself asks you to park the car and tour the town on foot or by bike: leave the vehicle outside the old town, whose streets are narrow and sloping.

The walk fits well in the morning, before climbing to the basilica, and in the afternoon you can walk to the Fuentes del Marqués along the Camino del Huerto. If you go during the festivals on 1 to 5 May, check the programme first, because these streets are the setting for the parades.