# Cerca de Murcia

From Murcia you head out along the A-30 to the north, to the Segura at Archena and Ricote; to the south, to Cartagena, Calblanque and Cabo de Palos; to the north-west, to Caravaca and Riópar; to the east, to Elche and Tabarca, and along the A-7, to Cabo de Gata.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/murcia/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Archena hot springs and Ricote](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/archena-spa-and-lunch.md) (30 min en coche): The thermal pools of the Archena Spa in the morning, lunch at El Sordo in Ricote, open on Sundays, and a stroll round the Moorish old quarter. Half an hour from Murcia.
- [Rafting from Cieza to Blanca](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/rafting-on-the-segura-and-ojos.md) (40 min en coche): A raft descent from Cieza to Blanca with instructors and a picnic lunch, from age 6, lunch in Ricote and an afternoon on the suspension and Tibetan bridges of Ojós.
- [Cartagena: theatre, castle and boat](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/roman-theatre-castle-and-boat.md) (40 min en coche): The Roman theatre first thing, the castle by lift and the air-raid shelter, caldero in the centre and the port by boat in the afternoon. 40 minutes from Murcia, also by bus or train.
- [Elche Palm Grove and arroz con costra](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/elche/itineraries/huerto-del-cura-and-rice.md) (45 min en coche): The Huerto del Cura and the Palm Grove Museum first thing, the 11:30 guided visit of the basilica and the centre, arroz con costra at Cachito and a stroll beneath the palms.
- [Camp d'Elx: Ilici, Puçol and a winery](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/elche/itineraries/ilici-pucol-rice-and-winery.md) (45 min en coche): In the morning, the Iberian and Roman Ilici of La Alcudia and the Puçol School Museum; at midday, rice with crust; in the afternoon, a visit and tasting at a family winery.
- [Caravaca de la Cruz on a Sunday](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/caravaca-de-la-cruz/itineraries/basilica-and-fuentes-del-marques.md) (55 min en coche): The Vera Cruz basilica and castle, the Wine Horses Museum before it closes at 14:00, lunch and a stroll at the Fuentes del Marqués. An hour from Murcia.
- [Calblanque: unspoilt beach and caldero](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/beaches-without-buildings-and-caldero.md) (55 min en coche): A morning on the unspoilt beaches of Calblanque, among fossil dunes and salt pans, and caldero beside the Cabo de Palos lighthouse. Less than an hour from Murcia.
- [Villajoyosa: chocolate factory and coloured houses](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/villajoyosa/itineraries/chocolate-saturday-in-villajoyosa.md) (1 h 15 en coche): Breakfast at the Mercat canteen, the Valor Chocolate Museum visit with a tasting, the coloured houses from the beach, rice by the harbour and the Roman ship at Vilamuseu.
- [Villajoyosa: kayaking round the coves and the Valor Museum](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/villajoyosa/itineraries/kayak-rice-and-chocolate.md) (1 h 15 en coche): Three hours kayaking round the southern coves with a snorkelling stop, rice beside the Yacht Club, the coloured houses and an afternoon visit to the Valor Chocolate Museum.
- [Tabarca by short boat from Santa Pola](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/sunday-from-murcia-via-santa-pola.md) (1 h 15 en coche): Drive to the Santa Pola jetty, Tabarbus in 15 minutes, the island on foot with its wall and its museum, snorkelling with an instructor and caldero before heading back.
- [Bocairent: caves, rock and olleta](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/bocairent/itineraries/moorish-caves-and-bullring.md) (1 h 40 en coche): The medieval old town and the Covetes dels Moros in the morning, Bocairent olleta at El Cancell and the bullring carved into the rock before you head home.
- [Xàtiva: castle and baked rice](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/xativa/itineraries/xativa-seu-castle-and-baked-rice.md) (1 h 50 en coche): A morning in the old town with the Seu and the upside-down Philip V museum, baked rice on Plaça del Mercat and the castle in the afternoon, with a shuttle in season.
- [Guadalest and Les Fonts de l'Algar](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/itineraries/castle-and-fonts-de-lalgar.md) (1 h 55 en coche): The tunnel in the rock and the Castell de Sant Josep before the coaches, lunch with a view of the reservoir and the afternoon at the pools of Les Fonts de l'Algar.
- [Xàbia: kayak, rice and lighthouse](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/xabia-javea/itineraries/kayak-wood-fired-rice-and-lighthouse.md) (2 h en coche): Two and a half hours of kayaking and snorkelling under the southern cliffs, a swim at La Granadella, rice cooked over a wood fire and the afternoon between the lighthouse and the harbour.
- [Cabo de Gata: two beaches and the lighthouse](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-genoveses-monsul-and-lighthouse.md) (2 h 5 en coche): The trail and beach at Los Genoveses, a swim at Mónsul, a fish-market lunch in San José and the lighthouse as the sun sets. About 40 minutes from Almería.
- [Gold mines, La Isleta and kayaking](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-rodalquilar-isleta-del-moro-and-kayak.md) (2 h 5 en coche): The ruins of the Rodalquilar gold mines, the coastal walk to La Isleta del Moro, lunch in San José and three hours of kayaking among caves. From Almería or Murcia.
- [Los Chorros del río Mundo and Riópar Viejo](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/riopar/itineraries/rio-mundo-source-los-chorros-and-riopar-viejo.md) (2 h 15 en coche): Park free at the Puerto del Arenal and walk down to Los Chorros, the 86 m waterfall that pours out of a cave; lunch in Riópar and an afternoon in Riópar Viejo, with its Gothic church and castle.
- [Riópar Viejo at sunset and stars with a telescope](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/riopar/itineraries/sunset-dinner-and-telescope.md) (2 h 15 en coche): You go up to Riópar Viejo in the last light, dine in the hamlet and spend two hours with a Starlight guide and a telescope in the Sierra del Segura, five minutes away.

## Up the Segura to Archena

The A-30 crosses Murcia from north to south and shares out half the plans. To the north it climbs the Segura to the [Ricote Valley](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley): Archena and its spa, half an hour away, and Blanca and Ojós a little further up; the same motorway continues to Albacete. To the south it drops to [Cartagena](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque) and, with the La Manga motorway, to Calblanque and Cabo de Palos. To the north-west, the Noroeste motorway leads to [Caravaca de la Cruz](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/caravaca-de-la-cruz) and, through the sierra, to [Riópar](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/riopar), already in Albacete. The A-7 to the north-east goes to [Elche](/en/spain/valencian-community/elche), Santa Pola and Alicante, and to the south-west, to Almería and [Cabo de Gata](/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata).

Without a car, Cartagena is the easy exit: an Interbus bus to the Central Station or a Renfe train, and the whole day on foot from there. The Archena Spa is reached by bus line 36 from Murcia. For the rest, a car.

## Archena, Cartagena and Elche, with no early start

**Under an hour** is what you can do without an early start: Archena and its thermal pools, at 30 minutes; rafting down the Segura and Cartagena, at 40; Elche and its palm grove, at 45, and Calblanque and Caravaca, at 55.

**Between one and two hours** you reach the Alicante coast and inland Valencia: [Tabarca via Santa Pola](/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/sunday-from-murcia-via-santa-pola) and Villajoyosa, at an hour and a quarter; [Bocairent](/en/spain/valencian-community/bocairent/itineraries/moorish-caves-and-bullring), at 100 minutes; [Xàtiva](/en/spain/valencian-community/xativa/itineraries/xativa-seu-castle-and-baked-rice), at 110, and [Guadalest with Les Fonts de l'Algar](/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/itineraries/castle-and-fonts-de-lalgar), at 115.

**With two or two and a half hours by car** there are two sierras and a marine park. Cabo de Gata, at 125 minutes, has two Sundays: [Genoveses, Mónsul and the lighthouse](/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-genoveses-monsul-and-lighthouse) and [Rodalquilar, La Isleta del Moro and kayaking](/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-rodalquilar-isleta-del-moro-and-kayak). Riópar and Alcalá del Júcar, at 135 and 145, already call for a night: Alcalá has one, [facing the illuminated village](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/alcala-del-jucar/itineraries/alcala-del-jucar-canoe-weekend-from-valencia).

**Close to three hours** the trip is a weekend one: the [Lagunas de Ruidera](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/lagunas-de-ruidera/itineraries/ruidera-lagoons-waterfalls-one-night), at 170 minutes; the [Sierra de Cazorla](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-de-cazorla/itineraries/sierra-de-cazorla-borosa-weekend-from-jaen), at 175, and [Sierra Nevada](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-nevada/itineraries/sierra-nevada-ski-snowshoe-weekend-from-granada), at three hours forty-five.

## Cartagena, from September to June

In winter, the spa: the [thermal Sunday at Archena with lunch in Ricote](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/archena-spa-and-lunch) or, with two nights, the [thermal getaway with the Moriscos trail](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/thermal-getaway-archena-from-alicante), both best from October to April. Cartagena is recommended from September to June, and for snow there is the ski and snowshoe weekend in Sierra Nevada, from December to April.

In spring it is the turn of the sierras: the [source of the Río Mundo and Los Chorros](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/riopar/itineraries/rio-mundo-source-los-chorros-and-riopar-viejo), with more water from April to June, and [Caravaca, from the basilica to the Fuentes del Marqués](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/caravaca-de-la-cruz/itineraries/basilica-and-fuentes-del-marques). It is also the season for the [undeveloped beaches of Calblanque](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/beaches-without-buildings-and-caldero), in May and June.

In summer you go to the water: [rafting on the Segura with the Ojós bridges](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/rafting-on-the-segura-and-ojos), from April to October and from age six, and snorkelling at Tabarca, from May to October. Elche, Xàtiva and Bocairent are not recommended in July and August.

In October and November Riópar and Caravaca return, and Cazorla is at its best.

## Roman theatre, castle by lift and a boat in Cartagena

- **Without a car, in a day:** [Cartagena: Roman theatre, castle and boat](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/roman-theatre-castle-and-boat). Bus or train to the station, the theatre first thing, the castle by lift, caldero in the centre and the harbour by boat in the afternoon.
- **With one night:** [Tabarca when the boats leave](/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/one-night-tabarca-island-from-alicante). An hour and a quarter via Santa Pola, for snorkelling, the island empty at sunset and breakfast facing the sea.
- **With two nights:** [Cabo de Gata from San José or Rodalquilar](/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-weekend-kayak-from-almeria). About two hours along the A-7, for the western beaches, a morning of kayaking or diving and the gold mines.