Carrascoy y El Valle

A little known gem of the Murcia region is the area just a few kilometres from Murcia city centre, known as the Parque Natural El Valle. The park covers 16,724 hectares and is a vast area to which thousands of Murcians escape to on weekends. They go to enjoy its wide open space, stunning views and interesting walks.

We say it is a "little known gem" because overseas tourists tend to stay within close proximity of the capital and miss out on this beautiful natural park area. Visitors Centre of San Antonio el Pobre (El Centro de Visitantes San Antonio el Pobre) From the late Middle Ages, this wooded hillside , close to the City of Murcia, was the home of religious hermits. They were solitary men, living in silence and absolute poverty, paying homage to God. They lived in small caves, or man-made holes cut out of the rocks, some of which were hollowed out to form small shelters in the rock face. These dwelling places were the crudest of shelters, but were just enough to give protection from the elements. Several of these "cave-dwellings" can be seen when driving through this area. As their numbers increased, they began to forsake their solitary existence and meet each other for shared prayers. By the early 16th century there were two recognised prayer groups who regularly met at two small hermitages. In 1528 a monastery was founded in the Sierra, although many of the members continued to live much of their existence in the wild, joining the brothers only for prayer. The convent of La Luz gathered all these individuals together between 1685 and 1694, and in 1701 the church of la Luz opened, now known as the Sanctuary of La Luz. There are various accounts of how the legend began, but the one which gains most credence is that during a great plague which ravaged the city, the brothers went down to heal the sick in the city, and they all died, except one, a man who became known as Juan el pobre, a man who became especially associated with the ability to heal the sick and with the protection of animals. He paid especial devotion to the cult of San Anton(io) Abad, San Anton(io) being known as the original hermit, who walled himself up for 6 months to pray, sustained only by dried bread. One lovely story says he was sustained by the birds, who brought him dried bread in their beaks, part of the link with his role as a protector of animals. This is the same San Anton who gives rise to the little rolls of San Anton, blessed on the saints day which is the 17th January, a tradition celebrated across the region. During the 18th century a baroque hermitage was built over the cave which was said to be the home of Juan el Pobre, linked to the Convento de Santa Catalina del Monte. As the years passed, it became the centre of an annual tradition in which the silkworms upon which Murcia was so dependent, were brought to the hermitage on the first Friday in March to be blessed, and a Romeria celebrated. Although the ermita fell into disuse, it is today a small visitor centre in which an audioguide presentation tells the story of the hermitage and the men who lived in this manner. It´s not a long visit, half an hour or so, but is close enough to the Sanctuary of Fuensanta and the La Luz visitor centre to be combined with a visit there, where they serve an excellent menu del dia, with great views. The San Antonio el Pobre centre is linked by foot to La Luz, but it´s a good walk across the mountain side( more than an hour each way). There are steps which lead out of the back of the centre into the woods, so you can go for an enjoyable walk through the pine forests but take into consideration the following facts; There is very little parking as the centre is at the end of a residential road, so it´s tempting to park inside the centre where there is parking provided. The centre is also the start point for lots of walks and childrens activities which run seasonally out of the hotter months. Keep checking what´s on for details, dates and times. The Santuario de la Fuensanta The terrace cafe here is is the perfect place to sit and enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee before setting out for a visit either from or into the city. The views from the cafe are wonderful and the woods surrounding the santuario (sanctuary) are ideal for a picnic - all the area behind the sanctuary is classified as a natural park. At the foot of the park is this beautiful Sanctuary of La Fuensanta, (the patron saint of Murcia City). Inside the Sanctuary itself, there are some splendid paintings and sculptures and you can drive through the woods to the other Ermitas, which also now have visitor centres. The interior of the Santuario de la Fuensanta is open to visitors from 09.00 to 13.00 and from 16.00 to 21.00.