Hilltops

Just ten minutes away, alongside the Rio Segura, is the famous Sanctuary Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza, a church carved into the mountainside.

Valentin, less than 2 miles away, is our favourite small village with just a few shops, a bank, three bars/restaurants where one may eat excellent food at very reasonable prices.

Cehegin - 10 miles - Cehegin was once the epicentre of southern Spain dating back to prehistoric times. You can discover how the first inhabitants lived at Begastri with cave paintings and remains of the settlement. Cehegin old town has family houses and medieval dwellings that project a real sense of calm.

Caravaca de la Cruz - 12 miles - usually referred to as just Caravaca. The medieval Castle of Santa Cruz dominates the city and in the Santuary of the church of the Santísima y Vera Cruz is a piece of the miraculous True Cross celebrated for its healing power.

In 1998 Caravaca was granted the status of a Holy City by Pope John Paul II.   It therefore became the fifth Holy City, the other four being Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liébana. Caravaca was thus granted a Permanent Jubilee Year. This is celebrated every seven years when visiting pilgrims confess to sins and receive absolution. The first Jubilee Year was 2003 so this year, 2010, is the second Jubilee Year so Caravaca will be celebrating in style yet again with another fiesta and expecting to achieve over 1 million visitors!   This famous Caravaca fiesta starts at the end of April/beginning of May each year and involves many processions and the famous Wine Horses. The horses, wearing hand woven robes costing many thousands of euros, race to be the quickest up the Cuesta del Castillo. The colourful main procession lasts well into the early hours of the morning with thousands participating - a sight truly not to be missed!

About an hour away is the regional capital of Murcia with branches of international retailers, three shopping centres, a water park and a zoo. It is the seventh largest city in Spain with a population of over 400,000. Founded by the Moors in 825 CE it has a wonderful cathedral, baroque buildings, is renowned for its regional cuisine, Holy Week processions, works of art by the famous Murcia sculptor Francisco Salzillo and the Spring Festival.

Caravaca is not the only place that celebrates with fiestas. Summer in this area is all about fiestas with virtually every town and village celebrating their own and partying Spanish style late into the night.

Pamplona is famous for the bull running but you can see it in this area of Spain as well in all the local towns.

                                    YOU WILL NEVER BE AT A LOSS FOR SOMETHING TO DO!

This is a true haven for walkers, climbers, bird watchers (you may see eagles from Hilltops), fishermen, photographers, motor cyclists, cyclists etc. Vineyard tours - a choice of three where you are picked up from Hilltops at about 09:00 and arrive back at about 18:00. These cost €60 euros per person including transport, three course lunch with beverages, or you can do two vineyards for €76. Alternatively just go and visit any of the bodegas free of charge and sample their wines. The winding, excellent metalled mountain roads make this area ideal for bikers. Nearby is horse riding, white water rafting, fishing (coarse and trout), go-karting and more...

About an hour away there is golf, quad biking, gliding, paragliding and sky diving, two hydrotherapy spas/hot springs and rock climbing.

LOCAL AREA

We are in an area of Spain where the landscape is very varied with mountains, valleys, lakes & reservoirs, forests, orchards of soft fruits, olives, citrus fruits and various flora and fauna. In the gardens of Hilltops you can find orange, nectarine, olive, walnut, almond, nisperos, prickly pears (edible cacti), grapes, plums and apricots.

TOWNS & VILLAGES

Calasparra, only about a five minute drive away, is a typical rural Spanish market town dependent on its traditional agricultural economy with rural tourism starting to emerge. It is famous for its rice, being the best for paella. Calasparra has plenty of shops selling the basics, tapas bars, ice-cream cafes, and restaurants.