Abanilla: Nature along the Río Chícamo and cultural heritage

Abanilla brings together a semi-arid landscape along the Río Chícamo, stretches of river, historic buildings, religious traditions and distinctive regional cuisine. When planning your trip, you can focus on these different aspects according to your interests: nature and trails are just as central as festivals, architecture and local specialties.

Landscape and trails along the Río Chícamo

Along the Río Chícamo, a semi-arid badlands landscape gives way to stretches with water all year round and well-developed riverside vegetation. The Río Chícamo Fluvial Nature Reserve lies entirely within the municipality of Abanilla. The river’s source area is also protected as a Fluvial Nature Reserve and forms part of the Natura 2000 network as the Río Chícamo Special Area of Conservation (ZEC).

The PR-MU 74 nature trail connects the village of Mahoya with the El Cajer area. It starts at the Ermita de la Santa Cruz in Mahoya, and sections of the trail follow the Río Chícamo. The El Cajer gorge has rock walls up to 40 metres high and stretches as narrow as two metres. These measurements give a concrete sense of how narrow and high the rock formations are there, but do not indicate the walking time or difficulty of the trail.

Buildings and history

The Iglesia Parroquial de San José contains a richly decorated main altar with Solomonic columns, gilding and figural ornamentation. The church is generally open to worshippers and tourists every day from morning until evening. As opening arrangements may change, check access before your visit. A staircase of about 190 steps leads to the Monumento al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús at Lugar Alto. The monument stands beside the site of a 12th-century Moorish fortress.

The Casa de la Encomienda is a Baroque building dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Historically, it was where the commander of the Order of Calatrava collected taxes and tithes from the inhabitants. The façade of the Casa Pintada features a coat of arms with the wheel of Saint Catherine, a rampant lion and the chains of Navarre. The house is privately occupied, and its interior cannot be visited.

The Ermita de la Santa Cruz was built between 1904 and 1908 using dressed stone from an earlier, smaller chapel. Inside is a carved wooden altar from the Seminario Mayor de San Fulgencio de Murcia. It can be visited during Mass or by contacting the parish priest of Abanilla. As service times may change, check access in advance.

Festivals and religious traditions

The celebrations in honour of Santa Cruz in Abanilla take place on 3 May and 14 September. The tradition includes the blessing of the water by immersing the relic of Santa Cruz. The Fiestas en honor a la Santa Cruz y de Moros y Cristianos are recognised as festivals of regional tourist interest. Another regular date on the events calendar is the Encuentro de Campanas de Auroros: it takes place every year on the third Sunday in October and is recognised as an asset of cultural interest and intangible cultural heritage.

Palaeontology and regional cuisine

The Quibas palaeontological site in Cañada de la Leña is considered unique in Europe because of its age. It has a rich, well-preserved fossil record and a wide variety of animal fossils. The Centro de Interpretación Paleontológico de la Sierra de Quibas is permanently located at the entrance to the Auditorio Municipal. It is usually closed; visits are possible during events at the Auditorio Municipal or as part of guided tours arranged in advance through the tourist office. Check access options before making plans.

Local specialties include arroz con conejo y caracoles, homemade cured meats, gachasmigas, tortilleras and apricots from Damasco. The traditional handmade pastry known as “fruta de masa” is also closely associated with Abanilla. This includes almojábanas, monas, magdalenas, anise or orange rolls, almond pastries and Christmas mantecados. A visit to a grove of centuries-old olive trees and an olive cooperative offers insights into local olive varieties, cultivation methods and irrigation systems—topics that form part of Abanilla’s olive oil heritage.

Discover more destinations: Macisvenda, El Sabinar, Retamalejo, El Albujón, Alhama De Murcia, La Tercia, Valentín, Yecla

Go to the main travel overview: Murcia.