Places of interest in Spain – Calasparra
This little town Calasparra is a part of Murcia province. This town is so beautiful that it has earned the name of ‘the hidden gem of Murcia’. The two great mountains have blessed this town with great vegetation. Abundant rain has encouraged people to cultivate rice in the vast plains of Caasparra. Now, this town is becoming a popular tourist spot. Some of the places of interest in Calaparra are briefly mentioned here:
Sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza:
This is a church built in honor of Saint Calasparra in whose name the town is named. The interior of the church is extremely beautiful. This sanctuary is believed to have been built in 17th century. This is one of the most revered pilgrimage centres for both people of Spain as well as for people from many other countries. Located in the midst of picturesque area, on the side of the great mountain, this is one of the places which should never be missed while on tour of Spain.
While on your visit to the sanctuary, never forget to have a glimpse of the nature around you from the ‘view point’ specially erected. It is a breathtaking view, the beautiful paddy fields, mountains around, the river down below; it gives a feeling that heaven has come to earth. While at the sanctuary, there is a restaurant, bar, a souvenir shop, children playing area etc. This is an ideal place to enjoy picnic and of course, facilities are available to enjoy the picnic. The place is now connected by rail. The rail passes through the mountain from where one can enjoy the beautiful nature around.
Cave:
Calasparra has many caves. El Puerto is one of the most popular caves where one can find some of the beautiful paintings. The other popular cave is the ‘Cave of Monigotes’ where one can find a huge lake. Normally, tourists are advised to visit the caves along with a trained guide.
Festival:
In the first week of September the famous Calsparra festival is held. During the entire week colorful parades are held. There will be musical extravaganza throughout the week. Special bear shops are set up which serve varieties of beer all through the festival week. Special shops are set up to sell jewelry, leather goods, textiles, paintings and other works of arts and artifacts etc. Live band auditorium are set up for adults and children separately. This festival attracts huge crowd throughout the week.