Best
Things To See and Do in Caravaca de la Cruz, Spain
Have you ever visited a new place, and just thought ‘wow’?
For many visitors, that is exactly what happens at Caravaca de la Cruz.
While
the city may not be quite as popular as others in Spain, you should not let
that fool you. Caravaca de la Cruz is a smaller destination, but it is
absolutely stunning and well worth a visit if you are in Spain or looking for
somewhere to stay while you holiday.
You may well be very pleasantly surprised by the number of
things that are available to see and do, especially given the relatively small
size. You should definitely set aside a few hours of exploration time here
while maybe visiting Alicante or Murcia.
We have put together a few of the best things to see and
do in Caravaca de la Cruz, and we have the feeling that you may want to
bookmark this page for your future travel plans.
The
Wine Horses Festival
There are bus trips to Caravaca, from several nearby
towns, for the Wine Horses festival and the celebration of the Vera Cruz – True
Cross. Not many know this, but Caravaca de la Cruz is the 5th the holiest place in the Christian world and it celebrates the Wine Horses festival
every 7 years, with the next being in 2024.
What is the Wine Horses festival? The festival is a
celebration of Christianity, as a whole, overcoming evil and it has been
celebrated here for hundreds of years. Tickets are available for main events,
such as the horse race to the castle.
And speaking of the castle…
Castillo
de Caravaca de la Cruz
It is not known precisely when the castle of Caravaca de
la Cruz was built, but historians believe that there was a Muslim castle here
originally, sometime in the 12th century. The original castle was a
part of the Taifa of Murcia which was an independent Muslim principality. In
the year 1243, the castle was conquered by the Castilians – under King Alfonso
X of Castile, who then gave it to
Berenguer - 5th Baron of Entenca.
Later on, the castle came under the control of the Knights
Templar. The Knights established a bailiwick, whose area of interest also
included Bullas and Cehegín. After successfully defending the region against
the Emirate of Granada, the castle went back under the control and influence of
the Royals in 1312. A while later, in 1344, it was handed to the Order of
Santiago.
There are many other noteworthy elements of Caravaca de la
Cruz, including the church of Caravaca, missionary and of course the True
Cross. Seeing really is believing, and outside of festival dates there are very
tourists here which, in our opinion, just makes the town even more attractive
and welcoming.
Of course, the festivals should also be experienced if you
can and they are worth the trip on their own. The rich history and stunning
architecture are just amazing.