Countryside, wildlife, Activities and sports

In environmental terms Murcia is halfway between Africa and Europe which helps to explain its variety of landscapes and habitats. In a relatively small area one can pass from mountains to arid, steppe-like, plains, to the forests of the Betis Sierras and then to the rich meadows of the Segura basin and finally to one hundred miles of coastline.

This environmental diversity is faithfully represented in the nineteen specially protected countryside and wildlife areas. The most important ones are – Parque Natural de Sierra Espuña, the regional parks of Carrascoy and El Valle, Sierra de Pila, the salt marsh of Don Pedro del Pinatar, Cablanque and Cape Cobo, and Calnegre Point, the Nature Reserve of Sotos, and the riparian forests of Cañaverosa.

Natural Park of Acarracoy (Columbares Montain)The region is an excellent place for activity holidays in the countryside. Throughout the whole length of the coast from Cabo de Palos and Portman, as far as Cartegena the Country park of Calnegre, offers great scope for walking and hiking. Further inland there are interesting routes for walking, horseriding and mountain biking as well as complete packages for the more energetic sports of climbing, caving, rafting, paragliding, hang-gliding and cave-diving. There are also courses on agro-tourism, including the traditional crafts of cheese-making and confectionary.

Windsurf School in La Manga del Mar MenorThe Mar Menor offers an ideal location to take-up or to perfect such sports as sailing, canoeing, swimming, diving, water-skiing and similar sports in the many clubs and schools around the sea.