September 23 to 27 Guided visits, events and activities in Caravaca to celebrate World Tourism Day

Hiking, free entry to museums, music and a climb to the top of the church tower in Caravaca de la Cruz

In celebration of World Tourism Day, which falls on Sunday 27th September, the tourist office of Caravaca de la Cruz is holding a series of events, activities and guided tours in the preceding days, offering a range of opportunities to see more of the history, culture, heritage and natural resources of the city and municipality.

The schedule for the visits is as follows:

Wednesday September 23

20.00: A talk at the church of San Sebastián under the title of “La Cruz que unió dos mundos: Caravaca, México y el legado de San Junípero Serra”, presented by José Niembro, the director of the Museum of Holy Art in Santiago de Querétaro. This event coincides with the visit to Caravaca of a group of Catholic pilgrims from Mexico who are walking the Camino de Levante, and explores the link between Caravaca, Mexico and the figure of San Junípero Serra, a Franciscan monk who was born in Mallorca in 1713 and went on to establish various Spanish missions in California and Mexico.

Saturday September 26

9.30: A guided hike sets out from the municipal swimming pool towards the new viewing point which was recently completed in the Barranco de Gredero, where geologists can regularly be found inspecting the highly visible Black Layer, or “Capa Negra”. This is a band of sediment which was deposited all over the planet containing high levels of organic material and iridium, and dates from approximately 66 million years ago, marking the boundary between the geological period of the Cretaceous and the Paleogene. The evidence points to it having been caused by the massive asteroid impact in the Yucatan area of Mexico which led to the mass extinction of the dinosaurs and the majority of other animal species all over the world.

The distance from the pool to the site is no more than 2.5 kilometres, so it’s not a very gruelling walk!

September 26 and 27

A series of open doors days in all the museums of Caravaca, with free admission to all of them. For many the most attractive options will include the Museo de la Fiesta, where you can experience in virtual reality the annual fiestas and the Running of the Wine Horses which take place in early May.

Sunday September 27

12.30: The latest concert in the Conciertos Sentidos cycle at the Blanco Fadol Ethnic Music Museum in Varranda, featuring a performance by Almasäla from Andalucía. Admission is free of charge.

11.00: “Berta y Beltrán en el Camino de la Cruz”, story-telling for children aged 6 to 10 in the Centro de Acogida al Peregrino – to reserve places call 968 705620.

10.30, 11.00, 12.00 and 12.30: Visitors are allowed to climb the tower of the magnificent parish church of El Salvador, admission free of charge.

For more local news, events and visiting information contact the local tourist office (telephone 968 702424) or go to the home page of Caravaca Today.