A Route through the Regional Park of El Valle from your property at La Manga Club

If you have a property at La Manga Club and you’ve been following our suggestions on how to enjoy the privileged surroundings of our golf resort, you already know how much the Region of Murcia has to offer: a fantastic natural environment, picturesque towns, tourism routes, and, of course, its traditions and cuisine. Today, for fans of hiking and walking routes, we have an itinerary through the Regional Park of El Valle, some 50 minutes by car from your property at La Manga Club. This ridges of this Protected Natural Area of the Region of Murcia constitute a natural and historical frontier between the Guadelentín Valley (through which the famous Huerta (orchard) de Murcia extends) and the flats of Cartagena with the Mar Menor in the background. If you’re planning a little escape, take note and prepare yourself for a special day in the middle of nature not far from your home at La Manga Club.

Plan your tourism route through the Regional Park of El Valle

To begin your route, we recommend that you set out early from La Manga Club and head to the Visitors’ Centre of El Valle, where you will find information about the area and everything you need to plan your day: itineraries and activities in this special place replete with fauna, flora, and plenty of history. The Park of El Valle and Carrascoy covers 17,410 hectares and is the primary natural area near the city of Murcia. At only 6 km from the metropolis, it’s a place for recreation and sport for Murcians from the capital. It has been declared a Special Protection Zone for Birds and a Place of Community Interest, and also stands out for the great biodiversity of its flora, which count approximately 600 distinct species of plants, some, like the Orejilla de Roca (Lafuentea rotundifolia) or the Giant Orchid (Barlia robertiana), of great singularity and beauty.

Hiking, thanks to the characteristics of the terrain, through which run numerous official walking trails both short and long, is one of the principal activities to engage in in the park if you want to dive into the depths and discover all its hidden natural treasures. Our first recommendation, after passing through the Visitors’ Centre, is to enter the Arboretum, an old forest nursery that has been converted into a botanical garden that contains some 600 plants of 108 different species. Continuing on, you’ll find the Wild Fauna Convalescence Centre, where injured wild animals are monitored, researched, and treated, then released back into the wild. It is possible to visit the centre, but we recommend that you book a visit in advance as the number of daily visitors is restricted. If you do have the opportunity to enter, you’ll see tortoises, wild boars, nutrias, eagles, and many other animals native to the area.

Very close to Convalescence Centre is the recreational area known as “La Balsa”, whose name derives from the large pond located there full of fish and turtles. There’s also a children’s play area, areas for picnicking, and a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious tapas and have a rest before continuing on your route. After a break at La Balsa, you can continue on through the Valle Perdido (the Lost Valley), another place well worth a visit that offers various leisure and sport activities. This valley is also replete with history. You can visit castles, an ancient site of the Iberian peoples, and of course the Our Lady of Fuensanta Sanctuary, where you can find the Virgin of Fuensanta, the main patroness of the city of Murcia.

These are just a few of the many fascinating things to do in the Regional Park of El Valle just a few kilometres from your property at La Manga Club, if you’re looking to spend a day with your family out in the middle of nature. There are also other prepared itineraries that will let you taste the colours and aromas of the Mediterranean, like the Route of the Umbrías of Santo Ángel and the Barranco del Sordo; the Rambla del Valle; the Rambla of the Puerto de La Cadena; or the cultural route “A Cada Paso una Historia” (“At every step a tale”). What are you waiting for? Start planning your visit to this natural area close to our golf resort and let yourself be surprised once again by the incredible natural and cultural heritage of the Region of Murcia.

If you need more information about routes, itineraries, and activities, visit the Murica Tourism website.