DAY 1
Arrival in Murcia. Night in Hotel 4*.
DAY 2
Cycling the Orchards of the Region of Murcia: From Murcia to Mula through the badlands. The first stage will allow you to reach Mula by the greenway. First through the orchards around Murcia and along the Segura river. After passed by some interesting heritage sites you will reach the greenway in direction to Mula. The sceneries change : from the green orchards you will pass to the dry and desertic badlands between Molina de Segura and Albudeite. Arriving at Mula, the scenery change again with the vision of oranges, peaches and apricot trees. Night in Charming Inn.
- Cycling the Orchards of the Region of Murcia: From Murcia to Mula through the badlands. Distance: 54km. Difficulty: Easy.
DAY 3
During this stage, you will follow again the Pilgrim's Greenway, La Vía Verde del Noroeste, from Mula to Caravaca, making a stop in Cehegín to visit its old quarter. You will be riding one of the more interesting part of the greenway Vía Verde del Noroeste. Through fields and pine forest, the old railway cross tunels and bridges to enter progressively in the mountainous area of the Northwest county of the Region of Murcia. In Cehegín, you will make a detour to climb to the old quarter and discover the village. After returning to the Vía Verde del Noroeste, you will finally reach the city of Caravaca de la Cruz. The end o the stage will carry you by local roads until the awesome place where the hotel is, at the bottom of the valley of the river Argos. Night in Charming Inn.
- Mula to Caravaca, via the greenway Vía del Noroeste. Distance: 44km. Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 4
Cap to the Segura river and its green valley. The village of Moratalla, with its nice old quarter will be your first stop. The views from the church square are awesome. To reach Calasparra you need then to cross large olive trees fields until the valley of the Argos river, the same you crossed the day before. When you arrive in Calasparra, we recommend the visit of the castle to enjoy the nice views on the Argos and Segura rivers valleys. Night in Rural Inn.
- Caravaca to Calasparra via Moratalla and Valentín. Distance: 45km Difficulty: Moderate.
DAY 5
Headed to the Segura River: Calasparra to Cieza via the Alfonso XIII reservoir. Distance: 46km Difficulty: Easy. Bye-bye dry landscapes, you are going to change of sceneries with the discovering of the Segura river. Firstable, the Sanctuary of the Virgin de la Esperanza and its surroundings is a very nice beginning for your ride. Reach again Calasparra before riding towards the Alfonso XIII reservoir. A last climb and you go down until the Segura rvier valley, following the river banks, until Cieza. Night at Inn.
- Calasparra to Cieza via the Alfonso XIII reservoir. Distance: 46km Difficulty: Easy.
DAY 6
Through the Valle de Ricote, the last moorish valley. The Ricote valley was one of the last moorish reduct at the end of the Middle Age. The valley has some airs of Palestina, with a green mix of oranges trees, peaches and apricots trees and palm trees at the bottom of the valley, and brown colour mountains surrounding the landscape. You are going to cycle from village to another one, looking for the essence of this unknown corner of Southern Spain. After Abarán, Blanca, Ójos and Ulea, Archena marks the end of the valley: the horizon is more open and the landscape turns more urban. At the end of the route you will reach again the Contraparada, the birth place of the Orchards of Murcia. Night in Hotel 4*.
- Through the Valle de Ricote, the last moorish valley. Distance: 60 km Difficulty: Moderate.
DAY 7
End of the tour after the breakfast.
OPTIONAL RIDE IN CARAVACA - DAY 4
During this stage, you will discover the natural and cultural richness of the surroudings of Caravaca. Between irrigation ditches and elm groves, the route will take you from fountain to fountain, passing by Roman and Christian sanctuaries and unique places where Paleolithic, Argáric, Iberian, Roman and Medieval settlement traces coexist. Going out of the city of Caravaca by local roads, you will reach the Itinerario Ecoturístico Archivel-La Encarnación, a marked way that will guide you through rural villages and fields. From La Encarnación, you will go back to Caravaca following a GR red/white marked way. One nightt accommodation in a rural inn.
- 49 km. 5h by bike. Difficulty: Medium. Caravaca de la Cruz-Archivel-La Encarnación-Caravaca de la Cruz.
