VALLE DE RICOTE, SPAIN

 

      RICOTE VALLEY

THE "MORISCO VALLEY"

A PARADISE TO DISCOVER

     Hi everybody! Here I am with my four-legged friends Vera and Quercus, and their human, a great two-legged friend of mine. 

They invited us to spend a wonderful day in ARCHENA, one of the villages located in RICOTE VALLEY, in the province of MURCIA, Spain.

Ricote Valley is a beautiful place full of palm trees, orange and lemon trees among many other types of trees, a wide array of fauna and many crops, all along the SEGURA RIVER. It is surrounded by small towns and villages with a noticeable Arab influence. 

Our friends showed us some of those wonderful places. For example, ARCHENA. This town is known as the Oasis of the Region of Murcia, where its mountains are fully covered by trees which surround its thermal baths known since the Roman age. So the most popular place to visit in Archena is its SPA resort.

Its water has healing properties and it comes out from the earth at 50 celsius degrees. Located in the "VIRGEN DE LA SALUD" chapel, this SPA resort is one of the most important tourist destinations in the Region of Murcia. Dogs are not allowed inside the facilities, but you can enjoy relaxing walks along its gardens and the river.

Or maybe, have a refreshing drink or a healthy meal at its CASINO, where dogs are welcomed.

Perhaps you prefer to swim in cold water, if so, you must take your humans to the RIVER BEACH of Archena. 

 Dogs are not allowed, but if you go when there are few people, you can take a quick bath. 

If after swimming in this river beach you feel like going for a walk, you can walk along one of the many trails that are nearby. 

If you and your human family like sports, then, you mustn´t miss the MEDIA MARATHON of Archena which takes place in March and extends 10 kilometers. 

On the other hand, if you like History and Archaeology, take your humans to the MUSEUM OF ARCHENA, to learn about the different civilizations and their cultures that have existed in this town.

Are you feeling like doing something exciting? If so, you can take your humans to the  KARTING TRACK "RICOTE VALLEY", where fun is guaranteed.

If it is lunch or dinner time, take your humans to EL CARRIL BAR where dogs are allowed in the outdoor area.

Another nice village to visit in Ricote Valley is OJÓS, a village with around 562 residents. Its name comes from the Arab word "Oxoxe", that means "the orchards' ambrosia". 

The most popular things to do in Ojós are:

• Visit the SAINT AGUSTIN CHURCH.
• Pass through the SUSPENSION BRIDGES ROUTE
• Walk around its streets full of colorful plants.

• Do some hiking to discover beautiful places like the SOLVENTE GORGE or the BRIDE'S WATERFALL.
• Take a picture at his MAN-MADE GEYSER.
• Go for a relaxing walk along the PALM TREES PROMENADE where you can find a 100-meter zip-line that crosses the Segura River. 

• Try some Murcian cuisine at ENCUÉNTRA-T or at JARDINES DE OJÓS among other LOCAL RESTAURANTS, where dogs are always allowed in the outdoor areas.

Finally, our friends took us to ULEA. It is located just next to Ojós, at the left side of the river bank. Its orchards are an example of the Arab influence with its irrigation systems and waterwheels. Although it is a little village, there are some interesting places to visit, such as the SAINT BARTOLOME CHURCH, the Constitution Square where you can see the PRIEST'S HOUSE designed by Gustave Eiffel in 1910....

... the VILLAR DE FELICES WATERWHEEL, or go HIKING to one of the many amazing trails that are around Ulea. 

If you and your four-legged family are hungry, you all can go to some of the BEST RESTAURANTS IN ULEA and try some local food, but make sure to try the most typical dish in Ulea EMPEDRADO made with read beans, rice, cauliflower, eggplant, spring garlic, potatoes, baby fava beans, artichokes, green beans, tomato and cod. 

This is all for today! As soon as I discover more exciting things to do in Ricote Valley, I will add them to this post.

Now... I'm going to play with my frisbee!

SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ADVENTURE!