La Floración Cieza

5000 hectares of peach trees burst into flower for the spring

From the middle of February to the middle of April, the Murcian municipality of Cieza is transformed into a sea of sweet smelling pink and white as La Floración fills the orchards surrounding this attractive, riverside town.

Cieza is one of the prettiest, yet least known corners of Murcia, with a rich history of habitation, its flat fertile valleys and winding river overlooked by high craggy peaks, and the abandoned mediaeval Moorish city of Medina Siyasa, an area whose climate renders it perfect for stone fruit production, peaches being the crop most widely grown in this particular municipality.

La Floración is the season when hundreds of thousands of peach trees burst into blossom, filling the air with scent and creating one of the most visually stunning displays of blossom in the whole of Murcia, giving a million reasons why this is the best time of year to dust off the camera, put on a pair of good walking shoes and head to Cieza for a spot of photography and to enjoy a pleasurable day out.

The Floración lasts for a period of several weeks and co-incides with the period of Semana Santa, at its most intense, so gives an added incentive to visit and witness one of the processions, combined with a walk in the orchards or a drive through the countryside. ( NB Easter changes every year so whether this co-incides with a good period of the floración will depend on when Easter falls.)The most intense displays are usually around the end of March, but this will depend on the climate each year and the different varieties grown, so contact the tourist office to see when the best weeks are likely to be in any specific year as the season unfolds.

An ample programme of activities are run during this period, the information normally published as the flowering season begins, and once the programme is received, it is generally translated and posted in the dedicated Cieza section. The programme generally includes visits to the main tourist attractions of the town, guided routes, a photographic competition and even a gastronomic selection of meals featuring Ciezan peaches on the menu.

There are also recommended routes which can be enjoyed by visitors independently, either on foot, in a car or on a bicycle, and the tourist office in Plaza de España, will be happy to supply leaflets, maps or advise on potential routes.( Click for walks and routes to see a selection. These can be followed at any time of the year but are at their most spectacular during La Floración).

The tourist office are able to arrange guides for special guided visits during the week for groups, as well as advise on local restaurants offering the special menus for the duration of La Floracíón, but there will be a charge to cover the guide costs.

Tourist office: Plaza de España, Cieza .Telephone 968 453 800 Click Cieza tourist office to make a booking, for telephone numbers or contact via email.

The full programme of meals, fixed routes, and full information about the places to be visited are shown on La Floración. Click here for La Floración