Lorca

The city lies on a Mediterranean transit route, which has contributed to the relevance of Lorca for centuries. There is no clear evidence as to when the city was actually founded, but some traces point back to its existence in the first century BC Lorca is the third largest city in the region after Murcia and Cartagena. Numerous documents mention the town we know as Lorca. One of them refers to Eliocroca (city governed by the Sun), while others indicate the name comes from the Arab period, when it was known as Lurqa (the battle).

The city is known for the castle, a medieval fortress built between the 9th and 15th centuries, making Lorca an impregnable place in Southeast Spain. One of the main features of the castle are its defense towers, called Alfonsina and Espolón. But the city is much more than the castle; Easter in Lorca has been declared Festival of International Tourist Interest.  It is impossible to talk about Lorca's Easter without referring to Paso Blanco  (White Float) and Paso Azul (Blue Float).  Ever since the 15^th and 16^th centuries, these two brotherhoods have proudly walked their colored floats and split the hearts of locals who are either white or blue, no in-betweens.

The cuisine of Lorca is rather remarkable, as it has been influenced by different factors throughout its history: an Arab past full of spices, fruits and vegetables, products imported after the discovery of the Americas, as well as many hints from neighboring regions.

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