November 1 Free Mysteries and Legends dramatized guided tour of Yecla for Halloween
Learn about the hidden secrets of local lore in the town centre of Yecla
Over the course of the last couple of decades Halloween has become one of the most important dates in the calendar of Spain and the night before All Saints’ Day is now celebrated all over the country in a variety of ways.
In Yecla, for example, the tourist office is marking the Saturday evening immediately after the big day with this free dramatized guided tour of the old town, bringing to life some of the legends and mysteries of local lore. Members of the Tras El Telón dramatics society take participants on an evening trip around the town centre while the guide explains the significance of certain streets, walls, histories, stories and legends, some of them barely known even by the locals of Yecla, bringing a very different perspective to a town known mostly for the quality of its wine, the spectacular fiestas held every year early in December (which have just been awarded International Tourist Interest status) and the broad mountainous landscape of the area.
The tour begins at 19.30 in the Plaza Mayor and is expected to last for approximately 3 hours, finishing in time for dinner in once of the welcoming local restaurants. Registration is entirely free of charge and will become available online here as of 3rd October: hurry as places on all guided visits in Yecla are regularly snapped up in no time at all!
More visiting information is available from the tourist office of Yecla (email turismo@yecla.es) or, for more local events, news and visiting information in English, go to the home page of Yecla Today.
Address
Plaza Mayor, Casa de los Arcos, s/n 30510 YECLATel: 968 754 104
Oficina de Turismo de Yecla
In early 2025, due to renovation work at the usual office, the service is located on the other side of the Plaza Mayor at Calle Epifanio Ibáñez nº 2 (click for map).
Yecla is a large municipality in the north of the Region of Murcia, home to just under 35,000 people, and these days is best known for its wines, which enjoy Denomination of Origin status, and its furniture production, which has its origins in the abundance of pine trees on the mountainsides and the high plateaux.
While visitors in the 21st century may be attracted primarily by wine tourism, the town (or city, as it was proclaimed in 1878) also has a wide historical, cultural and natural heritage, and an identity quite different from the coastal areas of the Region of Murcia. For this reason it is often grouped together with its neighbour and fellow wine-producing area Jumilla as part of the Altiplano area.
Yecla borders with Castilla-La Mancha and the Region of Valencia and is closer to Alicante coastal areas than much of Murcia. These visitors come to see the historic old town itself - an atmospheric and interesting place, crammed full of history - the natural beauty of Monte Arabí, with stunning views for those who enjoy the outdoors, the gastonomy and of course the wine route.
Yecla boasts cave paintings from 10,000 years ago in Monte Arabí, a Bronze Age settlement at El Arabilejo, Iberian remains in El Pulpillo and a Roman administrative centre at Los Torrejones as well as the remnants of the 11th century Moorish castle on the hill behind the town. More modern (and complete) testimony to the past are the buildings in the town centre, which include the grandiose Basílica de la Purísima, with its striking blue dome, the archaeological museum and the attractive Plaza Mayor, where the 16th century Town Hall stands alongside the Renaissance Casa de los Alarcos, the clock tower and the old grain store.
The tourist office holds a full selection of leaflets, maps, pre-planned routes, accommodation and restaurant options and information about visiting Yecla for both individuals and groups.
There is parking close to the tourist office, although those driving to Yecla for the first time are advised to park in Calle Perales.
For further information go to the home page of Yecla Today.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday 8.00 to 15.00
Saturdays 10.30 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 19.30.
Public holidays 10.30 to 14.00
Click for map, Yecla tourist office
