Murcia’s popular “Wine Bus” is once again touring the region’s bodegas and vineyards but with one key logistical difference this year. The tours now begin in Alicante rather than in neighbouring Murcia, although they still cover the Costa Cálida’s three “denomination of origin” wine areas and routes: Bullas, Jumilla and Yecla.
Held on Saturdays, under the slogan “In Search of the Divine”, the wine-tourism routes were launched last weekend in Bullas and continue on 20 May in Jumilla. The following tours are scheduled for 27 May and 17 June in Yelca, and back in Bullas on 3 June.
Each trip costs €64, including transport, insurance, guided visits, wine tastings and restaurant lunches that “marry” wine and local cuisine. The starting point is Plaza del Mar in Alicante city, and bookings can be made here, on Tel. (+34) 968 078 958 or at travel agencies.
The Murcia region has more than 35,000 hectares of vineyards, and is the only single-province region in Spain with three “Protected Denomination of Origin” (D.O.P.) wine areas and three wine routes certified by the Spanish Association of Wine Cities (ACEVIN).
Alicante Wine Route
Tourists visiting Alicante and Murcia (the two capital cities are just one hour apart by road) can also explore the Alicante Wine Route.
According to the official Spanish Tourism website, the route offers an interesting tour of the Vinalopó regions in the south and La Marina in the north.
“The rich cultural heritage of these municipalities can be discovered through their wine. This route includes wineries where you can taste exquisite wine and find out more about how it is made. You can also taste traditional cuisine matched with wine in an avant-garde way, to delight your senses. This trip will enable you to stay in places surrounded by vineyards, explore historic quarters full of winding streets and discover the beautiful inland countryside.”
Shared Tourist Information in Alicante and Murcia
Alicante city and the Murcia region have reached an agreement to exchange information in their respective tourist offices about both destinations.
The office in Alicante’s Paseo del Puerto already offers information about Murcia’s gastronomy, and Murcia is planning to reciprocate the service soon.
If you would like to rent a car to travel around Alicante province and its Costa Blanca resorts, and further afield to Murcia and the Costa Cálida, check out our comprehensive comparison service.
