Abanilla - the white city with the beautiful staircase - Murcia's Palestine - what to see in Abanilla

Abanilla is a village in the eastern part of Murcia, close to the border with the province of Alicante. It is perhaps best known for a beautifully decorated staircase that leads up to the top of a hill - Lugar Alto - where there is a tall statue of Jesus, a desert garden and the remains of an Arab castle. But it also has a beautiful church, picturesque town streets and several old buildings. A few kilometres away is also the Mediterranean desert of Desierto de Abanilla.

Abanilla was originally Arab, but became Catholic in 1281 after the Christians drove the Moors out of the area. The name Abanilla comes from Arabic and means the white town. Abanilla has 6,256 inhabitants (in 2025), of which about half live in the village and the rest in the surrounding areas. Almost ten percent are English citizens. The nickname "Murcia's Palestine" comes from the lush area along the edges of its riverbeds (ramblas). There are so many date palms that it resembles an oasis.

Carre Torreta with the painted stairs leading up to the sculpture Sagrado Corazón de Jesús

As a visitor, it is interesting to see the historic buildings Casa Pintada, Casa de la Encomienda and Casa Cabrera. In addition, you should see the city's healing water source La Fuente de la Calle Major, the church Iglesia Parroquial de San José, the large sculpture Sagrado Corazón de Jesús at the top of the hill, the sculptures Monomento de la Santísima y Vera Cruz and Monumento de las fiestas de Moros y Christianos. The biggest attraction is perhaps the beautifully decorated, long staircase up to the hill where the tall statue of Jesus is, and where you can find a desert garden and the remains of the old Moorish castle that once stood there. Otherwise, it is nice to just wander around the narrow streets, have a cup of coffee or a meal and enjoy the pleasant climate.

Begun in the 17th century and expanded in the 18th century, Casa Pintada was the mansion of the royal family of Enrique de Navarra. Its name means "painted house" and refers to the color of the house, which stood out from the other whitewashed houses.

Casa Cabrera from the 18th century was the house of the local commander who ruled most of the land and collected taxes in the Casa de la Encomienda.

La Fuente de la Calle Major has spring water that stays at 20 degrees Celsius all year round, is rich in sulfur salts and has a distinctive taste. The city's inhabitants have been getting their drinking water from here for many centuries.

The city hall is also a beautiful, old building.

The Iglesia Parroquial de San José was built in the late 18th century. It is located in the heart of the historic center of the village, and its tower is visible from most of the town.

The street with the beautiful staircase is also decorated with murals

The Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is an iconic monument that can be seen from afar in the city. It is located next to a desert garden where plants from deserts around the world have been collected.

A full 41 percent of the Earth's surface is desert. In the desert garden, you can study plants that have adapted to desert climates from different parts of the world. Since the climate and living conditions for plants are largely the same throughout the world in desert areas, evolution has led to the same plans being found in all deserts.

View of the city and surrounding plains from the desert garden at the top

Museum of the old city wall and the castle that once stood on top.

Mural of Lignum Crucis

Monumento a las fiestas de Moros y Cristianos was inaugurated on October 29, 2005

The Camino Lignum Crucis is a pilgrimage route that connects four places where the wooden cross used by the Romans to crucify Jesus is venerated and is an important relic for the Catholic Church. The four places are Granja de Rocamora, Abanilla, Ulea and Caravara de la Cruz. The route starts from Granca de Rocamora and ends in Caravara de la Cruz. If you start at the church in Abanilla, you can follow the "Camino 3 de Majo" route, which is a marked trail of two kilometers.

The Mediterranean desert Desierto de Abanilla is located just a few kilometers from the village of Abanilla and has a lunar-like landscape.

More excursions: www.turideer.com

Excursion of the week: The village of Abanilla in Murcia. The article describes what to see in Abanilla.

Getting there: Type Abanilla into Google Maps. When you arrive in town, follow signs to Centro or Centro historico.

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