Location Guide - Jumilla & Yecla

VERNON GRANT WRITES 

It has taken some considerable time but, at last, the province of Murcia is firmly on the "must buy there" map. The good people of Murcia now count British homeowners among their neighbours and friends – and the effusive welcome those new to Murcia have received has astounded some buyers.

Whilst the more southerly reaches of Murcia have long attracted British and Irish buyers to towns such as Fuente Alamo, it is clear that prospective purchasers are spreading their nets wider.

This most recent sea change in buying in Murcia has been witnessed by Debbie Jenkins, author of the book "Going Native in Murcia".

Living in the province has become a family affair for Debbie, her husband Marcus and her brother, Joe - all of whom have bought in the ever so pretty Moratalla. She confirms that she is not alone in buying property in the North West tip of Murcia.

She says: "One of the reasons more British and Irish people are moving here is simply because it is not unbearably hot all year round. We have beautiful seasons here and the rains, although infrequent, are very welcome when they do arrive.

"Further to the North there is the Ricote Valley, which was the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain, and is one of the most beautiful and undiscovered parts of Murcia, along the fertile plains of the river Segura. The region clings to its Arab heritage, as shown by the numerous remains from this period."

Jumilla and Yecla are now firmly on the homebuying map.

It is clear that more and more buyers are researching the area in greater detail. For example, they have discovered that if they live in the furthest reaches of Murcia, they are also close to the province of Valencia and not a million miles from the beaches of the Costa Blanca and Cities such as Alicante.

Jumilla was once the foremost region of Spain when it came to the production of wine. At some stage it lost its crown to La Rioja. Today there is a concerted campaign to tell the world about Jumilla wine.

As you drive around the countryside close to Jumilla it is clear that it has much in common with Rioja. It is, if you like, Rioja but without all the bells and whistles of the more famous wine producing region in the north of Spain.

Whilst wine from Rioja has become almost too popular for its own good – leading to some poor examples flooding the UK market – vintage Jumilla is still relatively unknown outside of Spain. Monastrell is one of its better known varieties. Bodegas such as Silvano Garcia have been producing fine red wines in Jumilla since 1925. Today they also produce Moscatel together with young White and Rose wines.

In mid August the Fiesta de la Vendimia culminates in a final night of revelry during which wine is thrown around like confetti. The fountains in the town release wine and not water. The party goes on late and we strongly advise that if you attend the final night of festivities you do not wear clothes you wish to wear again. Any white shirt or dress will be purple long before midnight.

Someone who is looking forward to participating in that fiesta is Sue McGinlay from London. She will be living in Jumilla from 2009 and has got to know the place in recent months.

She says: "If you want English breakfasts and Sunday roasts, this is probably not the area for you, though we discovered on our last visit that an Irish pub had just opened in the town. We don’t drive, so we have been checking out the public transport in the area. There is a frequent bus service to both Yecla and Murcia, with occasional buses to Hellin and Alicante. Prices on the Santa Ana development where we have purchased are very competitive. You would probably pay twice as much for the same property on the coast."

The new Santa Ana development is located just outside Jumilla. Two 18 hole championship golf courses, a plush hotel, many shops and a health spa will attract new money. Apartments and villas with mountain views are for sale. 3000 properties are being built for phase one of this enormous development. The first buyers, including Sue, should be moving in soon and upwards of 20.000 new inhabitants will follow her.

So the remoteness of the area is not off putting, even to someone who does not drive. Whether you are on foot, in the car or on one of the air conditioned coaches that travel the long, straight roads, one of the first things you notice is how green the countryside can be – even at the height of summer.

For example, around the town of Yecla there is mile upon mile of vines stretching out before you. The Yecla wine region covers an area of just under 5000 hectares and consists of seven vineyards that produce 50,000 hl of wine annually.

The town has a population of 30,824, many of whom are native Valenciano speakers. First appearances can be deceptive and at first sight it is not immediately clear why so many people want to live there. You approach the town via a long straight, and not particularly attractive road that is worthy of being called ‘furniture village.’ Approaching 50 stores and warehouses selling all manner of furniture line the road and anyone buying property near Yecla has no excuse for having their home unfurnished.

The town itself though is charming. Notable buildings include a half-ruined citadel, a modern parish church with a pillared Corinthian façade and the inevitable town hall standing in a pretty plaza. Yecla is not only famous for wine and furniture. It also produces fine olive oil and fresh fruit.

This is not the most affluent part of Murcia. The capital City is 100 kilometres away in distance, but a world away when it comes to atmosphere. Yecla is located in a far more sleepy corner of the province.

The region as a whole is sparsely populated. Following the expulsion of the Moriscos in the 17th century large parts of the country close to Yecla and Jumilla have remained uninhabited. Instead the areas have been used as pastureland and designated for agriculture use, predominantly as vineyards.

The mountainous area around and between Yecla and Jumilla is known as El Carche. In 1950 the population of the region stood at 3,000. Following an agricultural crisis only a few hundred people actually live there today. Many hamlets that once thrived, now stand completely abandoned. The majority of inhabitants have moved to Yecla, Jumilla and Pinoso.

The latter destination is worthy of mention and of visiting. It is actually in Valencia province, not Murcia. However, it is a little over sixty kilometres from both Murcia City and Alicante, so affording you the opportunity to choose which bustling City you wish to visit.

The main industries in Pinoso are vine cultivation and the extraction of salt and marble. It is surrounded by mountains and pine groves of the Sierra del Coto. Pinoso is a small rural town located next to Yecla and close to the Murcia-Valencia border. If the names of bars and cafes are anything to go by, there is already quite a thriving ex-pat community here.

One of the most pleasant on the eye towns in the region is Villena. It is world famous for the production of very high quality shoes – as is its closest rival when it comes to footwear, the Valencian town of Elda.Although Villena has a population of over 30.000 people, it does not feel crowded. It is very welcoming and has a homely feel to it.

The archaeological museum houses an important collection of valuable Iberian treasure. It includes sixty gold and silver pieces along with many prehistoric artefacts. Organised visits to the museum are by appointment only.

Villena was originally settled by Iberians and then lost to the Moors when they invaded the Iberian Peninsula. King James II of Aragon reclaimed the City in 1304.

It would be wide of the mark to suggest that there is now a full on invasion of this area by UK buyers. It is more of a sedate incursion. One fact is undeniable. Anyone travelling this far to look at property must be a serious buyer. Jumilla and Yecla are not places one can simply pop along to.

It takes time to reach these locations but is well worth the effort. In every respect, this is vintage Spain.