Are you thinking of travelling to a town that, if possible, has a mix of nature and culture that will make you experience rural tourism first hand? Then your destination is Albacete and, specifically, the village of "Nerpio".
Enjoying your holidays here is very easy as it brings together all those things that we look for when we travel, with some extras that will surprise you. Did you know that the sky in "Nerpio" is one of the cleanest in the world?
A five star trip. Or more. And the fact is that its low levels of pollution makes it one of the favourite places for those who want to observe the stars. In fact, it was the site of Europe's first observatory hostel, attracting many astronomy lovers from all over the continent.
And going down bellow to the ground, we find ourselves in the town centre of Nerpio, a group of narrow streets with impressive views of the "Sierra del Segura". Furthermore, a stroll through this area will take you to unforgettable places where you will travel back in time.
You probably don't know it yet, but this area is home to the largest concentration of rock art in the Iberian Peninsula! Imagine the history of this Mediterranean Arc of Rock Art. So much that it has been a World Heritage Site since 1998.
In the town you can visit more than 40 sites, among which we would like to highlight the "Torcal de las Bojadillas" and the "Solana de las Covachas", where hunting scenes are depicted on the walls dating from the Neolithic period.
And a little more recent, from the period of Muslim rule, is another of the landmarks of its heritage: the Castle of "Taibilla", very close to the reservoir called after this castle. From the distance you can make out the "Torre del Homenaje", an imposing construction which vultures have now made their habitat.
Also in the centre of the town is the "Plaza Mayor" square, and the "Purísima" parish church. In the first place you can enjoy the gastronomy of "Nerpio", where the most important dishes are "migas, atascaburras and ajo pringue", among others, as well as some delicious sweets made from walnuts, with Designation of Origin.
To conclude a visit to Nerpio, you have to explore every corner of the town in depth, starting with its hiking trails. One of the best known is the "Zarzalar" Route, which is a path that starts in the centre of the village and takes you along the course of the river. Get ready to be amazed by the views from its footbridges and enjoy 8 kilometres of stunning nature.
Another of Nerpio's interesting routes is the "Sendero de los Nogales Centenarios" (Hundred-year-old Walnut Tree Trail), with more than 30,000 of these trees in the area and a unique one: the "Plantón del Covacho", which is considered to be the largest walnut tree in the whole of the European continent. You can see many of them on this circular route, which covers more than 21 kilometres of pure beauty.
As you can see, we weren't lying, Nerpio is the ideal place to enjoy rural tourism in a unique setting. Hurry up to book the perfect rural accommodation and start your adventure!
