June 1 to 9 Moors and Christians fiestas in Jumilla
The Moros y Cristianos return to the fiestas calendar of Jumilla after an absence of 5 years
The fiestas of the Moors and Christians have a long history in the town of Jumilla, with records showing that they were celebrated at least as long ago as 1614, and during the first years of this millennium they were included within the annual fiestas during August.
However, for a variety of reasons they have not been held since 2019 – until this year, that is, when they have been moved to a new slot in the local calendar. As a result, the celebration of the times when the Moors were ousted from Jumilla to be ruled over by Christian governors are taking place from June 1 to 9.
The main events include the following:
Saturday June 1
20.30: A torchlit procession to the castle of Jumilla, where the keys to the city are delivered to the Honorary Mayor and flags are raised.
Sunday June 2
12.00: Opening speech and appointment of fiestas dignitaries at the Teatro Vico.
Friday June 7
A medieval market opens between the Arco de San Roque and the Plaza de Arriba, in the historic centre of Jumilla (open all weekend).
The Moors’ and Christians’ encampments are set up at the Mercado de Abastos (food market).
Saturday June 8
19.30: Musical procession, followed by the grand parade of the Moros y Cristianos, starting at the Arco de San Roque and reaching the Plaza del Rollo via the Plaza de la Constitución and Calle Cánovas del Castillo.
Sunday June 9
21.00: The parley between the Moorish and Christian ambassadors takes place at the encampment at the Mercado de Abastos.
When visiting Jumilla don’t forget to make your first port of call the local tourist office (Plaza del Rollo, 1, telephone 968 780237 / 663 300779, email oficinaturismo@jumilla.org.
For more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Jumilla Today.
Oficina de Turismo Jumilla
The tourist office in the centre of Jumilla is easily found by driving straight into the centre of the town along the Avenida de Murcia and following the signposts. The tourist office is alongside the Parque de Don Albano Martínez Molina, where there are a number of parking spaces.
Jumilla, in the north of the Region of Murcia, has become internationally famous over recent decades due to the quality of the wines produced in the municipality, and wine tourism has begun to attract visitors from other parts of Spain and the rest of Europe.
The tourist office is happy to provide a range of maps and leaflets showing the different bodegas which can be visited within the municipality. Some of these form part of the Rutas del Vino de Jumilla, the Jumilla wine route, and can either be visited as a guided tour or sell their produce directly to the public.(see feed below for more details)
However, the town and the surrounding countryside have plenty of other attractions for visitors, and the popularity of Jumilla wines is leading more and more people to discover other facets of the tenth largest municipality in Spain.
These include the spectacular countryside and birdlife in the Sierra del Carche, the historic remains which range from cave paintings and a Roman mausoleum to the castle, the Iglesia de Santiago, the Town Hall and the Teatro Vico, and the gastronomy: rich stews are accompanied not only by the wines of the area but also by Jumilla pears, which also enjoy Denomination of Origin status.
Tourism in Jumilla is not as seasonal as it is in the coastal areas of the Region of Murcia, but the town is at its liveliest during the fiestas in Holy Week and the August Fair, which incorporates the grape harvest celebrations and the Moors and Christians parades.
The Altiplano of the Region of Murcia, which consists of the municipalities of Jumilla and Yecla, is only just over an hour by car from the Mar Menor, Cartagena, Mazarrón, Torrevieja and Alicante, and anyone wishing to visit real inland Spain and world-class wineries is advised to include Jumilla in their schedule.
Opening hours
Summer
Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm
Monday closed
Winter
Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 7pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm
Monday closed
Click for full information about visiting the Jumilla municipality and its wine bodegas: Jumilla section