ARCHIVED - November 5 Wine bus trip to the town and a leading bodega in Bullas
The coach trip includes guided tours of Bullas and Bodega Balcona as well as lunch
Wine production is one of the pillars of the economy in northern and north-western Murcia and in recent years wine tourism has become a popular addition to the attractions of these areas, as more and more “bodegas” specialise not only in growing grapes and making wine but also in offering fascinating guided tours of their vineyards and wineries as well as wine tasting sessions.
At the same time, of course, a visit to the main production locations also provides an opportunity to see the towns themselves, and with this in mind the regional tourist board is resuming its Wine Bus service this autumn, organizing coach trips to visit some of the best wineries (and try the best wines) that Murcia has to offer.
An added benefit of these coach trips, of course, is that visitors do not need a designated driver!
The coach trips during the autumn are to the Wine Routes of Jumilla, Bullas and Yecla. In all three of these areas Denomination of Origin status has been awarded, and the trips depart from Cartagena and the city of Murcia.
The trip to Bullas on November 5 leaves from the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Cartagena at 8.00 and the Plaza Circular (at the bus stop outside Mercadona) at 9.00, arriving at the Museo del Vino in Bullas at approximately 10.00. There is then a guided tour of the fascinating museum, a guided tour of the town following the “Bullas 1900” route and a guided tour of the premises of Bodega Balcona.
The visit ends with lunch in the Asador del Noroeste.
Bookings can be made online here at the all-inclusive price of 59 euros per person.
For more upcoming guided tours and other events go to the What’s On section of Murcia Today.
Oficina de turismo de Bullas
The Tourist information office of the municipality of Bullas is located in the same building as the Museo del Vino, the Wine Museum, assisting in the promotion of the natural tourism of the area and specifically the wine produced in the area.
The Museo del Vino is a good place to start if you’re interested in visiting any of the Bullas Bodegas or sampling the DO Bullas wines.
D.O. Bullas wines are produced across an area of 5,500 hectares integrating 8 municipalities into the production of wine( Bullas, Cehegín, Mula, Pliego, Ricote, Calasparra, Caravaca, Moratalla and Lorca. The town achieved the D.O status (Denominación de Origen "Bullas",) in 1994.
The predominant grape variety is Monastrell, accounting for 80% of the total production of around 10 million litres per year, other varieties including Tempranillo, Macabeo, Airén, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sirah, Merlot and Garnacha.
The Museum of wine, (El Museo del Vino) is dedicated to the history of the production of D.O. Bullas wines, and also the techniques of winemaking. The museum runs a number of cultural activities throughout the year and exhibitions.
The Bullas tourist information office has maps, and information about the various Bodegas which sell directly to the public and can also help with local accommodation or restaurants.
Opening hours for Bullas Tourist information office:
Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am to 2pm; Closed Mondays
On the first Sunday of the month at the El Zacatín market, from 9am to 2pm
For more information about Bullas, go to the dedicated Bullas section, located at the bottom of every article page of the site, accessed via the map box. There is also daily information about the North-west area in the North-west Murcia section, which has daily news , what'son and general community information for the whole of the North-west area, also accessed via the map box, or the header at the top of the page. Select North-west Murcia.
Click for map, Bullas Tourist Office