Silence is truly golden in Cabo Tiñoso. At least it is these days. In the past, its cliffs and coves were home to defensive artillery positions protecting Cartagena from marauding pirates and other invaders, but today they have a considerably less belligerent role enveloping the area’s picturesque nature reserve.
They are also home to a flagship eco-tourism project for visitors to the region who would like to disconnect and chill-out in a serene rustic getaway – away from Murcia’s more lively Costa Cálida coastal resorts.
Ecoturismo Cabo Tiñoso is a rural hotel retreat in the Sierra de La Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán mountain nature reserve. Only 20 minutes from Cartagena to the east and Mazarrón bay to the west, the hotel is located in a placid valley setting in the southernmost part of the Murcia region. The area is dotted with cycling and hiking routes, deserted coves hidden beneath soaring cliffs, and a rich diversity of Mediterranean sea life.
Guests are offered a relaxing experience that combines sustainability, nature conservation and a rural lifestyle centred on wellbeing, gastronomy and relaxation – leaving as minimal a carbon footprint as possible.
The accommodation comprises seven rural cottages (50 to 70 square metres, and suitable for three to five people) in former military residential buildings that retain their robust natural construction of stone and timber while being renovated to provide comfortable modern amenities including a lounge area, kitchen/office, bathroom and either one or two bedrooms.
In addition to a restaurant offering traditional Mediterranean cuisine, using local products slow-cooked in an impressive wood stove, the rural complex includes a pool, children’s play area, laundry, multi-use rooms with chimneys and fireplaces, and landscaped and vegetable gardens.
According to Ecoturismo Cabo Tiñoso’s Miguel M. Pérez-Guillermo Valdés, the idea was first conceived in 2003 as a pioneering initiative in Europe to offer guests eco- and agro-tourism as well as other activities that can be enjoyed throughout the year thanks to the region’s moderate Mediterranean climate and harmonious integration into the natural environment.
“Our objective is to highlight the importance of preserving both our rural and our cultural surroundings, and adopting an environmentally friendly model that offers healthy and energy-efficient tourism. The project’s spirit is based on providing rest and calm as an alternative to the confusion generated by our current pace of life.”
Main photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash; other photos supplied by Ecoturismo Cabo Tiñoso
