The geographical location and history of this
municipality make it especially appealing. With four rivers
and two reservoirs Calasparra enjoys a privileged status, as
these waters are a source of attraction for visitors, not
only for the luxuriant countryside but also for the variety
of activities that are possible here (potholing, canyoning...).
Its more than six hundred years of existence and the
historical legacy it still preserves provide visitors with
numerous surprises: caves with rupestrian paintings,
declared World Heritage by the UNESCO, and archaeological
sites ranging from Palaeolithic to Hispano-Muslim, with
artefacts housed in the Archaeological Museum (former
Encomienda building).
A special mention must go to Nuestra Señora de la
Esperanza, or Our Lady of Hope, the patron saint of
Calasparra, whose Shrine excavated in the rock face forms
part of a beautiful spot on the banks of the Segura.
Rice is another of the attractions in this
municipality; the quality of the different varieties has
given Calasparra rice worldwide fame (the first rice in
Spain with Denominación de Origen).