Route of the Argar
The Argar Route connects Lorca (Murcia) with the Levant Way in Albacete. A Jacobean route through the unknown and surprising southeastern peninsula.
Organize your Route of the ArgarGeneral Description of Route of the Argar
Connections of Route of the Argar
East Coast Road
Distance:
815 km
Days:
33
Difficulty:
High
The Levante Way is one of the major Jacobean routes in the Peninsula. It connects Valencia with the Silver Road in Zamora, allowing for continuation to Astorga to join the French Way. Its route, over 800 km until Zamora, traverses the Central Plateau, passing through Castile-La Mancha and Castile and León.
It is a long and demanding route, especially in summer. It offers a deep immersion into interior Spain, with its vast landscapes and historic cities like Toledo and Ávila. Due to its length and the variability of services in some areas, it requires excellent planning.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: Valencia to Algemesí
Stage 2: Algesiras to Xàtiva
Stage 3: Xàtiva to Moixent
Stage 4: Moixent near The Fountain of the Fig Tree
Stage 5: The Fountain of the Fig Tree to Almansa
Stages of Route of the Argar
Etapa 1: Lorca to Zarcilla de Ramos
Description:
This stage offers a long and pronounced descent from the high mountain to the valley of the River Sarria. The profile is demanding for the knees, but the landscape is of great beauty. The route passes...
Origen: Lorca
Destino: Zarcilla de Ramos
Etapa 2: Zarcilla de Ramos to La Encarnación
Description:
This is the first part of the stage that joins Sarria and Portomarín. The route is a continuous rise and fall through rural Galicia at its most typical, through "corridors" shaded by oaks and beeches....
Origen: Zarcilla de Ramos
Destino: La Encarnación
Etapa 3: La Encarnación to Moratalla
Description:
This stage completes the journey from Sarria. The profile continues to be an ongoing up and down through Galician countryside. The final stretch involves a pronounced descent into the valley of the Mi...
Origen: La Encarnación
Destino: Moratalla
Etapa 4: Moratalla to Socovos
Description:
This is the first part of the stage that connects Portomarín and Palas de Rei. The route starts with a continuous but gentle ascent to the Ligonde Hills. The path passes through pine and eucalyptus fo...
Etapa 5: Socovos to Elche de la Sierra
Description:
This stage completes the journey from Portomarín. The profile is a continuous rise and fall through the Ligonde Mountains. The path traverses a landscape of forests and villages. The pilgrim will pass...
Origen: Socovos
Destino: Elche de la Sierra
Etapa 6: Elche de la Sierra to Riópar
Description:
This short stage joins two of the most important villages on the Camino in Galicia. The route is a continuous rise and fall through a rural landscape of great beauty, with forests and villages. The hi...
Origen: Elche de la Sierra
Destino: Riópar
Featured Towns of Route of the Argar
Explore the key towns and cities of this route.
Lorca
The City of a Hundred Scales and starting point of a branch of the South Route, its imposing Castle and Baroque heritage offer a monumental start to the route in Murcia.
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Zarcilla de Ramos
Pilgrimage in Lorca in a peaceful rural setting. Zarcilla of Ramos is a stop on the Way of Argar that offers the pilgrim the peace and authenticity of Murcia's countryside.
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La Encarnación
Parish of Caravaca de la Cruz on the Camino del Argar. The Encarnation stands out for its Baroque church and its natural surroundings, a stop with heritage and tranquility.
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Moratalla
Murcia villa on the Southeastern Way, dominated by its medieval castle fortress. A mountain enclave with a rich heritage of rock art in its surroundings.
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Socovos
Albacetan municipality in the Sierra del Segura. Socovos, with its ruined castle and mountainous surroundings, is a stopover with history and nature on the Camino del Argar.
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Elche de la Sierra
Albacetean villa in the Sierra de Alcaraz. Elche of the Sierra is a stop with services on the Camino del Argar, famous for its straw carpets during the Corpus Christi.
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Riópar
Birthplace of the River Mundo. Riópar, in the Sierra de Alcaraz, is a spectacular stop on the Camino del Argar, a nature paradise with one of Spain's most beautiful river birthplaces.
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Vianos
Mountain village in the Sierra de Alcaraz. Viñuelas offers pilgrims of the Argar Way spectacular panoramic views and the tranquility of high Albateen Sierra.
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Viveros
Albacetan municipality in the plain. The viveros on the Camino del Argar is a rural stop that offers a peaceful rest in the transition from the mountains to the Manchegan plain.
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Lagunas de Ruidera
Water oasis and life in La Mancha. The Las Lagunas of Ruidera Natural Park is a natural spectacle and a beautiful stop on the Camino del Argar.
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Tomelloso
Heart of La Mancha and wine city. Tomelloso, with its "bombos" and cellars, is a key stop on the Camino del Argar to discover the culture of wine and art.
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Alcázar de San Juan
Heart of La Mancha and cradle of nobles. Alcázar de San Juan, with its windmills and heritage, is a stopover with a deep Cervantine flavor on the Argar Route.
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Madridejos
Toledo village with an important heritage. Madridejos, on the Route of the Argar Way, is a service center with a rich artisan tradition and an animated atmosphere.
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Mora (Toledo)
Famous for its Olive Festival. Mora, in the province of Toledo, is a gastronomic and cultural stop on the Camino del Argar, at the heart of the Toledo Hills region.
More InformationMillenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Route of the Argar
Discover the origins and evolution of Route of the Argar
The Region of Murcia was for centuries a land of borders, first between Christian kingdoms and Islam, and then between the Crowns of Castile and Aragon. After the Reconquista, much of its territory was entrusted to the Order of Santiago for defense and administration. The presence of the Santiago knights imbued the region with a strong Jacobean devotion. For pilgrims from these lands, the journey to Galicia was a colossal undertaking, and they needed a route that connected them securely with major interior roads.
The Way of Argar was born to fulfill this function. Starting from the historic city of Lorca, with its imposing "Fortaleza del Sol", the path heads northwest, in a progressive ascent from Murcian lowlands to the meseta. The spiritual high point of the entire route and one of its most important historical keys is the city of Caravaca de la Cruz. Caravaca is not just any place; it is one of only five cities in the world, along with Jerusalem, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, and Santo Toribio de Liébana, that enjoys the privilege of celebrating an Año Jubilar forever. The Basilica of the Vera Cruz of Caravaca holds a splinter of the "Lignum Crucis" in a relicary crucifix form. For many pilgrims from the region, the ideal journey consisted of a double pilgrimage: first to Caravaca to venerate the Cross and then continuing on to Santiago to honor the Apostle. The Way of Argar is therefore the bridge that unites these two powerful centers of faith.
After leaving Caravaca, the path traverses the western Murcian mountains and enters Castile-La Mancha through Albacete province. It passes by historic villages such as Hellín and Tobarra, famous for their Semana Santa tamboradas, a tradition deeply rooted in popular culture. The landscape, often dry but of austere beauty, contrasts strongly with the green trails of northern roads.
The final objective of the route is to converge with the Levante Route, one of the major Jacobean paths coming from the Mediterranean. The point of union usually is the historic village of Chinchilla de Montearagón or La Roda in Albacete. Once there, the Way of Argar pilgrim joins a larger flow of walkers to continue on the long journey towards the Vía de la Plata and finally to Santiago.
The recovery of this itinerary by friend groups of the Camino has rescued a route of great historical and spiritual value. Walking the Way of Argar is an exigent and solitary experience, a journey through the history of borders, military orders, and deep devotion in southeastern Spain, uniting in one pilgrimage two of the most important jubilee destinations in Christendom.