An introduction to Torre Pacheco

Torre Pacheco's economy revolves around 2 key activities: agricultural production and residential tourism, supporting an extensive services sector with a large number of associated businesses. The municipality has around 30,000 inhabitants and is part of the Comarca del Mar Menor, although it has no beaches of it's own, surrounded by other municipalities: to the North, Murcia, to the East and West, Fuente Álamo, to the South with Cartagena, and also to the East, with Los Alcázares and San Javier.

This proximity to the Mar Menor, and being within Murcia which is the sunniest mainland Autonomous Community in Spain, has made it particularly attractive to residential property developers, and Torre Pacheco is the home to the most important residential urbanisations in the Region, amongst them the Polaris World Resorts, with a large International population.

Whilst it's proximity to the San Javier Airport, as well as the new Corvera International Airport, have helped to develop it's tourism activities, good road connections have assisted with the development of it´s other main activity: agriculture.

The main bulk of the lands within Torre Pacheco are flat, with rich soils, and are intensively farmed to produce a large quantity of fruits and vegetables, the melon being one of the principal products and most important export crops, although lettuces, broccoli, artichokes, peppers and courgettes are also frequently grown.

It also has an active services sector, including the IFEPA exhibition centre, which holds major events and shows throughout the year.

The history of Torre Pacheco was defined by it's flat countryside, with only one point of strategic advantage looming over the flatlands: the Cabezo Gordo.

This, however, is home to one of the most important archaeological sites in Europe, the Sima de las Palomas, which has yielded remarkable finds relating to the Neanderthals.

There are signs of Roman occupation in agricultural villas  during a period between 200BC and 300 AD, then very little until the Middle Ages when the families who gave their names to the area arrived and important senorial houses were built in the countryside, such as in Roldán.

The municipality was formed in 1813, and continued to rely on agriculture, evidence of this being the windmills which still survive today, amongst the most important being the Molinos del Pasico and  del Tío Pacorro.

Torre Pacheco enjoys a good programmes of cultural activities and Fiestas, with a fully equipped auditorium, the CAES centre offering all year round concerts and cultural activities. Each October Torre Pacheco celebrates it's Fiestas Patronales in honour of the Virgen del Rosrio, there are Fiestas in the Pedanías, with substantial events in Dolores de Pacheco and Roldán, the Fiestas of the Trinitarios y Berberiscos fills the streets with Pirates and Knights, there are activities relating to the milling history and windmills of the municipality, as well as the important Flamenco festival of Lo Ferro.

The municipality also has a busy sporting programme of activities.

Location

Click for map, Torre Pacheco.

TORRE PACHECO