Mula is a town in the heart of the Murcia region, built on the slopes of a hill crowned by a sixteenth-century castle, with an old quarter of narrow streets, noble houses and churches. Around it, a dry landscape of hills, ravines and badlands opens out, with orchards and olive groves along the river. The Cejo Cortado, a name meaning the cut brow, refers to a rocky escarpment with prehistoric shelters about seven kilometres from the town, between Mula, Albudeite and Ricote.
The shelters of the Cejo Cortado contain paintings in the Levantine and schematic styles, part of the UNESCO-listed group, and they are among the most important in the Murcia region. The figures include hunters and animals. The site is protected, and visits can be arranged through the local authorities. The area around Mula is also rich in other archaeological sites, including the Iberian sanctuary of El Cigarralejo, whose finds are displayed in a museum in the town, with an important collection of Iberian sculpture and pottery.
Mula is famous in Spain for its drums. On the night of Holy Tuesday to Wednesday, thousands of people in the town beat drums through the night, a deafening and moving tradition that is part of a wider custom in this part of Spain. The nearby village of Ricote, in the Valle de Ricote along the Segura river, was the last stronghold of the Moriscos, the descendants of Muslims, before their expulsion in the early seventeenth century, and the valley still has the irrigation systems and orchards they created.
The riding around Mula is excellent. The roads that cross the hills toward Pliego, the Sierra Espuña, Bullas and the Valle de Ricote are twisting and scenic, through a dry landscape of ravines and pine forest, with little traffic. The road through the Valle de Ricote, along the Segura, is a beautiful ride through orchards and palm groves. The surfaces are generally good. Summer heat is intense, so ride early or late.
Mula, about seven kilometres away, has fuel and all services. Local food includes the rice dishes of the region and the sweets of Holy Week. Spring and autumn are the best seasons.