Lorca sits at the edge of the Guadalentin Valley in southeastern Spain, a city whose skyline is still dominated by the fortress that has watched over it for a thousand years. The Castillo de Lorca, perched on the hill above the old town, dates back to the Islamic period and remains the city's defining landmark. Below it, the streets are lined with a striking collection of Baroque churches and noble houses that earned Lorca the nickname "the Baroque city" -- the Colegiata de San Patricio, the Plaza de España, and the Columna Miliaria all reward a slow wander through the centro histórico.
The city suffered badly in the 2011 earthquakes, which killed nine people and damaged many of its finest buildings. The recovery has been long but genuine, and Lorca has used the reconstruction as an opportunity to restore and improve its historical center. Some buildings are still being worked on, but many of the major landmarks have been beautifully brought back. There is a certain resilience to this place that adds depth to its considerable charm.
Lorca really comes alive during Semana Santa, when the city puts on one of the most spectacular Easter processions in Spain. Two rival brotherhoods -- the Blancos and the Azules -- compete with increasingly lavish biblical floats and costumes embroidered with real gold and silver thread. The rivalry is fierce and good-natured and the whole city gets involved. If you can time your visit for Holy Week, do it. Outside of festival time, the castle complex is the main draw: the visitor center is modern and well done, with exhibitions on the city's layered Jewish, Muslim, and Christian past. The surrounding countryside is dry and rugged, and the Sierra de la Tercia offers some good hiking with very few other walkers around.