Carmen del Campillo

This tearoom is famous in Alicante and Murcia, although it is difficult to get there. I'll try and explain the route to get there a bit further on.

It's not a decorated tearoom which offers teas and other similarly styled products, but it's an authentic Moorish house in quite a big enclosure.

There are gardens, fountains and other "things" all over the place.

As well as seeing the gardens, you can choose to sit inside the main house or outside. There are a lot of tables with chairs as well as cushions on the floor and rugs to sit and have something to drink, although if you don't have back problems, I believe the best option is the cushions, since they complete the experience.

Furthermore, there are cats and peacocks throughout the tearoom! Although the peacocks are not easy to spot, I was lucky enough to see them the first time I went, but not every other time.

You have the choice between a large variety of hot infusions, milkshakes and other refreshments and during the summer, they also have iced tea. To eat, there are Arab sweets and sometimes they give you some wafer biscuits with chocolate in the middle (for free) to accompany your refreshments.

The entrance fee to the Moorish house includes a drink, but the entrance has a minimum tariff of around 6€ or 7€ and if you order more drinks or sweets, the price will go up. You pay at the exit with a piece of paper (which they use to keep track of what you've ordered) that they give you.

I recommend that you go when it's still light outside and you can see everything as it's getting dark, as well as enjoying the tearoom at night, since they put some candles out which is really nice. Since you have to pay an entrance fee, it's not a place to just go for an hour and then leave.

They're open all year round even though it's better to go in spring or summer so you can enjoy the gardens. From July to September, they open every day from 6 in the afternoon. From October to July, they open everyday except for Mondays and Tuesdays, and you can go from 4 in the afternoon.

How to get there by car: go down the A-7 motorway and take the 529 exit and you'll come to the N-340 going towards "Albatera-Murcia". You have to follow this road for a few kilometres until you get to an area where there is a petrol station on the left and another one on the right; there, you turn to the right onto asphalted road. When on this road, you'll see a very pronounced curve, very close by there is road on the right next to the irrigation canal, turn there. Follow the road and when you pass some chalets which are on either side of the road, turn to the right onto a one-way road and you'll arrive at the parking lot and you will see the entrance, although initially you don't recognise it, being in the middle of nowhere, it's not difficult to realise you're actually there. (If you want more information, have a look at their website Carmen del Campillo).