Sierra de Ricote, Mountain range in Region of Murcia, Spain.

Sierra de Ricote is a mountain range in the Region of Murcia, about 300 km southeast of Madrid. It lies in the province of Murcia, and its climate is cool and variable, with an average annual temperature of 19 °C, July averages of 31 °C and January averages of 8 °C.

Sierra de Ricote lies in the Region of Murcia, about 300 km southeast of Madrid, in the province of Murcia. The Wikipedia source gives its climate as mild and somewhat humid, with an average annual temperature of 19 °C, July averages of 31 °C and January averages of 8 °C, and annual rainfall of about 346 mm.

The name Ricote comes from the Arabic Riqut, the settlement in the valley below the range. Terraced plots on the slopes are fed by acequias, open channels that carry water from springs and the Segura, and by norias, water wheels that lift it to higher fields. Orchards of apricot, peach and citrus still depend on this network.

Access is available through multiple marked trails with varying difficulty levels, from easy to demanding routes. Start early and bring sturdy footwear, as the paths have rocky sections and can be steep in places.

This mountain range contains the archaeological site of Medina Siyasa, which preserves intact street layouts and homes from medieval Islamic Spain. The remains reveal how people lived in a Moorish settlement during that era.