A peachy keen spring A peachy keen spring
Peach trees in Cieza, Murcia, Spain
Peach trees in bloom, Cieza, Murcia, Spain (© Juan Maria Coy Vergara/Getty Images)
Spring hits differently in Cieza. It doesn't gently unfold—it erupts with colour. Between February and March, this small city in Spain's Murcia region is the epicentre of 'La Floración,' the flowering of peach trees. In a matter of days, more than 12,000 acres (5,000 hectares)—Spain's largest municipal peach production—transform into the sea of colour we see in today's image.
Peaches are woven into Cieza's identity. Here, farmers build on ancient Roman techniques, refining the craft season after season. The fruit of their effort? The renowned Cieza Peach, a velvet-skinned, fragrant fruit that carries the sun, soil and history of the land.
For a few intense weeks, colour and scent pull visitors into the orchards, fuelling local markets, agritourism and celebrations like the 'Fiesta de la Floración.' As the blossoms fade, they leave behind the promise of harvests to come—and a sweetness that lingers well beyond spring.