Location

Mar de Cristal

The seafront has several restaurants and bars.  The beach is clean and sandy and the Mar Menor is very shallow and warm.                 

There are 4 tennis courts in the area.  Bike hire is available on the beach front and there are 2 small supermarkets, one with internet access.

Situated 10 minutes drive from the famous La Manga Club which has shops, restuarants, bars and supermarkets.

The Costa Calida (the Warm Coast)

The Costa Calida enjoys superb weather with 315 days of sunshine per year. Even in Winter there is an average temperature of 18⁰ C.  The warm waters of the Mar Menor (an inland sea) offer a wealth of water sports, with sandy beaches which gently slope into the sea and has several golf courses within a short drive. There are numerous typically Spanish villages offering quality accommodation with restaurants serving the 'catch of the day' and traditional Spanish menus with evening entertainment in the many local bars.

The Costa Calida is an area steeped in history. Murcia, the regions capital, only a short drive away with it's narrow streets, dating back to 831 AD and magnificent Cathedral along with the cosmopolitan shops, is an ideal location for a break from sun bathing.

Inland offers conservation areas with a wide range of bird life, horse riding, cycling, walking, climbing, trekking and the chance to savour the rural sights.  The area is an historical adventure with cave dwellings and paintings, incredible architecture and museums.  A perfect place for an energetic or relaxing holiday.

There are 2 airports - San Javier, which is situated on the north shore of the Mar Menor and the El Altet airport at Alicante, which is approximately 11 kilometres west from the City with easy access to the A7 motorway.

The city of Cartagena is only an hours drive away, the old Roman Theatre and paved Roman roads can still be seen, along with the National Museum of Maritime Archaeology offers an insight into shipping in the days long since gone. Whilst driving along the lemon grove lined roads into the Murcian hills, many traditional Spanish villages can be found with their village markets and traditional restaurants, along with the friendly locals tempting you to enjoy a glass of sangria.  There really is something for everyone in the Costa Calida.

La Manga Club Resort

Famous all over the world, La Manga Club resort gives you a taste of five star luxury. The world class golf and tennis facilities are there to use, as are a wide range of restaurants, bars, shops and supermarkets.

La Manga del Mar Menor (La Manga strip)

La Manga Strip is a narrow stretch of land, with an average width of 300 meters and is 22 kilometres long. The strip separates the Mar Manor and the Mediterranean Seas and has 42 kilometres of beaches providing a wide range of water sports. An abundance of hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and leisure facilities are available on La Manga strip making this a most popular holiday destination.

There is a health centre for non residents and emergencies in the Zoco area.  On the strip you can rent bikes, boats or cars.  There is a primary school, college, language schools and water sports activities. 

Cabo de Palos

Cabo de Palos is a pretty Spanish fishing village with a number of fantastic fish restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, banks, supermarkets, scuba diving school, water sports, local Doctor, Guardia Civil and Police. This "rocky outcrop" into the Mediterranean has beaches on either side and an 18th century lighthouse with wonderful views along the La Manga strip.  A short drive from the village are a wealth of little bays and beaches to be discovered on the nature reserve of Calblanque. Cabo de Palos boasts the largest market (held every Sunday morning) where you can find everything from handbags to carpets, shoes, fruit and vegetables.

Los Nietos

Los Nietos is a short drive from Mar de Cristal. The sandy beach stretches the length of the village and looks out onto a marina and the Mar Menor.

Los Belones

Just a few minutes drive from Mar de Cristal, with shops, restaurants, bars, pub, internet cafe.

The Historic City - Cartagena

The year 223 BC is generally given as the founding of the city.  Ocean cruisers and tall ships come into the magnificent port where you can find the prototype of Isaac Peral's submarine built in 1888.

One of the most important thoroughfares is Calle mayor by the port with fine buildings, restaurants and shops.

As you come in to Cartagena from the motorway you will see the hypermarket Carrefour (this is like Tesco/Sainsburys) on the right.  Further down on your left is the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall).  In 2004 a new department store, Cortes Ingles, was opened.  Cartagena is the nearest city to the Mar Menor and if you like history, you will love Cartagena.

Calblanque

Nature reserve with sand dunes and beaches.

Los Alcazares

Named after the palaces overlooking the coastline here in medieval times.  It has 7 kms of sandy beaches and a promenade with several cafes dotted along.  The average annual temperature of the sea is 18 degrees C.  the town centre is very near the coast and there is a tourist office on the N332 at the northern end.  Here there is a community centre called the Claris Centre with various activities for all nationalities including Spanish classes for local residents.

The shallow waters of the Mar Menor (maximum 7 metres) make if safe bathing and the high concentration of salt and iodine form a unique environment and make the sea a therapeutic remedy for ailments.

The beaches are (from north to south) - Las Salinas, Las Najerjos, Las Palmeras, Espejo, Manzanares, Carrion and La Concha.  Some of these beaches have been awarded the blue flag.

In Los Alcazares there are several small hotels, plenty of restaurants, cafes, shops and banks.

Inland there are many golf courses and place of interest such as Torre (Tower) del Rame, and Arab fortress which existed in the 13th century or Hotel Balneario La Encarnacion, built in 1904 with it's famous spa baths and curative properties.

Santiago de la Ribera

Santiago de la Ribera was founded in the late 19th century as a retreat raised in honour of the apostle James.  It is now the residence of the Officers of the General Air Academy.

Santiago is on the Mar Menor and has a superb beach and in the summer is very much a tourist attraction.

San Javier

San Javier owes it's heritage to the same saint and originates from the 17th century.  It has an open air theatre in the summer with performances from leading show business personalities.  There is a pretty square called the Plaza de Jose Maestre with the church of San Francisco Javier.

Murcia airport is here.

San Pedro del Pinatar

Local people decided to build a church dedicated to Saint Peter in the 17th century, in a pine forest.  This site is now called San Pedro del Pinatar.  The Phoenicians and Romans once settled here as the area was well know for it's  saltworks.  There are several buildings worth a visit, such as the Sea Museum and the Clock House (Casa del Reloj) where Emilio Castelar, one of the 4 presidents, died and is now a restaurant.

Lo Pagan

Famous for it's mud baths with therapeutic properties.  In the marshland areas you can see flamingos.  There is Calcetera mill, showing how wind power was once used to grind salt.