The Region

 

Flanked by the provinces of Alicante and Valencia to the north and Almeria and Granada to the west, the Murcia region has been one of Spain’s best-kept secrets – with the notable exception of La Manga Club.

 

The best way to explore the region is by hire car, giving you the freedom to come and go as you please. A 10 minute drive along the coast from La Manga Club will take you into the quaint fishing village of Cabo de Palos. You can sample exquisite seafood in the many traditional restaurants along the harbour front or visit the local market every Sunday morning. Drive through the village and take a look around the bays below the lighthouse that towers over the peninsular of La Manga. During the summer months the ‘Strip’, which stretches for thirteen miles, comes alive with busy restaurants and bars open until the early hours. Further up the ‘Strip’ you’ll find the ‘Tomas Maestre’ harbour where you can charter a yacht for the day. (Pre-bookable through our offices).

 

The two historic cities of Murcia and Cartagena offer insights into everyday Spanish life, as well as a rich legacy of art and contrasting cultures. Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Phoenicians and Moors have all left their mark.

 

The City of Murcia is only a 45 minute drive away from La Manga Club and is well worth a visit. Founded in around 831 AD by the moors in the centre of the River Segura Valley, the importance of the city over the years can be seen in the many beautiful cathedrals, palaces and other public buildings around its many narrow streets. Anxious to preserve its historical treasures as well as allowing visitors to marvel at their splendour, a variety of museums and exhibition centres exist all around the city. Walking towards the river, the visitor will encounter the ‘Glorieta de Espana’, always brimming with life and the City Hall that lies at its centre with its colourful facade. Crossing one of the 4 bridges, among them the Puente Viejo, a necessary stop on the way to the charming ‘Barrio del Carmen’ with a life of its own, almost entirely detached from the other side of the river. Murcia is well worth a visit, with shops including ‘El Corte Ingles’ (a 6 storey department store), restaurants and a lively nightlife especially during fiestas and carnivals.

 

A shorter 20 minute car journey either by motorway or through the old mining village of Portman (just a few miles behind La Manga Club) will take you into the Regions second largest city and the fascinating port of Cartagena, equally as encapsulated with charm and character with a history stretching back over 3000 years. It also offers modern fashion and Jewellery shops, traditional tapas bars and restaurants. The best view of the port is from Parque Torres, in the far distance are the lighthouses and traces of old fortifications that defended the entrance to the port for centuries. Further evidence of the coastlines ancient defences can be seen just a few miles from La Manga Club where an ascent by foot or by mountain bike along a guided trek behind the resort reveals the ancient ‘Portman Guns’. Built in the UK back in the 1900’s, these huge disused weapons are an incredible sight as they aim harmlessly out to sea. The hills either side of the resort can be explored by foot, by mountain bike and by horseback. Specially designed routes and guides take you to areas of natural beauty or to heights that offer stunning views across the Mediterranean or the Mar Menor.

 

La Manga Club’s unique location situated on the Costa Calida ‘The Warm Coast’ of Spain is naturally suited to miles and miles of sandy beaches. On one side the Mediterranean shoreline offers a rugged landscape of beach coves and sheltered bays with natural sandy beaches. On the other side the still inland lagoon of the Mar Menor sprawls over a 120 square kilometres and is divided from the Mediterranean by a 13 mile peninsula of land fondly known as ‘La Manga Strip’.

 

The region of Murcia holds so much more than some of the finest sports and leisure facilities in Europe. Explore the culture, indulge yourself in a cuisine full of imaginative dishes. Murcia offers the most varied sample of the gastronomy of the region, and fruitful wines that can be sampled in the regions many Bodegas. Further details including directions and maps can be obtained from our office on the resort.