A Day Out Mar Menor
The Mar Menor, meaning little sea, is a unique sea lagoon and well worth a visit. It is separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow piece of land called the La Manga Strip, which protrudes from Cabo de Palos at the south end of the Mar Menor and continues for 21 kilometres towards San Pedro at the north end, where it creates a small channel to allow water in and out of the Mar Menor. The waters enclosed by the strip are always calm, never colder than 18oC and are very rich in salts and iodine making it unique.
There are lots of little villages dotted around the shores of the Mar Menor. We have put together a full day out with three stops as a taster, but you might like to spend the whole day in each place or just visit two of them! Los Alcazares is a charming seaside town with long promenade to stroll along. Punta Brava is a small village with a fantastic viewpoint from where you'll get amazing vistas across the Mar Menor, the Strip and the Sierra Mineras. Cabo de Palos has a quaint Marina and a rocky coastline to explore. From here you can drive along the La Manga Strip, but be aware that it is not linked to the mainland at the end, so you have to drive the full 21 kilometres back again!
Places to stop during a day out route Mar Menor
- Los Alcazares: long sandy beaches and a long promenade.
- Punta Brava: small village with promenade and beach as well as a fantastic viewpoint for great vistas.
- Cabo de Palos: quaint marina with a rocky coastline.
Places of Interest
1 Los Alcazares
N37°44.165 W0°51.072Parking: is in a car park and is free, it gets very busy during high season, so you might have to park further away and walk or get here early in the morning.
From here: the beach, marina and promenade are in front of you, just turn left as the beach to the right is fenced off for military reasons. Take a coffee stop at the Hotel Balneario La Encarnacion (a good 800 meters along the promenade) which houses the famous spa baths, go inside, past the bar and into the courtyard.
Places of interest and things to do in Los Alcazares
- Beach: narrow sandy beach
- Promenade: kilometres of promenade all the way to the neighbouring village of Los Narejos.
- Town Centre: good selection of bars and restaurants.
2 Punta Brava
N37°41.376 W0°50.443Parking: is on the road and is free.
From here: either follow the marked walking route around the hill and enjoy the views from the top, or for the less energetic park further up the road and admire the views from here.
Places of interest and things to do in Punta Brava
- Beach: long with lovely sand.
- Promenade: beach front and long.
- Viewpoint: stand, admire and photograph.
- Walking Route: around the hill to the top for more amazing vistas.
3 Cabo de Palos
N37°37.989 W0°42.100Parking: is in a car park and is free, it gets very busy during high season, so you might have to park further away and walk or get here early in the morning.
From here: the marina is in front of you. The sandy beach is accessed through the streets on the opposite side of the marina to where the boats are moored and the rocky headland is to the right of the beach and at the mouth of the marina.
Places of interest and things to do in Cabo de Palos
- Beach: small sandy beach.
- Rocky Coastline: cliffs and coves which end with the lighthouse.
- Marina: small surrounded by land on three sides.
- Restaurants: lots of fish restaurants offering locally caught fresh fish.
