Day Out Sierra Mineras
This day is packed with stunning scenery, so make sure that you choose any one of the 300 or so bright, sunshiny, blue sky days that the province of Murcia has. You can easily spend a whole day leisurely driving along this route, stopping where and when you want or combine it with a morning in the City of Cartagena or the afternoon in any of the towns and villages around the Mar Menor such as Cabo de Palos, Punta Brava or Los Alcazares.
Once you have passed Cartagena the first stop along this route is at the small cove of Cala Cortina, the nearest beach to the city. Then following the signs for Escombreras continue through the somewhat surreal industrial port with all of its heavy machinery, warehouses and the repsol oil refinery. After this you enter the Sierra Mineras. These have been mined since pre-historic times right up to the mid 20thcentury. The mine shafts, wheels, tunnels, trains, tracks and equipment have simply been abandoned. This, coupled with the beautiful colours of the exposed minerals makes for an interesting drive. You can pull off into the small marina and beach at Portman and call into the famous and pricey La Manga Golf Resort before heading home.
Places to stop during a day out Sierra Mineras
- Cala Cortina:small cove with restaurant and stunning scenery.
- Escombreras: industrial port of Cartagena.
- Sierra Mineras: the mined mountain landscape.
- Portman Marina & Playa Lastre: small marina with short promenade and beach.
- La Manga Golf Club: three golf courses with hotels, restaurants and bars.
Places of Interest
1 Cala Cortina
N37°34.918 W0°58.477Parking: is in the car park and is free
From here: walk down the steps to the small cove and restaurant.
Places of interest and things to do at Cala Cortina
- Beach: small sandy beach with restaurant and fantastic scenery.
2 Escombreras
N37°34.407 W0°54.563Parking: there is no official parking point here.
From here: this isn't an actual stop, but a drive-by past all of the industrial units including a huge Iberdrola power plant and Repsol refinery.
Places of interest and things to do at Escombreras
- Industrial Zone and Port: filled with warehouses, storage towers, power plants and refineries.
3 Portman Marina & Playa Lastre
N37°34.817 W0°50.512Parking: is in the car park and is free.
From here: you are at the marina, walk along the short promenade or climb the cliff to the lighthouse.
Places of interest and things to do at Portman Marina and Playa Lastre
- Marina: small with no facilities.
- Promenade: short and pretty.
- Beach: black volcanic sand.
- Village: a total mix of old and new houses with some cafes.
- Museums: both situated in the village, the Mining and Archaeological Research Centre is in the Ancient Charity Hospital and the Tio Lobo house which was built in 1913 in the traditional style for a rich local businessman.
4 La Manga Golf Resort
N37°36.214 W0°48.158Parking: is in the car park areas and is free.
From here: this is the location of the hotel but there are over 20 other bars and restaurants to try.
Places of interest and things to do at La Manga Golf Resort
- Bars and Restaurants: over 20 to enjoy.
- Resort: wander around and explore, but watch out for golf balls!!
