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local Information Costa Calida
The Costa Calida lies within the Murcia
province to the south of Spain, between Costa Blanca and Costa
Almeria. Long undiscovered and largely unspoilt this region
offers the opportunity to experience the traditional Mediterranean
way of life and yet, whilst shying from mass tourism, has
a balanced mix of Spanish and English speaking communities.
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 One of the most beautiful coastlines
in Spain with unspoilt beaches and magnificent bays, secluded
coves and lively ports, crystal clear waters and an abundance
of water sports, the "warm coast" lives up to its
name with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year with a
high annual average temperature.
The area has a number of luxury golf
resorts including the famous La Manga Golf and Country Club,
with its three 18-hole championship golf courses, tennis,
football, lawn green bowls, 5 star hotel and spa and other
excellent leisure facilities.
Venturing inland from the coast you'll
encounter numerous traditional Spanish towns and villages
steeped in history, farming land responsible for supplying
much of Spain and Europe with superb fruit and vegetables,
and acres of vineyards, in a tranquil, rural setting with
a breathtaking mountainous backdrop.
Easily accessible and well serviced
by Alicante and Murcia airports, with a new International
airport under construction, and a good motorway network, the
Murcia province offers easily attainable holidays. Car hire
is recommended and is quite cheap and easy to arrange.
The completion
of a new motorway, the A7, and a dual carriageway,
the N332 make it very accessible by road as well. With many
services and goods priced for the local Spanish community,
the cost of living is also low.
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La Manga del Mar Menor
La Manga, meaning 'sleeve'
or 'arm' indicates the shape of this strip of land. Situated
in the province of Murcia, it boasts one of the most moderate
climates in Spain, with more days of sunshine than other mainland
areas and water temperatures higher than average.
As a result it has become
known as the 'Warm Coast'. It is a strip of land, approximately
22 kms long, which separates the Mediterranean Sea from the
Mar Menor (Minor Sea). It has a fine array of shops, supermarkets,
bars, restaurants and night life and is well worth a visit.
At its narrowest part it is only 100 metres wide and the maximum
width is 1.5 kms, so you're never far from 2 beaches!
The Mar Menor is the largest
salt lake in Europe with a total surface area of 170 sq kms,
and a maximum depth of 8 metres. It is a magnificent natural
swimming pool with water temperatures very high in the summer
and very warm in the winter. The waters register the highest
saline and iodine content in Europe, and are recognized as
being therapeutic in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis
and many other ailments. The shallow waters and the absence
of tides make the Mar Menor the ideal place for children to
play in.
Along both sides of the strip
there are lots of water sports to try, like windsurfing, kite
surfing, jet and water skiing, pedaloes, sailing, canoeing,
deep-sea diving and fishing. Scuba diving is also very popular
with its many areas of underwater archaeological sites and
sunken ships in the Cabo de Palos area - day trips can be
easily arranged, equipment can be hired, and there are many
local schools to teach! It is the first area in Spain to be
known as an 'Estacion Nautica' (Nautical Resort)
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The
strip has many tennis courts open to the public all year round.
Along most of the strip are cycle lanes for everyone's safety,
should you wish to make use of the many hire shops. A local
bus service runs up and down the strip at regular intervals.
At nearby Cabo de Palos, the large Sunday market offers a great
variety of goods for sale. La Manga offers a wealth of different
styles of cuisine, the emphasis of course being on the typically
Mediterranean style of cooking. The Spanish nightlife caters
for young and old alike.
All of this, together with the close proximity to the famous
La Manga Club, makes the Mar Menor the place to be! |
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| Mar de Cristal
enjoys a beautiful location
in the south east of Spain, to the south of the Mar Menor. It
is framed by a delightful promenade that joins two marinas,
with sensational sunsets providing a backdrop. There is a well
stocked supermarket there. It is surrounded by a unique complex
that consists of a beautiful beach, exceptional water sports,
a yacht club and only a few minutes away from La Manga Club. |
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Los Belones
is five minutes drive inland, this is a typical Spanish, quaint
little village, which has a modern touch. It has a fantastic
wine and beer shop, and many restaurants representing all
corners of the world. Here, you can take horse riding lessons
or go trekking in the surrounding hills.
Cabo de Palos
is a delightful fishing village, only 10 minutes away with
some fine sea food restaurants and every Sunday there is a
large market that sells just about everything. On the way
to this village, there is a full size go-kart track for all
ages to try.
Los Nietos
is 5 minutes up the coast, this is another delightful village,
which again is a typical Spanish, quaint village.
Cartagena
is a beautiful city, about 20 minutes away, with a beautiful
harbour to walk round, and many Roman ruins including an amphitheatre
which is being restored. Cartagena also has a naval port and
as well as old castles to explore, there are usually some
war ships in port to see. There are also many large shops
in Cartagena.
Similarly the historic city
of Murcia is only 30 minutes away and
should be visited at least once.
Calblanque National Park
has several beaches, ideal for loading up the cool box and
heading for the Mediterranean! There are many areas of natural
beauty.
San Pedro del
Pinatar is where the 'arm' almost rejoins the mainland,
where there is a nature reserve, a paradise for birds such
as the pink flamingos.
This is only a brief description
of the areas, and details of any aspect about surrounding
places of interest are available on request.
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