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Costa Cálida

The Costa Calida means "warm coast" in Spanish. Here you will find the best climate in Spain, all year round. Due to the mountainous inland, this area is sheltered from the wind. The sun shines an average of 320 days per year.   The humidity is low and in combination with the sea, it has a beneficial effect on people with rheumatism, arthritis, gout etc. On the Costa Calida you will find the best and healthiest climate of Spain, which is confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Murcia is because of the clean air, declared as the cleanest province of Europe. The majority of the Costa Calida is very rough  and not so overwhelmed by tourism as the Costa Blanca. The coastal region   of Murcia offers on one side unprotected beaches with wild sea and on the other hand, narrow inlets with palm trees and calm water. The coastal region of Murcia has many facets for the nature lover. Many areas are covered by nature conservation legislation.

The Bay of Mazarrón

The bay of Mazarrón extends from Cabo Tiñoso to Cabo Cope. It consists of       about 40 beaches, including sand beaches, beaches with rocks, but also nudist beaches. These are especially found between Bolnuevo and Cañada de Gallego.       Here you will find numerous of small beaches that you will have for yourself,           or to share with the seagulls. The Costa Calida is not yet known to the big              public and this you will notices. A beautiful beach, worth mentioning is Playa Percheles. This is a beautiful sandy beach with palm trees. In total there are           35 km of beaches and with its 320 days of sunshine per year, it is a paradise         on earth. This also makes it ideal for water sports. One will find here 3 diving schools, spread over the on the bay. One can take a boat for sea fishing, rent         a boat and explore the coast, dolphin watching, snorkeling, surfing, canoeing, kayaking and in the summer you can also rent a jet ski. If you do not like sports, then you can just relax while sunbathing or visiting the town of La Azohía.          This is a typical Spanish village and here you have a beautiful view over the bay.   In Bolnuevo you will find a beautiful eroded limestone formation and has been declared as a protected cultural heritage of Spain. Also here you will find a    beautiful wide sandy beach which in the summer time will not we over-crowded.

Puerto de Mazarrón

This is the heart of the bay of Mazarrón and here alone, you will find many beautiful beaches, all of which have received the Blue Flag for clean beaches. On the sandy beach next to the promenade (Paseo) you have to fight for a space during summer time. The Spaniards who are living in Madrid or Murcia town are spending here there summer holiday. On the Paseo you can enjoy a stroll underneath the palm trees or sit on a terrace and watch the people walking by, enjoy a sangria with tapas and goes on untill deep in the night. There are also many boutiques and restaurants. The marina has been completely modernized, from where one can go for one of the many tours offered. The old fishing port is still there and here you can see, the end of the afternoon, the fishermen returning with their catch of the day. In the local museum one can see how people preserved their fish in salt and how fish sauce was made. They found two Phoenician boats in the sea. 1 is still on the bottom of the sea and the other can be found in the Museum of Cartagena.

Murcia

The city of Murcia is located in the valley of the River Segura. It is the regional capital and university town. The town is dominated by the baroque Cathedral that has beenbuilt on the foundations of a mosque. On the square in front of the cathedral one can enjoy on one of the many terraces. Stroll through the narrow streets with many small shops. Go into one of the small restaurant    and enjoy yourself with a typical Murcian meal. Or go in the morning to the market hall and you will be amazed of all the fresh food thwy offer. In the    main street you will also find large department stores and shops of well    known brands. Throughout the city, are several squares, where you can sit    and give your painful feet a rest. Are you more interested in history, visit one   of the many museums that are here or walk inside the casino. You will be amazed by the beautiful murals that it has. However, you must remember that it is a Spanish city and between 14 pm and 17 pm a lot of shops etc. are closed. The advantage is that you can shop until 21 pm, which of course in the summer is very favorable, because in the afternoon it can be very hot.

Cartagena

Discover Cartagena with its harbor and promenade where you can grab a terrace or enjoy a stroll.

Cartagena has a history that goes back 3000 years. There are archaeological sites and remains, castles, museums, boat trips or you can use the tourist bus to discover the city. Everywhere in the city you are remembered of the history of Cartagena. Visit the various museums or try the local gastronomy. What particularly is worth a visit, is the castle with park. From here you have a beautiful view over the city, the port and the Roman Theatre. This theatre is one of the greatest monuments of its kind in Spain from the 1st century BC.    Its auditorium, which is entirely carved into the rock, is very impressive. Also here, you can stroll through the narrow streets.

Every year, in the last two weeks of September, the city is set back in time    and celebrates that the Christians have expelled the Moors. The festival of    the Moros and Christianos is undoubtedly one of the most colorful Spanish festivals. The religious and theatrical element is what makes the festival unique. The conquest is reenacted and we see people dressed in festive costumes. Every evening marches are organized through the streets of the city.

Lorca

Lorca is also called the "City of the Sun". It is a place where time has stood still. A place where history lives. The town is dominated by its imposing castle. A place where "Lorca Workshop of Time"  invites you to discover: exhibitions, museums, routes, cultural activities and entertainment. A city where history, heritage and leisure go hand in hand. Begin your visit to the city in the visitors center of Lorca, where you will find everything you need to discover the city,  its history, its culture and its traditions. There is a fascinating exhibition and    an audio-visual "Time travel" which gives you a good start. Unfortunately, the city was the scene of an earthquake on May 11th 2010 , and there are many historical buildings damaged and not yet restored. The castle marks the boundary of the Christian and the Moorish Empire for centuries ago. Today it is a lively attraction with recreational opportunities, exhibitions, multimedia presentations, animations and with persons, walking around, dressed in medieval cloths, taking you back to the 13th century. The week before Easter, the main street shut for all trafic and here you can watch almost every night the  impressive easter processions. Especially the procession on Holy Thursday and Good Friday attract a lot of people from all over Spain.

Mazarrón

Mazarrón is a small town with a history that goes far back in time. Especially at the beginning of the nineteenth century it was very important due to the mining. The mines just outside the village are still on display. Here you can walk around and enjoy the views. Especially the different colors of the soil is explosive. One can find colors from white to deep red. The darker the soil, the more minerals and iron it has. The municipality do guided tours in summer, explaining how it was in the old days to work there. From here one has a beautiful view of Mazarrón of Puerto de Mazarrón, and the Mediterranean Sea. The town center has a lovely square and the old town hall is worth a visit. It has a beautiful ceiling and many murals. They are helding here often exhibitions. The church on the marketplace is definitely worth to view. Again one sees beautiful murals and the altar is very impressive.

Águilas

Is a small friendly town with an impressive harbor and many beaches. Only the road to get to the town is wonderful. You drive through breathtaking mountain landscape with beautiful views. If you do this in late January, then you will see the many almond trees in bloom.

Also here you will find a lovely promenade where you can stroll or enjoy sitting on a terrace. High above the city you will find the Castle of San Juan de las Aguilas and from here you have a breathtaking view over the city and the Mediterranean Sea.Plaza España is a beautiful square in the center of town that also serves as a garden.

In February the city is celebrating a two weeks carnival. It is a festival full of fancy dress, latin rhythms and associated dances with crazy clothes or madness in general what the last days of fasting.

The Carnival of Aguilas was declared in 1997 as a site of national importance for tourism and has a long tradition.

Totana / Aledo

Totana is mainly on Wednesday a pleasant and bubbling town. Then the weekly market takes place and the streets are filled with stalls. The town is bisected by a Rambla. This is a dry riverbed. The area is known for its many potters and along the road you can also find many sellers. There is also a tapas route through the town and more information can be obtained from the local information center for foreigners.

If you drive a little further along a beautiful winding road up the mountain through the woods, you arrive in the village of Aledo. Here it looks like time has stood still. The streets are so narrow that you hardly can drive through them by car. It is built on a rocky outcrop and from the castle, which was built by the Moors, if it is a clear day, you will have a breathtaking view over the valley and if it is really a bright day, you see in the distance the Mediterrenean.

Monastery of Santa Eulalia

In between Totana and Aledo, you will find the Monastery of Santa Eulalia. This monastery is beautifully located in the woods and you can enjoy walks from here. Next to the monastery is an information center where you can get various walking routes. Adjacent to the information office is a beautiful little church with impressive paintings and decorations.

In one part of the monastery is a hotel. On the terrace of the hotel you can enjoy a meal, tapas or just a cup of coffee.

When you leave the parking and  follow the road a little further in direction of Aledo and then turn the first left, you will find a large picnic area, which is packed on sunny days by many Spaniards. If you follow the road further up, you will see along the way many Christian statues. When you reach the top you can see a big statue of Jesus overlooking the valley. From the other side, you have a beautiful view towards Aledo.

National Park Sierra Espuña

From the information office of the monastery mentioned above, you can also get directions to the National Park Sierra Espuña and ask what there is to see. If you go up to Aledo and instead of  turning into Aledo, you follow the road to the right and from there, follow the signs to Sierra Espuña and you will       arrive in a beautiful mountain landscape with many forests and lakes.             You must be very careful with driving, because it may just be that a herd of   wild sheep, who live there, cross the road or wild boar. Deep in the forest are two big domes hidden, which in ancient times were used as a refrigerator. In winter they gathered the snow and that was dumped in the deep pit and in this way it remained cold in the summer. There is also a butterfly garden with many flowers that attract butterflies. Also in this park are many hiking trails, but you can also kayak on a lake, with a quad through the mountains or mountain biking.

Cabo Tiñoso

If you leave Puerto de Mazarrón and follow the coastal road towards Cartagena and then take the turn in direction of Campillo de Adentro, you will come in a beautiful "hidden" valley. From here a road meanders slowly with beautiful views.

Here in the mountains you will find a beautiful old fort that was once a part of the defense line of Cartagena. Here are 2 cannons from the old days and they could shoot about 32km far. Both guns were made ​​in Britain. The fort was abandoned after the fall of Franco, but one can still look around. Many Spaniards are using the place for a picnic on Sunday. You got beautiful views from here over an enclosed bay. Also here you can walk around. It is really a must. The road to here is beautiful and the rest you see, you will find incredible.

A shopping trip

Murcia: Nueva Condomina-Large shopping center with 120 shops, restaurants and cinemas Thader-Next to Ikea, you will find the shopping center Thader with 80 shops, restaurants and cinema La Noria-Outlet shopping center with the biggest brands at the lowest prices.

Cartagena: Centro Mediterraneo with 80 stores and around a large industrial area with many companies.

Lorca: Just outside the town there is a shopping center with about 60 shops, restaurants and cinemas.

La Zenia: beautiful new shopping center with many shops, restaurants and cinemas.

For the children

Murcia: Terra Natura Zoo

Aqua park water park with many slides right next to the zoo

Vera: Aqua park with slides and easily accessible via the A7

Tabernas: Wild West park. Beautiful park where the movies For a Few Dollars More, The good the bad and the ugle and Indiana Jones has been filmed. At different times during the day, are gigs and shows.

Totana: For the smallest an indoor play area with ball pool, bouncy, etc.

Further

Horsebackriding, parapienten, trecking, bowling, mountain biking, walking tours and 4 golf courses around.

Weekly markets

Almost every village/city in the area has its local market day. Here you will find a selection of merchandise, clothing, bags, shoes, fresh fruit and vegetables.

Here you have a list of the local markets:

Monday: San Pedro del Pinatar

Tuesday: Alhama de Murcia, Los Alcazares

Wednesday: Totana, San Javier

Thursday: Camposol, Lorca, Torre Pachego

Friday: El Pareton and a big one in Torrevieja

Saturday: Mazarron, Fuente Alamo

Sunday: Águilas, Puerto de Mazarrón, Aledo

As a complement, we also mention that on Sunday a large flea market in Cañada de Romero between Camposol and El Paraton.

Costa Calida sea life

Throughout the Costa Calida and in depth opens a wonderful underwater         world We suggest you also know Spain through its seabed . 

Some of them are protected areas where a variety of animal and plant       species live.

Check out these marine reserves : areas where it is still possible to meet

the most authentic nature . Another way to discover Spain .

Throughout the Costa Calida and in depth opens a wonderful underwater      world These waters , transparent and clear throughout the year , provide   habitat for thousands of species shapes, dimensions and most varied colors.  Dive into the seabed where you also meet caves and amazing geological formations, creating beautiful sets the atmosphere charged with mystery . Among many other things, you 'll see coral reefs, starfish , spectacular marine life and several types of native fish .