Steve's World Blog » Mar Menor

Los Alcazares Apartments for Rent

needahand — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:57:02 +0000

Los Alcazares Apartments - The Beach

Luxurious two bedroom apartment, currently available for holidays on the Mar Menor resort of Los Alcazares, Costa Calida, Spain. Perfectly situated just fifty metres from the beach of Los Narejos, this super Los Alcazares apartment should be ideal for your holiday in this popular area in the Murcia region of Spain. Renowned for its wonderful beaches and excellent golfing facilities, Los Alcazares is also very handy for the airport at San Javier, being just a few minutes drive away, it can also be reached from Alicante airport, though is is a somewhat longer drive. Another of our superb Mar Menor, Los Alcazares apartments, this property offers, 2 bedrooms (sleeps up to 4 people), 1 bathroom, community swimming pool, kid’s pool, fully fitted kitchen, outside terrace with garden furniture, air-conditioning etc. Holiday rentals in this fine apartment are offered from just ?255 per week, and long term rentals may be considered as well, should this be your requirement. Los Alcazares has all the usual amenities expected of a modern resort and of course the beach area is the most popular, with warm waters and safe bathing, due to the Mar Menor being a huge enclosed lagoon. Full details of this and other Los Alcazares apartments for rent can be found here: Los Alcazares Apartments.

Costa Calida Spain

needahand — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:52:11 +0000

A popular Spanish region enjoying a fine climate (it is one of the driest areas of Spain), and lying within the Murcia autonomous community, the Costa Calida has some of the best beaches in this part of the country, especially those along the Mar Menor coastline, which also enjoys a sea temperature five degrees warmer than the surrounding Mediterranean Sea. The best of the beach resorts include Los Alcazares, San Pedro del Pinatar, Lo Pagan, San Javier and Puerto Mazarron, most of these are easily accessible from Murcia (San Javier) airport which is actually located beside the Mar Menor, some distance from the city of Murcia which is some 20 kilometres inland. The Costa Calida is a fantastic area for golfers, with a huge choice of courses which you can try out, around the Mar Menor there are several fine courses including Roda Golf, the Serena Golf Resort, La Torre Golf and the Mar Menor Golf Resort, near to Los Alcazares. There are even more courses surrounding the city of Murcia,with the now troubled Polaris World developing lots of courses and residential complexes in this area. Costa Calida Map.

Los Alcazares Murcia Spain

needahand — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:41:39 +0000

Las Palmeras Beach Los Alcazares Murcia

A small coastal resort situated on the Mar Menor in the Murcia region of Spain, Los Alcazares has a population of approximately 15,000 and a municipal area of twenty square kilometres. Popular with Spanish and International visitors alike, Los Alcazares has long stretches of sandy beach, bathed by the warm, shallow waters of the Mar Menor Sea. Much developed in the last 20 years due to the demand for holiday homes in the sun, the town has become a desirable area for relocation and many Brits and north Europeans have chosen to make it their home. Ideal for water sports due to the safe, shallow waters, windsurfing and kitesurfing are especially popular with afternoon winds providing ideal weather conditions for these sports. Among other sports for which the region is renowned, golf is perhaps the most popular with numerous fine course surrounding the town including the La Serena course, Roda Golf and the Mar Menor Golf Resort. Despite its modern look, Los Alcazares has a long history which goes back to the times of the Moors and beyond when early spas were set up along the coast by the Romans, and may have been used for convalescence during the Punic Wars. The Moors expanded existing spas and developed agriculture in the town’s hinterland, much later rich Murcian’s built holiday homes right on the coast, starting tourism in town which has continued to develop to this day. Los Alcazares Map.

San Pedro del Pinatar Murcia

needahand — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:41:49 +0000

A pretty little coastal resort located between the towns of Pilar de la Horadada and San Javier, San Pedro del Pinatar has a population of over 20,000 and is one of the more popular of the Costa Calida resorts of the Murcia region. Boasting some fine beaches, a protected Nature Reserve and a busy marina, San Pedro del Pinatar faces the calm waters of the Mar Menor salt lagoon and has a history of salt production going back to Roman times. Important also for fishing, the town in its current form grew around a 17^th century hermitage dedicated to St Peter (the fisherman). A popular area for holiday homes belonging to the rich of Murcia city, who head there during the summer to enjoy the pleasant weather conditions and cooling sea breezes, away from the searing heat of Murcia city centre, San Pedro del Pinatar has become increasingly attractive to International visitors who have come to appreciate the wonderful conditions experienced along the Mar Menor. San Pedro del Pinatar can be easily accessed from the N-332 coast road. San Pedro del Pinatar Map.

Jellyfish of the Mar Menor

needahand — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:28:36 +0000

The Mar Menor

There have been reports suggesting that the Mar Menor jellyfish population has been significantly reduced by an ongoing campaign aided by local fishermen. Some 42 km of protective nets have been installed in this large salt lagoon on the Costa Calida, Spain, to help protect the popular beach areas and this has been mostly successful in preventing jellyfish infestation during the busy summer seasons of the last 2 years (2008 and 2009). Seventy eight tonnes of jellyfish were netted last year by local fishermen on the Mar Menor, a significant reduction compared to the 5,000 tonnes removed between 2000 and 2002. The oceanographic institute in Lo Pagan has been monitoring the jellyfish situation. The Mar Menor, formed by a narrow spit of land known as La Manga (The Sleeve) has some of the most popular seaside resorts along the Costa Calida, boasting wonderful sandy beaches and safe warm bathing waters, which are particularly renowned for their healing properties, being very high in salt content. The Mar Menor and Costa Calida are situated within the province of Murcia, in south-eastern Spain, some of its best known resorts include Los Alcazares, San Pedro del Pinatar, Santiago de la Ribera, Los Narejas, Los Urrutias, and San Javier.

Murcia’s Roda Golf Resort

needahand — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:42:48 +0000

One of the finest golf complexes in the Murcia region of Spain, the Roda Golf Resort Murcia is a superb development of villas, townhouses and apartments in a wonderful location, close to the popular Mar Menor (Lesser Sea). The Par 72 golf course was designed by Dave Thomas, one of Europe’s leading course designers, and though set on flat land, has still been made challenging and exciting to play. When complete the Roda Golf Resort will have some of the best facilities in Murcia including the 5 Star De Vere Hotel. If you are looking to buy a property on a golf course in Spain or in particular Murcia, then the Roda Golf Resort may be just what you are looking for.

The City of Murcia Spain

needahand — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:30:20 +0000

The capital of the autonomous community of the same name, the city of Murcia is located in south-eastern Spain and has a population of around 433,000 and a municipal area of 881 square kilometres. Lying at the confluence of the River Guadalentin and River Segura, Murcia is in a rich and fertile area, despite experiencing some of the lowest rainfall in Spain. The surrounding fertile countryside is known as the “Huerta” (Orchard) and it is irrigated by the previously mentioned rivers, using methods introduced by the Romans and later the Moors. The city has a long history and was settled even before the Romans arrived in Spain. Its biggest changes occurred during the Arab occupation, when it was established as a provincial capital in 825 AD. Freed from Muslim control by the Castillians during the 13^th century, Murcia subsequently came under the control of the Kingdom of Aragon, and then back to Castile in 1304. After various periods of decline Murcia became wealthy during the 18^th century as the city saw a boom in silk manufacture, though it was hit by a great earthquake in 1829, and was often flooded over the centuries. Murcia cathedral was built between 1394 and 1465, it displays various architectural styles including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo. During the late 20^th century Murcia city and region developed into a significant area for tourism, in particular golf resorts, which surround the city. Boasting some of the lowest rainfall in all of Spain the area is perfect for holidays all year round with Murcia weather conditions generally sunny and dry for over 300 days each year. Especially popular are the resorts along the Mar Menor coastline where such popular destinations as La Manga, Los Alcazares and San Javier, where the airport for the city is currently located, though a new airport is under construction as this article is being written are located. Murcia Map.

San Javier Costa Calida

needahand — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:38:16 +0000

If you are travelling to south eastern Spain and heading for the Costa Calida region, there is a good chance that you will be arriving at San Javier airport. Generally called Murcia airport, it is actually some distance from the city of Murcia which can be confusing to visitors.

The town of San Javier itself is a traditional Spanish town with a resident population of about 23,000, it was named after Saint Francis Xavier. The municipal district of San Javier consists of 8 boroughs and covers an area of 74km2, it is an important area for agriculture as it has been for many centuries, though tourism is quickly taking over in importance.

The town sits beside the Mar Menor (“Lesser Sea”), the largest saltwater lagoon in Europe, and looks across to the famous resort of La Manga, which looks like a group of tower blocks rising vertically from the sea.

San Javier was originally developed during the Moorish occupation and it was their irrigation methods which enabled the region to be put to agriculture, they also developed fishing methods which were ideal for the Mar Menor’s conditions.

San Javier today is a busy little town enjoying a wonderful Mediterranean climate and typically the weather in San Javier is dry and sunny. This is a popular area for golfers as there are a number of complexes built or under construction nearby. To view a map of San Javier follow this link: San Javier Map.

San Pedro del Pinatar Spain

needahand — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:21:48 +0000

In the northern section of the Mar Menor coastline of Murcia, you will find the charming little town of San Pedro del Pinatar (St Peter of the Pinewoods), a popular holiday destination for both International holidaymakers and the Spanish themselves, especially those from the city of Murcia. The town itself has a population of just over 21,000 and is located just 4 kilometres from San Javier airport. The history of San Pedro del Pinatar goes back to the 17^th century when a hermitage was constructed, dedicated to the apostle San Pedro, though it was probably settled much earlier by Romans who left remains of villas in the area, it could possibly even have been a Roman base during the Punic Wars as the Romans battled for control of Cartagena. Until the relatively recent arrival of tourism as a source of income, San Pedro del Pinatar relied mostly on fishing for its economic survival, even today still using Arabic fishing methods, which proved ideal for the conditions on the Mar Menor. Nature lovers should head for the Parque Regional de Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro a significant area for migrating birds and a protected Natural Park, culture lovers can try out the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum. San Pedro del Pinatar is located on the N-332 in the north of the Costa Calida region of Spain.

La Manga Regency Hyatt Hotel

needahand — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:33:02 +0000

Having a privileged location at the centre of on of Spain’s leading golf resorts – The La Manga Club, the 5 Star Hyatt Regency boasts 189 superbly designed rooms and suites most with wonderful views over the golf course or the swimming pool. With some of the best restaurants in the area the Hyatt Regency La Manga can provide the best in cuisine and entertainment. The hotel also offers a large heated open air swimming pool, casino, hairdressing salon, boutiques, library and information centre, there is also a Junior Club for the kids. La Manga, situated on the Costa Calida, Spain, is an upmarket resort with coasts on both the Mediterranean Sea and the unique inland sea the Mar Menor, here you will find stunning sandy beaches and amazing water sports facilities. If you are visiting La Manga, be sure to pop into the top La Manga Hotel – the 5 Star Hyatt Regency where luxury living is the order of the day and you can always expect a friendly welcome and a pleasant stay. La Manga Map.

Cartagena Costa Calida

needahand — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:56:07 +0000

The ancient Spanish city of Cartagena is located in the province of Murcia in the south-east of the country and is a coastal city on the section known as the Costa Calida. Cartagena has a history going back to the times of the ancients when it was founded by the Carthaginian general Hasdrubel in around 227 BC. After Hasdrubel died he was replaced by the famous general Hannibal who made Cartagena into his very own Iberian capital. When the Romans arrived after the Punic Wars they made Cartagena into a major trading centre, making use of its strategic natural harbour and its extensive mineral deposits located in the neighbouring mountains. There are a wealth of Roman monuments still remaining in Cartagena today and they form part of the city’s rich heritage. Visitors today can see the remains of the Punic Ramparts and also the Augusteum both of which are impressive locations. The port of Cartagena has always been important for Spain and its navy and it became the headquarters of the Spanish Navy’s Maritime Department of the Mediterranean during the 18^th Century, it is still a major naval port today. One of the exhibits on show at the port of Cartagena is the first submarine, built by a Cartagena citizen called Isaac Peral in around 1884, this submarine can be viewed at the quayside. Cartagena lies a little south of the Mar Menor, the largest salt lake in Europe. The Mar Menor boasts some of the finest seaside resorts in the region including the renowned golf and sports resort of La Manga. Cartagena is currently undergoing some major refurbishments and the increase in property development in and around Cartagena is bringing increased wealth and interest to the area. Cartagena property is much in demand as is property along the neighbouring Mar Menor. If you are visiting southern Spain in the near future and are in the area of Cartagena be sure to take time to visit this ancient city and enjoy some of its many attractions. Cartagena Map.