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La Manga - "A Paradise Between Two Seas"
There are places where nature has provided conditions that have converted them into virtual paradises. There are few locations in the world
where this privilege is doubled by geographic and environmental aspects, and La Manga del Mar Menor (to use its full name) is one of them.
La Manga (meaning "the sleeve" in Spanish) is a strip of land with white sand beaches, 20km in length and an average width of 300m, that runs from
Cabo de Palos in the south to San Pedro in the north. The strip separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor
("little sea"), a lagoon with a maximum depth of 8m, widely considered to be the world's largest swimming pool due to its calm and warm waters.
Located on the Costa Calida in Murcia ("the warm coast"), this natural environment, unique in Europe, enjoys an excellent climate throughout the year,
with more than 300 days of sunshine annually. The average winter temperature is 18° and in the summer, 26°.
The nearest cities are Cartegena and Murcia, with Alicante one and a half hour's drive away.
View pictures of the "Mar Menor" at Flickr.Com
View pictures of "La Manga Spain" at Flickr.Com
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The La Manga Club
La Manga is best know for the La Manga Club Spain resort (approx. 30 minutes drive from the apartment), renowned for its championship golf courses,
tennis centre and being the training ground of visiting football teams from Spain, the UK and the whole of Europe.
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Calblanque Nature Reserve
A Protected Natural Area since 1987 and Nature Reserve since 1992, Calblanque is an area of wonderful sandy beaches, hills, cliffs and salt flats. This
Nature Reserve represents one of the last untouched areas along the Mediterranean coastline and remains a site of unrivalled natural beauty.
The distant hills of Calblanque can clearly be seen from the apartment as you look out over the Mar Menor.
You can find out more about this astounding area here. You can find maps and further
information on the area here.
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Sports
Watersports
Thanks to the geographic conditions and the climate, La Manga del Mar Menor is probably the best place in the world for water sports. Two distinct seas (the Med and
the Mar Menor), soft breezes, sunny days and a significant sporting infrastructure make this an ideal place for sports such as kite surfing, scuba diving,
wind surfing, sailing and jet-skiing (click here for more information).
All these activities are right on your doorstep, and on windy days you can look out of the living room window and see people kite-surfing and
wind-surfing in the Mar Menor.
Scuba Diving
Diving is a popular sport in La Manga and there are a number
of different diving schools offering everything for beginners through to night dives for the more experienced diver. The dive around Isla Grosa, for
example, takes around 1 hour and takes your through the magnificent quartz caves. Click here to
discover more about diving in La Manga.
Golf & Tennis
The La Manga club is the closest golf course, but there are many other La Manga golf courses. The La Manga club has a tennis
centre and the apartment is located practically next door to a tennis club.
Go-Karting
Approx. 20 minutes drive from the apartment is a go-kart track, suitable for kids and adults.
Horse Riding
There are two riding stables within 30 mins drive from the apartment - El Rancho De La Fuente and El Puntal. For contact details
click here.
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Nearby towns
The towns of Los Belones, Cabo de Palos, Los Nietos and Mar de Cristal are approx. 20 minutes drive away, with numerous bars, cafes, restaurants and nightly
entertainment during the summer.
Cabo de Palos
Just outside La Manga (near the entrance to the La Manga strip) is the fishing village of Cabo de Palos, complete with its own 19th century
lighthouse (clearly visible from the apartment's lounge and master bedroom). The Sunday market is one of the best and largest in the area and the
habour-side restaurants offer great sea views.
Cartagena
The ancient Roman port of Cartagena has a history stretching back over 3000 years. The Roman Theatre is considered one of the most important
archeological finds in Spain. Cartagena is the closet city to La Manga, approx. 30 minutes drive from the apartment.
Murcia
The city of Murcia is about 45 minutes away by car is well worth a visit. Its magnificent cathedral can be seen for miles. As you wander
through the city, there is a monumental building on every corner. Click here for
more information on this wonderful city.
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Airports
The closest airports are San Javier and
Alicante. The apartment is approx. one and a half hour's drive from Alicante
airport and about 45 minutes from San Javier.
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