Blue flag beaches at the Costa Calida

The are some blue flag beaches on the Costa Calida.

Blue Flag beaches
Blue Flag beaches

The Costa Calida start from the Mar Menor to the region of Andalucia
The Costa Calida is a part of the Murcia province .
The coast is about 250 km long.
The name means in English” the warm coast.”
In fact, the Murcia region is one of the warmest place of Spain.
So the coast nearby the Mediterranean Sea is indeed a warm water coast.

You can find the Costa Calida at the gulf of Mazarron.
In brief, this Gulf reaches from Murcia ( Cape of Palos) to Almeria ( Cabo de Gata).

Indeed, the Costa Calida is with its crystal blue Mediterranean Sea a popular tourist destination.
You find  at the coast beautiful sandy beaches but also many small creeks and steep coast.
As a result, it is very beautiful and the place to be for water sports. For example diving, snorkeling, windsurfing or sailing .

Blue Flag beaches
Blue Flag beaches

Blue Flag beaches

A blue flag is given to a beach as an award to the resort that meets the standards of cleanness of the beaches, purity of the water.
More about the Blue flag on the Costa Blanca.
T
he award is given by the foundation for Environment Education. It is world wide an eco label.

The Blue flag beaches at the Costa Calida .

First Mazarron = The beaches of Alamillo, Rihuete , Puerto, Bahai La reya, Nares and Castellar

In the center of the gulf with the same name is the city.
It has beautiful beaches.
South of Mazarron is the Mar Menor. The Mar Menor is the largest salt water lagoon. It is separated from the  sea by La Manga.

More specifically , the beach of Castellar has received an Eco playa award. This award is given when the use the salt water in the  foot baths and the showers on the beach.

Then Cartagena = Playa Levante, Playa Poniente, Mar de Cristal, Playa Honda, Isla Plana, Cabo de Palos, Playa Paroiso, San Gines, Cala Cortina and Cala Del Pino.
Furthermore, Cartagena is popular for his Roman theater.

Cartagena Blue Flag Beaches
Cartagena Blue Flag Beaches

Also San Javier at the Mar Menor has one blue flag.
The beach of Ensenado del Esparto.
Despite, the  other beaches of the Mar Menor has no blue flags any more.

You can find San Javier at the Mar Menor. It is a popular holiday destination.  Besides, it has also an airport of San Javier- Murcia.

Aquillas = Beaches of Las Delicias, Levante, Poniente, La colonia, Calarreona, La Carolina and La Higuerrica.
Furthermore , the two marinas of Aguillas have also received the Blue Flag.
Also important,  the CIMAR museum has received a Blue Center award.
This learning center, offers the visitor the information to understand not only  the cultural and  the natural  Heritage of the town.
But meanwhile also the maritime heritage of the Aguillas.
Furthermore Aguillas is also a paradise for water sports, especially diving and snorkeling.

Meanwhile, the  beach of Calarreona has received an Eco- playa award.

Blue centers

Las Salinas in San Pedro del Pinitar is special because of salt lakes . As a result it has received a blue center award.

Aguilllas, a paradise for diving

Presently, Aguillas is a popular town by the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
This town is located on the Costa Calida.

South of it Costa de Almeria. North of it is Costa Orihuela.
In the past, the town was a fishing port. Later on due to the fertile grounds  of the Murcia region it became also a harbor of export.

Aguillas
Aguillas

Then, the region around Aguillas became in the 19 century a mining area.
In fact, this old mining area begins at Cartagena and goes down to Aguillas.
Now, it is only history.

In the present it is a popular holiday and second home place for many West European.

How to get there

Important is that Aguillas is situated nearby two airports.
From Aguillas to the airport  of Alicante El Altet is approximately 1 hour and half drive.
To the airport of San Javier Murcia you  can count an hour of drive.

Climate

The best, Aguilas has a very nice climate. In fact, it is on the Costa Calida, the warm  coast.
So, in the summer it is hot. In spring and autumn it is very good temperature.
Even in the winter , at noon,  you can enjoy the sun in a t-shirt nipping your sangria.
Specialist call it a typical Mediterranean climate. With the “cool” or refreshing  sea breeze in the summer season. But also in the winter the protection of the surrounding sierras or mountains.
All by all , the region has nearly 3000 hours of sunshine a year.

What to see in Aguillas ?

Again, Aguillas is a popular summer holiday destination.
During the summer season it is even very busy.
In addition, the tourist information center has a nice cultural schedule.
During 2011 the new Auditorio and Palacio de Congresos was opened. So the cultural offers has increased even more since then.

Every day, Aguillas has a fine food market with all products of the region. It is a part of the culture of the town.
It is open from Monday till Saturday . From 9:00 till 14:00.

Every Saturday , there is also a street market. The meeting  place for locals and expats.
Place to be is the Calle de Murcia.
The market offers a large choice of everything you need. To sum up,: fruit , vegetables, plants, clothing, footwear, household items, jewelry…

In summer season, every Sunday you can visit a antiques market.

Beaches

In particular, Aguillas has nearly 30 kilometers of coastline. And 35 beautiful beaches.
Many or known as unspoiled and very natural.

Aguillas beach
Aguillas beach

So is one of the good places on the Calida coast  for snorkeling and scuba diving.
While, the seabed is rocky, the water is crystal clear.
So there is much to explore beneath the water!

Cuisine

in fact, the nearby plains of Murcia are very fertile. So there is a large range of fresh vegetables and fruit.
Nearby is the Mediterranean Sea with fish and seafood.
Rice is also very popular in the kitchen.
Indeed, there is a large choice of restaurants and ( tapa) bars.

Cuisine
Cuisine

Tips for trips ?

Worth a visit : Murcia See our page on Murcia .
Furthermore, Cartagena is a beautiful city to visit. See our page on Cartagena .
We recommend also the baroque city of Lorca. It is a real Spanish town in the countryside. Read more about on our page Lorca.
A lit further away: Almeria . Look on our page Almeria

Final

There are more interesting things to do in Aquillas that you can explore.
I hope this article gives you some ideas and inspiration for your stay.
And i know you will enjoy yourself.

La Manga Mar Menor

La Manga is located in the south east of Spain.
This town  is a part of the “Costa Calida”, the warm coast and is situated in the province of Murcia.
The Costa Calida is the coastline between Andalusia and the Costa Blanca.

La Manga Mar Menor
La Manga Mar Menor

At the beginning , La Manga and the Mar Menor was the tourist resort for the Spanish people.
The last 20 years it became more and more popular by North and West Europeans people.

La Manga, a natural barrier.

Indeed, the  special landscape is a natural barrier that separates two seas, the Mediterranean Sea at one side and the little sea, the Mar Menor, at the other side.

Therefore the resort is an ideal area for the practice of all kinds of water sport.
Now the popular stroke is basically a big sandbank.
Presently , this sandy land stroke is 20 km long and 100 to 1200 meters width.
As a result , La Manga is a great place to visit at any time of the year, summer or winter.
In brief , it is loved for its wide sandy beaches.
During the summer season it is very busy in the hotels and the spa’s. In particular, the spa’s are specialized in seawater therapy.
During the winter, the place is nice to stay because it is much quieter.
In other words , if you want to come in this season, it better to check the availability . Because some hotels are closed in the winter season.

The best is that  they are great choice of bars, nice restaurants, cafes, beach bars, hotels and shops on the stroke.
The most important street runs the full length . Naturally  with shops on both sides of the road. In sum it is a special feeling : the large Mediterranean Sea at one side, the Mar Menor at the other side.

La Manga
La Manga

On La Manga you can visit the Marina, where you can admire all sorts of boats.
The choice is yours: large fish boats or very nice sailing boats.
From the “Tomas Maestre” Marina you enjoy a boat trip across the Mar Menor  to Santiago de la Ribere. Santiogo de Ribera is a nice town at the other side of the Mar Menor.
Like wise you can go sailing  to the Mediterranean Sea.

Mar Menor a lagoon.

First, the Mar Menor is the largest lagoon in Europe. The best is  that the water temperature never falls below the 19 degrees.
Then, thanks to the ideal climate and the natural protection La Manga is the all year a perfect place. In particular it  gives you opportunities to practice a range water sports.
To sum up some of the water-sports are : jet ski, kite surfing, banana rides, paddle surf and boat trips. For the water devils wake board, surfing, water-skiing  sailing and canoeing.
Fur instance also Scuba diving and snorkeling are possible.

Because of the natural position, it  is a ideal tourist resort.  Facing as well the challenge of the Mediterranean Sea or the calm Mar Menor just a little bit away further.

To the right and the left, there are beautiful sandy beaches and  many marinas.

The visitor can enjoy the amazing views on the Mar Menor and the mountains of the Sierra Minervas in the background.

In the past , the sandbar was natural till 1960’s. The untouched sand bar is still complete at the other side of the La Manga.
Since the 1960’s this beautiful place was discovered by the tourist.
Since then it grows with infrastructures to satisfy the growing demands of tourists.

At the southern end of La Manga there is a lighthouse on the Cabo ( Cape ) de Palos. This place is also a marine reserve.

From La Manga it is a quarter ride to the nearest airport Murcia San Javier.
Alicante airport is a hour and a half ride or 125 km.

Climate La Manga.

The weather is one of the most recommended micro climates of Europe .
320 days of sun is not a promise but reality.

Trip

A nice trip is the Cartagena is 35 km
Murcia, the capital of the Murcia region, 72 km
To Torrevieja is 68 km
Zenia boulevard on the Orihuela Costa 58km
to Alicante 132 km