La Manga Del Mar Menor History

To the far Southeast of the Province of Murcia, there is a large expanse of water called the Mar Menor. An enormous lagoon, approximately 26 kilometres long and 7 kilometres wide, famous for it's warm, tranquil and salty water.

The Mar Menor is the biggest natual lake in the world and one of the most appreciated tourist resorts in the Mediterranean; 3000 hours of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 17 C. Only 46 KM from Murcia, it is on the borders of the Alicante Province.

The La Manga Del Mar Menor Strip, a barrier island protecting the Mar Menor from the Mediterranean Sea, is approximately 18 kilometres long, 900 metres at it's widest point and 50 metres at it's narrowest.

The La Manga Del Mar Menor Strip reached it's present configuration in the 1600's, emerging from centuries of sand being pushed by sea currents onto an under-water volcanic range which stretches up to Cabo de Palos. This formed a long peninsula of sand dunes which connected the Mar Menor with the Mediterranean through the Golas or canals of El Estacio, El Charco and El Ventorrillo.

The history of La Manga Del Mar Menor is closely related to fishermen and pirates who, for centuries, operated in the Mediterranean.

Within the Mar Menor are five islands. To the South are three small islands. Isla del Ciervo, Isla Ronda and Isla del Sujeto. At the centre are two more. La Isla Mayor or Isla del Barón (Baron Island) privately owned with it's tall watchtower and 200 year old villa, and La Isla Perdiguera, 1 kilometre square, previously famous for it's part played during the Spanish Civil War and now famous for it's superb beachfront fish restaurants.

Just outside in the Mediterranean (The Mar Mayor), are three more islands. The military island of La Grossa, El Farallon reef and Isla Hormigas crowned by a white lighthouse.

These days, beautiful sandy beaches and promenades surround the Mar Menor on La Manga Del Mar Menor, and further inland palm plantations, farmland and volcanic mountains can be seen.The surrounding towns and villages host a variety of bars, restaurants and tourist attractions, with many traditional fiestas throughout the year.

MAR MENOR

The Mar Menor is the ideal place to practice nautical sports. With calm waters but reliable gusts of wind, the shallow waters, warm waters host, surfing, canoeing, jet biking, sailing, windsurfing.

The sea bed offers divers the chance to get close to Roman shipwrecks and sealife alike.

SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR

As you fly over on the plane you may well see "pink lakes". These are in the vicinity of San Pedro Del Pinatar, an area dedicated to the exploitation of salt dating back to Roman times. Pink flamingo, Zampullines, gallinetas, gulls, royal herons, owls and small fartet fish in this area all year round. The area is also well appreciated for its....mud! Famous for it's curative properties because of it's high mineral content many people can be seen plastered in the stuff! The muds of Las Charcas in Lo Pagan are highly appreciated by many. The therapeutic values of the mud are used for: Rheumatism, arthritis, gout, skin disorders, bone rehabilitiation, throat complaints and more!