Costa Cálida – Region of Murcia is one of the destinations where time flies without families realising. We are not only talking about its beaches and watersports, but also about an immense cultural heritage waiting to be discovered. Amazing landscapes, fun stories about our past, and above all, a great deal of fun, make the Region of Murcia one of our favourite places for spending a family holiday.
When we plan summer holidays, children have a clear idea: they want to go to the beach, swim and play on the sand. We want to have fun with them, and also have the confidence that everything is going to go well. Costa Cálida, with its fine sand beaches and shallow, warm waters, offer children fun and provide parents with peace of mind.
Beaches for children
In Costa Cálida beaches are not just perfect for visiting with children due to their natural characteristics, but are also complemented by fun activities specially designed for them. Furthermore, many of them have the distinction of the Q Mark for Tourist Quality. We will suggest some of them, as there are many to choose from!
There is a wide range of beaches and all have magnificent additional services, watersports, play areas, restaurants and everything that you can imagine. At La Manga del Mar Menor the Pino cove and the La Isla beach are notable. In the area of Mar Menor, specifically in San Pedro del Pinatar, there is Villananitos beach; Colón beach in San Javier (Santiago de la Ribera) and Espejo beach in Los Alcázares. In Cartagena we can go to the Cala Cortina beach, 4 kilometres from the city. In Mazarrón, we recommend Castellar beach, with fine, clean sand and shallow waters perfect for a relaxing swim. In Águilas the Colonia beach is surrounded by gardens, palm trees and leisure areas.
Sports Mar Menor for the bravest
If you want to share excitement with your family, in Mar Menor you will find activities to share which will make your holiday unforgettable. For example, you can take a family trip on one of the boats which travel along the islands of Mar Menor. You can also sail to the Grosa island to see the bottom of the sea from the boat itself. The children will love it!
Another option is to visit the Escuela Náutica Mar Menor-Cabo de Palos nautical school to enjoy the family water activities available. Together you will be able to learn or improve kite surfing, water skiing, canoeing, powerboating or scuba diving at any time of year.
More summer activities
However, this is not all. Within the Region of Murcia we can also enjoy relaxing swims in places such as Salto del Usero in Bullas, with its three metre waterfall, or on the peaceful fluvial beaches of Blanca.
Furthermore, there is the possibility of taking tourist trips on rafts, canoes or kayaks on the waters of the Sergura River, passing through Calasparra, Cieza, Abarán and Blanca, where the river runs more smoothly.
Culture as a family
In addition to the sun and beach, we must also enjoy the cultural heritage available in the Region of Murcia. It is a great opportunity for our children to learn about the past in a fun way, while learning and having fun as a family. One of the most recommended places is without a doubt Cartagena, a port in which a multitude of cultures of the Mediterranean have disembarked and left their mark.
It is not surprising that Cartagena has the Seal of Family Tourism. Throughout the year children’s workshops are organised, in which children become archaeologists, pirates or Roman soldiers. Furthermore, dramatised visits which bring us Scipio the African and Emperor Augustus will amaze us. If we want to discover the history of the city, we can travel from the Roman period to the 19th century, through the Middle Ages, becoming the main characters of History.
Very near to Cartagena we find the Agrupa Vicenta mine of the Parque Minero de la Unión mining park, one of the largest mines in Europe open to the public. It has a mine train for the whole journey of discovering the mine. There we travel through its enormous corridors and see an underground lake with reddish waters, coloured by the pyrite. It looks like another planet!
If your children like the period of knights and castles, you have to take them to Lorca. The Fortaleza del Sol fortress will receive them with its battlements, dungeons and towers, and additionally, you will be able to participate in dramatised visits for families “Seeking Treasure”, where a knight or healer will tell them many secrets of the castle. To recuperate, you can have something to eat in The Stables. In summer, we recommend that you attend the Night of the Perseids event, and also night-time routes through the city, full of myths and legends.
Finally, in Murcia capital a multitude of museums and activities await you, allowing you to learn about the past as a family. On the hill of Monteagudo, where the castle stands, there are the traces of civilisations which have passed through here, from the Iberians to the Arabs. At the Visitor Centre you will discover weapons, toys, dishes and reconstructions of houses, cabins and palaces which will awaken your imagination.
The majority of these activities and many more can be consulted and acquired through the www.murciaturistica.es website, where we can also book accommodation to meet the needs of our family. It couldn’t be easier or more practical!
As you can see, Costa Cálida – Region of Murcia is a great family destination with a lot to offer. Beach, sports and culture for everyone will make our holidays an unforgettable experience.