Cabo de Palos & La Manga Strip:
More leisure facilities can be found with a short drive to Cabo de Palos which holds a very popular Sunday market,bars, supermarkets and shops, a very pleasant harbour, a variety of seafood restaurants, and a sandy beach on the Mediterranean. The road then continues to La Manga strip which lies approximately 2km from Mar de Cristal and has grown to become one of the most important and interesting resorts on the Mediterranean coast. Built on a narrow strip of land approximately 22km long, which encloses the Mar Menor to the west and separates it from the Mediterranean to the east, it boasts over 44km of Blue Flag’ beaches and offers an abundance of restaurants, bars, shopping complexes and nightlife to meet the demands of residents and holidaymakers alike. The harbour of Thomas Maestre is well worth a visit for its tranquillity and bars.
La Manga & Calblanque National Park:
La Manga Club is approximately 10 minutes away by car and this offers championship golf courses, tennis courts, horse riding, spa facilities and also a good selection of bars and restaurants. During the main school holidays, the Club offers academies for children who play tennis, football and rugby.
Calblanque National Park has large tracts of natural land with long stretches of sandy beaches which are very popular during the summer months, the roads through the area can be very rough with limited facilities in places.
The villages along the 73km of the Mar Menor coastline are San Pedro del Pinatar, Los Alcazares, Los Narejos, Islas Menories, Playa Honda and Playa Paraiso, these traditional villages have wonderful beaches.
This region of Spain is situated on the Costa Calida, on the south east coast and is the driest region of Spain, enjoying an average 3,000 hours of sunshine each year. It is therefore ideal for a relaxing winter break as well as summer holidays.
Cartagena:
Cartagena is a mere 20-minute drive away, or if you preferred the tranquility of a train journey, thre is a frequent train service from Los Nietos which costs 2 euros return to Cartagena, stopping at several villages en route, which you may like to explore. Cartagena is a fascinating seaport and the regions second largest city, with charm and character stretching back over 3,000 years. The architecture is fascinating with many tourist attractions including the remains of a Roman amphitheatre and archaeological, military and modern museums, for those that prefer shopping, It offers modern fashion and jewellers shops, traditional tapas bars and restaurants. The best view of the port is from Parque Torre; in the distance are the lighthouses and traces of old fortifications that defended the entrance to the port for centuries. Further evidence of the ancient defences can be seen near Portman where the ‘Portman Guns’ originally built in the UK but now disused, aim harmlessly out to sea.
Golf:
Mar de Cristal is situated within easy diving distance to many Golf courses, the most famous is La Manga Country Club, with 3 courses, North, West and South within 5 minutes drive, but located within 30 minutes drive or less are Villa Martin, La Serena situated at Los Alcazares, El Valle, Mar Menor Golf,
Mosa Trajectum and La Torre, further afield are Altorreal and Hacienda del Alamo.New golf courses are oppening every year including the one being developed at Los Alcazares.
