HOME > MURCIA MAR MENOR & CARTAGENA > LOS ALCÁZARES
Introduction to Los Alcázares
Los Alcázares lies on the inland shore of the Mar Menor, surrounded by the sea and the municipalities of San Javier, Torre Pacheco and Cartagena, with a permanent population of around 19,000 inhabitants.
Its main activity is tourism and the hotel of La Encarnación is one of the oldest in the Region of Murcia. It was built on the shore of the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest saltwater lagoon, which multiplies the population in summer with holidaymakers attracted by kilometres of soft sand, warm, safe and shallow water and the opportunities to enjoy the superb watersports facilities.
The Mar Menor is renowned for its safe sailing and afternoon thermal winds, with kitesurfers and windsurfers taking advantage of the clean run from shore to shore and learners enjoying the safety of an enclosed lagoon whilst more experienced sailors can head out into the Mediterranean or charter yachts to explore the Murcia coastline.
Los Alcázares is also the location of the only surviving Balneario or bathing station, which is still in use today as a restaurant, a vestige from the days when bathers wished to maintain a level of decorum by descending into the waters from the privacy of a bathing hut rather than baring all on the beach. This part of the beach is also the focal point for one of the most important gastronomic traditions of the region: the preparation of the fish-based rice dish of caldero, the staple diet of the fishing population who fished from these shores before the onset of tourism.
Los Alcázares has been the chosen destination of Murcianos from the regional capital for many decades and celebrates the annual migration with its vibrant and colourful Semana de la Huerta y El Mar, filling the town with the scent of tapas, the colourful costumes of folk dancers and a selection of artisan crafts from across the Region.
Los Alcázares also hosts one of the best medieval markets in the region when it celebrates its Berber fiestas, commemorating the raids by Berber Pirates which were such a feature of its history during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The town is home to an established ex-pat community with a wealth of social activities and organisations for the English-speaking population, and offers residential properties in established urban locations, as well as in newer urbanisations.
The town is around half an hour's drive from the Region of Murcia International Airport in Corvera, with good connections along the Mar Menor to the road network of the rest of Spain.
Timetable for public buses to and from Corvera Airport increased for July and AugustThe public transport connection to the Region of Murcia International Airport from Murcia city and Cartagena will be beefed up for the summer Murcia’s regional government has, for another year, agreed to put on public transport between the Region.. 04/07/2025
Curry's Nepali & Indian Restaurant in Los Alcázares extends opening times to include Sunday nightsThe popular Indian curry house in Los Narejos is now open every day of the week for lunch and dinner The Curry’s Nepali & Indian Restaurant in Los Narejos, Los Alcázares, are extending their opening times to now include Sunday evenings.. 04/07/2025
Ryanair and easyJet flights disrupted at Spanish airports over French air traffic control strikeHolidaymakers travelling through Murcia, Alicante and other Spanish airports face widespread delays and cancellations A wave of cancellations and delays has hit airports across Spain, including Murcia and Alicante, as French air traffic controllers.. 04/07/2025
Mar Menor water temperature nears 30 degrees Celsius as heatwave threatens lagoon's delicate balanceExcessive warming has put the Mar Menor saltwater lagoon under severe environmental stress The Mar Menor, Spain’s largest saltwater lagoon, is approaching a critical environmental threshold as it nears 30 degrees Celsius, a temperature typically.. 04/07/2025
Heat alerts have finally been deactivated, but the hot weather is sticking around: Murcia weather forecast July 3-6There may be more weather alerts to come on Saturday and Sunday, but some cloudier conditions come next week could cool things down Due to the deadly heatwave sweeping Spain and Europe this week, the Region of Murcia has once again been under yellow.. 03/07/2025
Murcia photo of the month July 2025Here’s the top image of the month taken by the Los Alcázares Digital Camera Club (LADCC) Murcia’s soaring temperatures have certainly not kept LADCC members away from the photographic circuit this past month. The monthly.. 01/07/2025
New Plaza Movilidad-Flamenco Holidays deal makes mobility scooter hire in Murcia and Alicante even easier this summerPlaza Movilidad Mar Menor teams up with Flamenco Holidays to offer holidaymakers exclusive discounts Plaza Movilidad Mar Menor has announced a new partnership with Flamenco Holidays, launching on Tuesday July 1, 2025. The collaboration means that.. 01/07/2025
Sonrisas Harmony donate €600 to child cancer charityAFACMUR supports the families of children diagnosed with cancer Sonrisas Harmony have presented their chosen charity, ‘AFACMUR’ - cáncer Infantile, with a cheque for €600. Three of the chorus members, Conchita Moronatti, Lynda.. 01/07/2025
Read the July edition of Home & Living magazine online nowWelcome to the July 2025 issue of Home & Living! The Home & Living Magazine, previously known as the Costa Calida Chronicle, has been supplying useful local information of interest to a loyal readership base for all that time. It is.. 30/06/2025
Boost for Los Alcázares tourism as Punta Calera hotel reopens after 15 yearsThe building, which has been closed for over 15 years, is now set to revitalise Punta Calera commercial area Los Alcázares Town Hall is celebrating the reopening of the new Aparthotel Punta Calera, in the commercial area of the district.. 27/06/2025
Why you should never sleep with the fan on all nightSpanish nights might be stifling, but there are several serious health implications from sleeping with a fan Summer temperatures in Spain can be rather hard to take at times and most of us opt for a refreshing dip in the sea or the pool to cool off during..
'Our core values are based on seasonal, local produce': The Brits in Murcia keeping traditional cookery alive in a fine dining restaurantHow a pair of expats are redefining fine dining by going back to basics When Paul Owens and Julia Marshall first arrived in Murcia, they weren’t planning to create one of the region’s most talked-about fine dining experiences. Yet.. 27/06/2025
Where to park at Murcia and Alicante airportsThese are the options for motorists looking to park a car at Corvera Airport and Alicante Airport Do you travel often to and from the Region of Murcia International Airport or Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport? Parking logistics are crucial..
LS Solicitors open new office at Mar Menor Golf ResortThe law firm is now welcoming clients at a new location on the Boulevard LS Solicitors have officially opened their brand-new office at Mar Menor Golf Resort, offering greater convenience and visibility for expats living in and around this popular.. 24/06/2025
Changes afoot as Corvera Airport finalises biometric border controls for UK and non-EU passengersFacial recognition and fingerprint scanners to replace passport stamps from October The Region of Murcia’s International Airport in Corvera finishing the set-up of its new biometric border control system for non-EU travellers from October.. 23/06/2025
Mar Menor and Portmán Bay once again given Black Flags for environmental harmEcologistas en Acción has highlighted pollution, mismanagement and encroachment along Spain’s coastline in its 2025 Black Flags report The environmental organisation Ecologistas en Acción has once again raised the alarm..
