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The sun, sand and sea are no longer off-limits for people with mobility issues in the Region of Murcia, where a major push to make beaches accessible has seen dramatic improvements over the past year.

 

A new study shows that 81% of the Region of Murcia's 74 main beaches now welcome visitors regardless of their physical abilities, up from three-quarters just last summer.

 

The Regional Ministry of Tourism worked with the Tourism Institute (ITREM) and accessibility experts to assess every major beach along the Region's coastline. What they found was encouraging: 60 beaches are now accessible with assistance, many equipped with specialised gear to help people with mobility issues get into the water safely.

 

Three beaches have gone the extra mile, earning "accessible points" status by providing everything needed for independent visits, including changing rooms and outdoor showers. Playa Honda and Puerto Bello in Cartagena's Mar Menor area, plus San Ginés on the Mediterranean coast, now offer the full package for visitors who need additional support.

 

But the real game changer is the free assisted bathing services available at 11 beaches this summer. Qualified staff help visitors using amphibious chairs specially designed for entering the water. The service is spread across three coastal areas: three beaches in Mazarrón (San Ginés, La Isla, and Bahía-La Reya), six around the Mar Menor (Mistral, Colón, El Castillico, Puerto Bello, Playa Honda and El Pedruchillo) and two along La Manga's Mediterranean strip (Banco de Tabal and El Pedrucho).

 

Beyond just getting people to the water's edge, five beaches now feature adapted bathing areas in the sea with handrails, access platforms, shaded spots and submerged seats. Two new areas opened this summer at Carrión in Los Alcázares and La Colonia in Águilas, joining existing sites that have been quietly revolutionising beach access. These include Villananitos in San Pedro del Pinatar, Los Narejos in Los Alcázares and El Puerto in Mazarrón.

 

The assessment was thorough, with experts from the Famdif Accessibility Office visiting each beach in person to check everything from parking reserved for people with reduced mobility to accessible signage, routes, ramps and walkways leading to the sand.

 

They also looked at adapted restrooms, showers and specialised equipment like beach walkers and water handrails.

 

All the findings are now available on the regional tourism portal and through a dedicated Accede Playas-Región de Murcia mobile app, making it easier for visitors to plan trips knowing what facilities they'll find.

Tourism Institute director Juan Francisco Martínez says the initiative "seeks to facilitate planning visits for people with disabilities or reduced mobility, promoting more inclusive and universal tourism."

 

The study includes specific improvement proposals for each beach, submitted to local councils with the goal of creating a fully accessible coastal network.

 

However, the picture isn't perfect everywhere. Reality has a way of catching up with even the best intentions, as visitors to Mazarrón have discovered this summer. Several holidaymakers report that all the amphibious chairs there have broken down or been damaged, leaving swimmers with mobility issues unable to enter the water safely on their own.

 

 

Image: CARM