Los Alcazares Murcia
Guide to the Mar Menor coastal resort of Los Alcazares Murcia.
Resorts of Murcia - Los Alcazares
The delightful Costa Calida resort of Los Alcázares is situated just off the N-332 coast road between San Javier and Cartagena, lapped by the calm, safe waters of the Mar Menor, its lovely beaches attract sun worshippers from all over the world. The Spanish people themselves adore this section of the coastline and flock there from cities like Murcia and Madrid to escape from the oppressive summer heat.
Located in the Murcia region of south-eastern Spain, Los Alcázares has a resident population of approximately 15,000 though this rises ten-fold during the busy summer months. The district of Los Alcázares comprises about 7 kilometres of the Mar Menor (Lesser Sea) coast and features some excellent sandy beaches, the Mar Menor has a depth no greater than 7m and is well known for having a temperature at least 5 degrees warmer than the neighbouring Mediterranean. The Mar Menor also has an extremely high salt content and has been renowned since the times of the ancients for its healing properties - the Romans knew of this, and constructed Spas along the coast to make use of the benefits. Los Alcázares became independent in 1983 and each year enjoys a week of celebrations to remember this significant event.
The recorded history of Los Alcazares Murcia goes way back to the Moorish occupation of the area, and the name meaning 'The Palaces' derives from the Arabic 'Al-Kazar' meaning stately house or palace. Previously the Romans had erected Spas in the area to make use of the healing effects of the waters, the Moors further improved these Spas and the area became significant as a resting place, for relaxation and recuperation. The Moors also introduced clever irrigation methods, developed in north Africa and the Middle-East, with the result formerly arid land could be cultivated and used, therefore agriculture became important for Los Alcázares as it still remains today. The Moors also introduced their unique fishing techniques, particularly effective in the calm, shallow waters of the Mar Menor - some of these fishing techniques(including one called "la encañizada" using hand-made cane traps) are still employed today.
After the Moors were expelled from the region during the Thirteenth Century, Los Alcázares became seriously depopulated although it continued life as a fishing town of some renown. During the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries Los Alcázares was little more than a tower with a fortified enclosure, and was employed mainly as a watering area for the many cattle which grazed on the grasslands surrounding the town. Following the building of a hermitage in 1898 Los Alcázares emerged as a tourist destination for the citizens of the city of Murcia and it came to resemble a 'camping site' as many tents, awnings and temporary cabins were erected along the seafront in order to carry out the strange custom which became known as 'novenario' and comprised the taking of at least nine baths in the waters from the time of the festival of the Virgen del Carmen (July 16th) throughout the rest of July and August, this custom was still carried out until about the middle of the Twentieth Century.
Modern day Los Alcázares is a busy tourist resort with a decent selection of shops, restaurants and bars, and some lovely beaches. It is a well known spot for watersports and the Mar Menor is a hot-spot for all kinds of such sports including sailing, jet-skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving, swimming and snorkeling. For golfing enthusiasts there are a great selection of courses in the area, with new complexes currently being developed, also the renowned sports resort of La Manga is just a short drive away.
Los Alcázares typically its fair share of fiestas and festivals including 'La Huerta' a popular International festival of market gardening held during August, the Festividad de la Virgin del Carmen (July), and the town's annual Carnival held in February.
Los Alcázares can be easily reached from the N-332 coastal road and also from the AP-7 motorway, it is only a ten minute drive from the closest airport at San Javier (Murcia Airport), other places of interest around Los Alcazares include San Pedro del Pinatar, the ancient city of Cartagena, the unspoilt beaches of Calblanque and the mud baths at Lo Pagan.
Los Alcazares Links: Los Alcazares Information - Los Alcazares Weather
Nearby Places: Lo Pagan - Calblanque - Roda - Torre Pacheco - San Pedro del Pinatar - Santiago de la Ribera
Golf Courses: Roda Golf Resort - Mar Menor Golf Resort - Spain Golf Courses
Related: Murcia - Cartagena - Mar Menor - San Javier - La Manga - Mazarron - Murcia Airport Transfers - Builders
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