San Javier Murcia
Guide to San Javier Murcia, a town located on the Mar Menor coastline of the region.
Murcia Towns - San Javier
San Javier is a small town on the Mar Menor coast of the Costa Calida, and is situated in the Murcia region of soth-eastern Spain. Named for the apostle Saint Francis Xavier, the district and municipality of San Javier covers an area of about 74 square kilometres and has a resident population of approximately 23,000.
The area around San Javier and Murcia is extremely significant for agriculture and a huge variety of produce is grown in the region. In the last decade it has also become prominent for tourism and property development, the Mar Menor (Lesser Sea) is a big attraction for tourists, who flock to the area to enjoy its warm, safe waters and beautiful beaches. The water sports facilities and large range of golf courses also add greatly to its popularity.
The municipal district of San Javier comprises eight boroughs and these are La Manga, Santiago de la Ribera, El Mirador, Roda, La Grajuela, La Calavera, Pozo Aledo and Los Saez de Tarquinales.
Although the recorded annals of San Javier only goes back to the Moorish occupation of the region, it is generally accepted that there were settlements in the area as far back as the Neanderthal Period. The Phoenicians also sailed along this coastline on what was at that time an important trading route, and they established settlements, artefacts found in the waters of the Mar Menor, suggest that both Greek and Roman vessels laid anchor there.
The area around San Javier became significant for both agriculture and fishing during the Arab occupation, and clever irrigation systems incorporated by the Moors, allowed previously barren land to be cultivated. The Moors also brought with them, unique fishing techniques, some of which are still being applied today, one method involves the use of hand-made reed fences for trapping the fish, primarily used in the calm, shallow waters of the Mar Menor.
The area was eventually re-conquered by the Christian King Alfonso X (‘Alfonso The Wise’) in the 13th Century, and the district became depopulated, and only recovered gradually over the following centuries. During the 14th to 17th Centuries the neighbouring coast was frequently raided by Barbary pirates and numerous defensive towers were erected by Felipe II to defend against these incursions. San Javier finally became an independent municipality on 9th March 1836.
These days San Javier is a thriving little town, with a decent range of shops, bars and restaurants and the district also boasts some of the best beaches in the region, the ever poplar healing mud and salt baths at Lo Pagan are just a short distance away.
Certainly worth visiting whilst in San Javier is the fascinating city of Cartagena, with its long history and wealth of impressive archaeological monuments, some dating back to Roman times and beyond. The region’s capital, Murcia would also be high on the list for a visit. Other attractive neighbouring resorts and villages include Santiago de la Ribera, San Pedro del Pinatar, Los Alcázares , Sucina, Roda and Pilar de la Horadada.
San Javier sits on the N332 coastal road and is easily reached from the AP-7 motorway. The airport which is often referred to as Murcia airport is just a five minute drive away from San Javier itself.
San Javier Links: San Javier Guide - San Javier Map - San Javier Weather - San Javier Airport Map
Nearby Places: San Pedro del Pinatar - Santiago de la Ribera - Lo Pagan - Torre Pacheco - Roda - Sucina
Golf Courses: Roda Golf Resort - Mar Menor Golf Resort - Spain Golf Courses
Related: Murcia - Cartagena - Los Alcazares - Mar Menor - La Manga - Mazarron - Murcia Airport Transfers - Builders
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