La Manga, Spain

[zamantha]

We're going - has some mixed reviews - think it offers what we're looking for but can you give me tips on what to do. Know there is not much to visit around area but what do you recommend?

Daughter wants to speak Spanish.
Son will play golf.
We will read and swim.

Local market/ restaurants/village/countryside??? Where to go outside resort.

It's a resort based holiday but you will be able to do all those things

Go to San Pedro del Pinatar if you can, very spanish, nice town, your daughter can practise some spanish ordering food etc (very little english spoken I think).

Cartagena should be worth a visit, we didn't visit (stayed near Alicante) but will try to next time we're in the area. Am sure both of those will have a weekly market too, get to the tourist office in either at the start of your trip.

Murcia is a fantastic city too, well worth a visit.

The sea in the lagoon is also several degrees warmer than the open sea (is fab)

I Would second Cartagena and Murcia for walking around/cafes.

If you have a car do some exploring to find some quieter , nice beaches. The water is very warm and shallow and perfect for little ones.

Cartagena is like a miniature Barcelona - Roman ruins, nice harbour, cafes, museums and wandering about. Just before you get there from La Manga there is a modern shopping centre which is worth a visit if that's your thing. Getting there and back without getting lost on the motorway is an adventure in itself.

If your son likes golf you probably won't see much of him in La Manga, except when he's asking for more green fees. If your daughter wants to work on her Spanish she may be disappointed as most of the people there are British, including the staff.

Cabo De Palos is nice - the fishing village where the La Manga strip joins the mainland. Nice beach (but watch out for jellyfish) and a big market on Sundays, allowing you to tour the town looking for a parking space.

went this year. It's nice but very sterile and artificial feeling. Enjoyed Cartagena and some of the little coastal towns are nice (very different and low key compared to the more popular spanish resorts more known to the UK)with nice stretches of beaches with mostly Spanish holiday makers. Liked the beach on the Med side of the La Manga strip near the start where you can walk along to Cabo De Palos along the beach (though parking could be a hassle).

There is a lovely restaurant on the resort overlooking the little resort beach. forget the name but you have to drive windy, unpaved roads but it was lovely if pricey.

Thank you all so much. Have printed off to keep safe.

Any more tips most welcome. [hsmile]

Cartagena is lovely as is Murcia. It's worth going to cabo de palos too and going further up the end of the La Manga strip, lovely beaches on the Med side and the Mar Menor, the Mar Menor is especially good for kids as there is no tide and you can walk really far out and the sea doesn't get deep at all. I've never been to the resort but have spent the last 7 years holidaying there based at the end of the strip. Have a lovely time!

The best restaurant on the club is La Finca.

The same people own the Si! Bar and restaurant which is more pizza/pasta and geared up for families.

There is a restaurant called La Canela, half way down the tree lined road leading to the club entrance that is worth a visit and also La Rusticana, on the same road but past the club entrance and on the left. (the Portman Road)

Also pizza pasta that is ok with kids is Luigis up at Las Lomas, although we tended to avoid the club owned restaurants.

The main club house is ok for a coffee/snack/ tapas and has a view over the golf course so you could watch your son playing up the 18th

Cartagena is worth an afternoon for architecture,bshopping, tapas bars. Drive on to the far end of the marina, not the port, and park up. There are lots of little streets leading in from there with shops/ bars/cafes.

La Cala is the beach restaurant mentioned up thread. It is open seasonally so may be closed now.

There are some nice fish restaurants on the harbour at Cabo de Palos (15 minute drive).

Don't know if the main resort pool is still open this time of year. Are you in the hotel or a villa? The pool up at Las Lomas is open year round I think.

We're going in season time, in a villa with my ageing but sprightly parents and staying in a LAs Lomas townhouse. I'm planning ahead and thinking about warmth of Spain to take away the current chill

Towns/villages listed I've taken note of.

Thank you