The Costa Calida is situated in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula and extends 250km from the beach of Carolina in Aguilas ( just a few kilometers north of the province of Almeria ) to the beach at El Mojon ( just south of Costa Blanca ).
The province of Murcia is unique in that there is a peninsula which runs parallel to the coastline and this forms the Mar Menor ( small sea ). The Mar Menor ( the minor sea ) is separated from the Mediterranean by a strip of land known as La Manga. This has benefited mar Menor by keeping the waters calm and warm ,and the temperature rarely drops below 17C even in the winter months. Like Almeria the coastal area of Costa Calida is a beautiful region.
Weather
The Murcian coastline benefits from approximately 320 days of sun per year. Summer temperatures rarely fall below 30°C ( 86°F ) with winter temperatures being very mild averaging around 18°C ( 64°F ). The Costa Calida & its surrounding areas are sheltered by high mountains and hills which allows for a
kind of micro climate. Rainfall is therefore limited, and as a result this is an ideal destination for holiday makers all year round.
The province of Murcia, & therefore the Costa Calida, is famous for its salt lakes. This has a major knock on effect on humidity levels, & as a result the air is much dryer than in other parts of Spain & Europe. The low humidity levels coupled with
a mild climate, mean the WHO ( World Health Organisation ) have rated this part
of Spain one of the healthiest climates on the planet.
History / Places of Interest
The first signs of human presence along the Costa Calida can be traced back
some 1.5 million years. In more recent times native Iberian tribes inhabited the coastline, trading with other Mediterranean cultures including the Greeks, Phoenicians & Romans.
The Mar Menor, Europe's largest salt water lagoon, separated from the Mediterranean by the 24 kilometre long La Manga del Mar Menor has 170 square kilometers of shallow water. The average depth of the Mar Menor is four metres and its maximum seven metres which, means that the seabed slopes very gradually. It is ideal for children as it goes for several hundred metres before the water become deep. The Mar Menor's salinity provides buoyancy so it is one of the safest places to swim in the world. The mineral-rich waters of the Mar Menor are supposed to have therapeutic effects, so the area has a significant spa tourism industry.
Cartagena is worth a special mention because of its historical interest. This town was for more than two thousand years a strategic Mediterranean port, surrounded by fortifications and it encloses many fine archaeological remains. Today, Cartagena is a modern industrial city, with the old quarter a Naval dockyard. It is located 10 minutes from Mar Menor and La Manga - making this a desirable region of Spain.
Local Industry
Due to the Mar Menor, Europe's largest salt water lagoon, salt is the areas largest export. Other that that, the province of Murcia is mainly sustained by citrus fruit farming & associated industries. Industrial development is very evident inland, but in the main its coastline remains untouched by modern industry. The Costa Calida is rapidly; with many native & foreign people seeking either second homes or moving to the area. There is a definite cosmopolitan feel to the area now, but the area still retains much of the community atmosphere & traditional culture.
Transport
The Costa Calida's resident airport is Murcia International Airport (MJV), located in San Javier. Murcia San Javier airport is a converted military airstrip, but now services tourists & the general public. From England there are connections from London - Gatwick and Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester and East Midlands.
|
