The coastline of Costa Cálida within the Region of Murcia has many places of exceptional beauty, history and rich and varied fauna. One of them is the Mar Menor, the largest salt water lake in Europe, with an area of ​​170 km2 and a depth of no more than 7 meters, it is a unique location and the most important marsh area in Murcia. In this captivating Mediterranean coastal setting you can see land formations such as salt flats, dunes, marshes, reed beds and large unspoiled sandy beaches. They were declared a regional nature reserve in 1985 and are some of the most important wetland areas in Europe due to a rich and varied wildlife and are incredibly important to bird species, of which there are many. Flamingos and other migratory birds, such as owls, stalks, herons, harriers and seagulls, flock here at the end of each summer using this place as their stopping place between Europe and Africa, but there are many others that you can observe.

The Mar Menor is made up of a narrow strip of land known as La Manga. In recent years there has been massive development on this strip of land and it is now covered with high-rise apartment blocks, hotels, and La Manga Club, which is a famous golf and sports complex. The use of the Mar Menor dates back to history, the Phoenicians and Greeks knew it and they would undoubtedly have stopped trading in this part of the coast. The Romans built settlements along the coast and were the first to understand the importance of the huge salt deposits found in this part of Spain, they started the salt extraction industry that remains important to this day. The Romans named it Belich and built spas to make use of the healing powers of salt water. There were more settlements in the VIII-XIII centuries during the Arab occupation of Spain and the Moors were very aware of the healing properties of salt water and founded some spas such as Los Alcázares as places of relaxation and recovery, the Moors also put in place some excellent irrigation systems that allowed the heart of the Mar Menor to become an important agricultural area. The Arabs also introduced some unique fishing methods that resulted in the successful Mar Menor fishing industry.

The Mar Menor is a saltwater lake area that is exciting to explore and relaxing, so there really is something for everyone. It is famous for having a water temperature around 5 degrees warmer than the surrounding Mediterranean Sea and many go swimming there all year round. Many others opt for the healing mud baths located in Lo Pagan, which have become famous around the world for their healing properties. There has been a popular development on the Mar Menor of a water sports center and it is one of the best places in Europe for windsurfing.

A trip to this beautiful country would not be complete without a visit to the beautiful resort town of Mar Menor, located on the east coast (Costa Blanca) of Spain in the Murcia region. The landscape of the Mar Menor area is truly impressive and a visit to this incredible saltwater lake and its surroundings on the Mediterranean coast with cliffs and small beaches on a sunny day or on a quiet afternoon with the sunset will be one always remembers.