La Manga del Mar Menor
A twenty-kilometre ribbon of sand between two seas: the Mediterranean on one side, the Mar Menor lagoon on the other. The lagoon is warmer and has no waves, and people swim in it from May to November.
Back to the Costa Cálida neighbourhoods
Airport
≈ 35 min from Murcia RMU, 1 h 15 from Alicante (served from Luxembourg)
Beach
Two seas immediately at hand: the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor lagoon
Shops
Shops along the Gran Vía, markets at Cabo de Palos
Price range
€180,000 – €1.2M
The atmosphere
La Manga is a tongue of sand twenty kilometres long, a hundred metres wide in places, between the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor. The Mar Menor is the largest saltwater lagoon in Europe. On one side you have the waves and the open horizon; on the other, flat shallow water, five degrees warmer than the open sea, where people swim from May to November.
This double exposure organises the day: paddle or sailing on the lagoon in the morning, when it is glassy, then the Mediterranean beach in the afternoon. In the evening the sun sets over the water, on one side or the other depending on the season. The sailing and kitesurf schools have set up their base camp here.
The strip lives intensely in summer and much more quietly in winter. The southern part, close to Cabo de Palos and its fishing village, stays the busiest all year: the fish restaurants of the port are there. The shops line the Gran Vía. Cartagena is thirty minutes away, Murcia airport thirty-five, Alicante an hour and a quarter.
The market is accessible and it turns over fast on the front line. Apartments facing one sea or the other run from €180,000 to €500,000, and front-line penthouses up to €800,000. A few villas at the water’s edge approach €1M. New-build is rare, since the strip is built up: the supply rests mainly on properties from the 80s and 90s to renovate, often with a view over one of the two seas.
The micro-areas to know: kilometres 0 to 4, on the Cabo de Palos side, are the liveliest all year, and Dos Mares takes the centre with the Galán beach. The Tomás Maestre marina and its canals serve the boat owners, and Veneziola, to the north, remains the quietest and the cheapest sector of the strip. The lagoon front line goes to families, the Mediterranean front line to those who want the horizon.
La Manga suits people who practise water sports and families with young children, since the lagoon works as a natural pool without waves. It also suits buyers aiming at the sea front line on a contained budget, provided they allow for the works.
Everyday life
- A double coastline: the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor lagoon
- Sailing, kitesurf and paddle schools
- Marinas (Tomás Maestre, Dos Mares)
- The fishing village and restaurants of Cabo de Palos
- Cabo de Palos — Islas Hormigas marine reserve (diving)
- Sandy beaches on both sides, swimming from May to November
- A promenade and cycle paths along the strip
- Complete summer shops and services
The property market
The strip has been built up since the 1970s and 80s. What sells there as new-build is heavy refurbishment, delivered with the guarantees of the developer, on positions nobody can build on again. Expect €2,600 to €3,500/m² for these operations, against €1,500 to €2,800/m² in the existing stock: apartments from €180,000 to €500,000, penthouses up to €800,000.
Observed price range: €180,000 – €1.2M
Who is it for?
Families with young children: the wave-free lagoon works as a natural pool. Windsurfers, kitesurfers and boat owners find a sheltered stretch of water here, and buyers aiming at the sea front line come in at around €180,000. It is also a first step in Spain for Luxembourg buyers who want to know the region before a longer-term purchase.
Strengths
- Two seas a hundred metres apart
- A warm lagoon without waves: young children and water sports
- Sea front line from €180,000
- The Cabo de Palos marine reserve for diving
- Strong summer rental demand, Spanish and international
- Cabo de Palos alive all year, at the southern end of the strip
Things to consider
- Very seasonal at the northern end of the strip: winter is silent there
- A single road serves the strip, and traffic is heavy in August
- A dated housing stock: budget for the renovation
Our view
We follow the La Manga del Mar Menor market day to day, work directly with the developers and analyse each scheme, its location and its surroundings before presenting it to you. Tell us what you are looking for: we will prepare a selection that fits your plans, on site or from Luxembourg.
Receive a selection in this neighbourhoodOur first properties in La Manga del Mar Menor are on their way
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