Los Alcázares

Population:
15.674 (2018)

Flag:

Watch:
Video Los Alcázares

To Los Alcázares belongs:

• Los Narejos

Location: coast
Airport: 36 km (Murcia)
Torrevieja: 36 km
Cartagena: 21 km
San Pedro del Pinatar: 15 km

Los Alcázares in a nutshell:

• Extensive street art route by bike
• Ode to hardships of agariers
• Pirate invasion and a medieval market
• Image of the toiling fisherman
• A round of golf in the region
• The five faces of Los Alcázares
• Water sports at the Mar Menor

Los Alcázares: The Heart of Mar Menor and Golf Country

Los Alcázares is located more or less in the heart of the Mar Menor coastline. This inland sea, the largest in Europe, also has San Pedro del Pinatar, San Javier and Cartagena as municipalities that lie directly on the saltwater lagoon. With water temperatures that are on average 2 to 4 degrees higher than in the Mediterranean, it is an ideal location for practicing a variety of water sports. The protected location is an extra advantage for sports enthusiasts. Life here takes place largely on the pedestrian promenade and on the seven beaches, which are spread along the seven kilometer long coastal strip.

Los Alcázares is a young municipality. On 13 October 1983 it gained independence from San Javier and Torre-Pacheco. A fact that is celebrated annually with a party week full of live music, shows, a windsurfing competition and fireworks. Although a small municipality with more than 15,500 inhabitants, that number swells to more than 100,000 during the summer months. In addition to the appeal of the Mar Menor, its central location with regard to many golf courses plays an important role in that summer explosion. Los Alcázares boasts that golf enthusiasts can find as many as thirty golf courses less than an hour's drive from the city. One (La Serena Golf) is within the city limits and another course (Roda Golf) is very close by in San Javier.

Los Alcázares has had periods in the past when fishing and the agricultural sector played a prominent role. In 1915, the aircraft industry was added to that list. The city had the first seaplane base in Spain. Though only partially used today, the military airbase lives on in Hollywood history. Twice it was the location for a movie: in 2008 for 'The Garden of Eden' and in 2010 for the 'Green Zone', a war film starring Matt Damon.

History

The interest of vacationing tourists and international home buyers are important sources of income for the city government. Los Alcázares is happy with the arrival of foreigners. But in the past it was a bit different. Then other cultures arrived unsolicited and against the wishes of the inhabitants on the coast of the Mar Menor. These uninvited guests settled there with dubious intentions.

The Romans settled in the region in 210 BC. They had two main reasons for establishing a large community there. The first was financial. The Romans saw the potential of the Mar Menor for salt production and the establishment of a meat industry in which the 'curing' of meat became an important way of preserving the food. In addition, a thriving fishing industry could be developed relatively easily. As an extension of those natural sources of income, Los Alcázares was also an ideal location to build it into a town of spas and baths with therapeutic qualities. But the Romans also recognized the strategic importance of Los Alcázares. The long isthmus of La Manga provided the invaders with a natural barrier against potential invaders.

During the occupation by the Moors, which began in the 6th century, the new rulers built on what the Romans had started. The therapeutic qualities of the spas and baths proved so appealing that the Moors began to build palaces and spas. This was also the time to which the city owes its name. Al Kazar means as much as the palace. In contemporary Spanish, Los Alcázares can be translated as the Palaces.

A remnant from that time is the Rami tower along the N-332 road on the way to Cartagena. The Moors built the small fortress as a watchtower. Later it was mainly used as a defense against pirate attacks. Over the centuries, hardly any changes have been made to the nine-meter-high fortress. After the departure of the Moors in 1272 came a long period of redistribution of the country. This resulted in a thriving agricultural sector. To this day, the province of Murcia is one of the most important agricultural areas in Spain.

Leading up to today's international tourist industry, the history of Los Alcázares is marked by yet another significant event. Around 1900, wealthy families from the province of Murcia started building summer residences along the Mar Menor. That was the reluctant start of a tourist industry, which has exploded a century later.

An accidental find in 1990 in the village of Los Narejos just north of Los Alcázares opened a new chapter in local history. During road works, a collection of old water storage sites was found. These appeared to date from the first century. The Roman constructions must have been intended to collect rainwater.

Routes

In a special leaflet, the tourist office of Los Alcázares recommends five itineraries, each highlighting part of the town's charm. Here is an explanation of those routes.

• Visit to the aircraft base. This is where the important aircraft industry in Los Alcázares began. Today the base is only partially operational for military use, but there is enough to see to get an impression of that rich history. This started in 1915 when the Spanish government chose the city as the first base for seaplanes. The reason was simple: the Mar Menor provided sheltered and calm water conditions. Later it also became an important training center for the Spanish Air Force and large hangars were built for the maintenance of aircraft from all over the country. The base played a vital role during the Spanish Civil War, but after 1939 its activities declined. Since 1998, enthusiasts of aviation history can also visit a special museum. There you can admire, among other things, models of aircraft and photos.
• Street art bike ride. Since 2014, the city has made a name for itself for its street art. That year, five local painters embarked on a project to embellish dull slabs of concrete with artwork. The initiative with the name 'Painted Village' was a success. Los Alcázares has since grown into a kind of open air museum with more than 150 murals spread across the city. Painters from all over Europe, America and Africa have adorned the walls with their art in recent years. The works are sometimes hyper realistic, but other artists made collages, art with a wink and impressionistic works. A folder can be picked up at the tourist office on which the locations of all works of art are listed.
• Tourist train along highlights. A comfortable ride on the tourist train is an ideal way to get a good idea of ​​the versatility of Los Alcázares. It is a tour along the beautiful waters of the Mar Menor with a bit of culture, history and art in the mix. Passengers will see, for example, the beautiful church from 1898, the important military airbase, the two centuries-old site of a Roman settlement, a series of monuments, an old Arab defense tower and the oldest spa hotel on the inland sea.

• Free boat trip on Mar Menor. To explore the Mar Menor, visitors can take advantage of the free boat trip on the inland sea. The tour lasts about an hour and offers the opportunity to see the islets in the Mar Menor and learn and discover more interesting things about the saltwater lagoon.
• The La Hita Nature Reserve. On the border with Santiago de la Ribera, behind La Hita beach, lies this salt pan with a remarkably rich vegetation and small wetlands. The area is rich in waterfowl and has a protected status. Wooden decking trails make it easy to walk through the reserve. Bird lovers would do well to bring a camera and binoculars.

Culture and parties

Since Los Alcázares became independent in 1983, art forms have always played an important role. In addition to the aforementioned initiative to give the city an important place in the world of street art, the municipality also has a good eye for immortalizing important events and people in monuments and statues. The most important of these are the statue of the fisherman at the Playa Espejo, the monument to the agricultural worker at the entrance to the park las Penas Huertanas, the monument to the miner in the Rio Sella street and the Independence monument on Paseo Carrion.

And of course celebrations also play an important role in cultural life. Here is a brief summary:

• Invasion of the pirates. The Easter celebration in Los Alcázares is quite different from the usual festivities in other municipalities. The residents then reflect on the time when pirates regularly raided the beaches of the Mar Menor in the 16th and 17th centuries. The controversies between the local population and the pirates are then re-enacted as faithfully as possible. The streets are packed with people dressed up as pirates, falconers, jugglers and other colorful and sometimes dubious types from a bygone era during the party. The festivities are accompanied by a medieval market with a variety of old crafts.
• Festival of La Huerta y el Mar. This was originally a folk festival with traditional music and dance from all corners of the world. Many other activities have now been added to the program after almost fifty editions. For ten days in the second half of August, the colorful dance performances still have a central role. Place of action is the park Las Penas Huertanas. The shows are free until the park accommodates the maximum amount of visitors.
• The origin of the festivities goes back a long time. It marks the summer migration of the agricultural workers from the hinterland to their coastal shelters. Centuries ago, many coastal residents were forced to look for work in the agricultural sector. They worked and lived there in simple huts under often appalling conditions. The makeshift huts, called barracas, are being replicated on a larger scale in the city. The public can come here every evening from 14 to 24 August from 8:30 to 12:30 am for traditional dishes and tapas.

• Independence parties. On October 12, the regular beach guests have to share their domain with an army of cooks. From early in the morning everything is prepared for the Caldero day. Then this traditional regional dish of fish and rice is prepared for everyone who wants to enjoy it. It is one of the highlights of the Independence celebrations, which are celebrated over several days with a series of cultural events.
• The Day of the Virgin. A very special holiday is celebrated on August 15. Then the effigy of the beloved Virgin de la Asuncion is carried in a procession on both land and sea. At dawn, the city awakens to the noise of firecrackers. This is the traditional signal for the residents to gather for the procession. The festivities are concluded with a large fireworks display.
• Partying in Los Narejos. The village of Los Narejos on the Mar Menor belongs to Los Alcázares. In recent years it has become an increasingly important tourist center. The Las Velas commercial center and the many water sports activities organized by the nautical club certainly contribute to this. Los Narejos has two religious festivals every year. The most important is on December 8 when the patron saint, the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, takes center stage. This is celebrated with a large communal meal. The highlight is the pilgrimage through the streets with an image of the virgin. In August, similar activities are held in honor of the Virgin Santa Maria de los Angeles. The tour with her effigy ends on the beach with fireworks.

Golf and water sports

The La Serena golf course on the Mar Menor is known as a course with the necessary obstacles. With many water features and bunkers, golfers have many problems to solve. An additional difficulty can be caused by the regularly blowing levante wind. For information on a range of golf courses in the region see our Golf page.

The Roda golf course is close by at San Javier. This course is characterized by undulating fairways, lakes and palm trees. Connoisseurs do not find Roda Golf too challenging due to the fairly open landscape.

Water sports come here in all shapes and sizes. Due to the favorable natural conditions in the Mar Menor, many sports can be practiced such as: flyboarding, water skiing, paddle and kayaking. In Los Alcázares there are several schools where you can practice sailing, windsurfing, kite surfing and canoeing.

For other sports, enthusiasts can visit the sports center with a large swimming pool and gym. Pilates, power step and zumba can also be practiced here.

Roller skate and skateboard facilities have been in place in the park Las Penas Huertas since 2015 and there is a go kart track close to the San Javier airport.