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HOME > MURCIA MAR MENOR & CARTAGENA > LOS ALCÁZARES
Introduction to Los Alcázares
Los Alcázares lies on the inland shore of the Mar Menor, surrounded by the sea and the municipalities of San Javier, Torre Pacheco and Cartagena, with a permanent population of around 19,000 inhabitants.
Its main activity is tourism and the hotel of La Encarnación is one of the oldest in the Region of Murcia. It was built on the shore of the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest saltwater lagoon, which multiplies the population in summer with holidaymakers attracted by kilometres of soft sand, warm, safe and shallow water and the opportunities to enjoy the superb watersports facilities.
The Mar Menor is renowned for its safe sailing and afternoon thermal winds, with kitesurfers and windsurfers taking advantage of the clean run from shore to shore and learners enjoying the safety of an enclosed lagoon whilst more experienced sailors can head out into the Mediterranean or charter yachts to explore the Murcia coastline.
Los Alcázares is also the location of the only surviving Balneario or bathing station, which is still in use today as a restaurant, a vestige from the days when bathers wished to maintain a level of decorum by descending into the waters from the privacy of a bathing hut rather than baring all on the beach. This part of the beach is also the focal point for one of the most important gastronomic traditions of the region: the preparation of the fish-based rice dish of caldero, the staple diet of the fishing population who fished from these shores before the onset of tourism.
Los Alcázares has been the chosen destination of Murcianos from the regional capital for many decades and celebrates the annual migration with its vibrant and colourful Semana de la Huerta y El Mar, filling the town with the scent of tapas, the colourful costumes of folk dancers and a selection of artisan crafts from across the Region.
Los Alcázares also hosts one of the best medieval markets in the region when it celebrates its Berber fiestas, commemorating the raids by Berber Pirates which were such a feature of its history during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The town is home to an established ex-pat community with a wealth of social activities and organisations for the English-speaking population, and offers residential properties in established urban locations, as well as in newer urbanisations.
The town is around half an hour's drive from the Region of Murcia International Airport in Corvera, with good connections along the Mar Menor to the road network of the rest of Spain.
Murcia welcomes record number of international tourists in JulyMore than 162,000 foreign visitors arrived in the Region during July, with tourists staying an average of 12.1 days The Region of Murcia has recorded a big increase in international tourism, with July bringing the highest number of international.. 02/09/2026
24-hour tourist information service opens in Los NarejosDigital screens as well as friendly staff as Los Alcázares embraces sustainable technology The tourist office in Los Narejos, in the municipality of Los Alcázares, has reopened in Avenida Río Nalón in a slightly different format.. 02/09/2026
Spain records its deadliest summer for heat-related deathsHealth experts warn that increasingly frequent and prolonged heatwaves are becoming a growing public health threat across Spain Spain has recorded its highest number of heat-related deaths during a summer since monitoring began, with 5,234 deaths.. 01/09/2026
La Manga – Santiago de la Ribera ferry timetable September 2026Evening sailings curtailed after dark now the main summer season is over With the end of the peak summer season in the Mar Menor and the beginning of September the ferry service which runs between La Manga and the landward shore of the lagoon in Santiago.. 01/09/2026
Santomera archaeological site reveals centuries of hidden historyNew discoveries at the Sierra de Balumba site reveal how the strategic hilltop was used from the Bronze Age through to the Andalusian period A hilltop in Santomera has been revealing its secrets this summer, with archaeologists uncovering evidence.. 01/09/2026
September 8 Coffee & Company with HELP Murcia Mar Menor in Los AlcázaresGo along to the café in Los Alcázares on the second Tuesday of the month for a cup of coffee with some friendly people After a summer break, HELP Murcia Mar Menor returns with its regular Coffee & Company event on the.. 01/09/2026
More than 262,000 hectares burned by wildfires across Spain this yearSpain has recorded 43 major forest fires this year, while a change in the weather could bring some relief to fire-hit areas this weekend Spain has seen more than 262,000 hectares of land affected by wildfires since the start of the year, according.. 28/08/2026
House prices are up 22% in Murcia, but most buyers aren't borrowingMore than half of homes bought in the Region were paid for without a mortgage despite the rising prices Buying a home in the Region of Murcia is becoming more expensive every week, it seems, but surprisingly new data shows that most people buying.. 28/08/2026
TKO Mystery Voice competition winner celebrates with €500 prizeAfter more than three months of clues and guesses, one TKO Radio listener finally walked away with the €500 prize After more than three months of guessing, the mystery voice on TKO Radio has finally been revealed, and Louise Denneny is the.. 28/08/2026
Los Alcázares prepares for autumn rains with major works on key flood defence plannedThe four-kilometre D7 channel intercepts rainwater runoff before it reaches Los Alcázares and carries it towards the Rambla del Albujón When heavy rain arrives, water can build up quickly around the Mar Menor, putting roads, fields.. 27/08/2026
Murcia's tropical nights are becoming the new summer normalThe Region could be heading towards 'hellish nights' as minimum temperatures continue to rise For many people living in the Region of Murcia, summer nights have always meant opening the windows, sitting outside for a while and enjoying.. 27/08/2026
Murcia's new Guardia Civil patrol boat still can't catch the fastest drug trafficking boatsThe vessel was brought in to strengthen coastal surveillance, but guards say it cannot keep up with boats capable of reaching 130 kilometres per hour A new Guardia Civil patrol boat has arrived in Cartagena to strengthen the fight against.. 26/08/2026
San Javier farmer jailed for dumping brine into the Mar MenorThe man was sentenced to 15 months behind bars for polluting the Murcia lagoon The Provincial Court of Murcia has sentenced a farmer to 15 months in prison and fined him €900 after he admitted dumping 20,300 cubic metres of brine that seeped.. 25/08/2026
Bright green water raises concerns at Los Alcázares beachesLos Alcázares Town Council has issued a statement after images of the unusual green colour flooded social media and prompted concern among residents Los Alcázares Town Council made a statement to reassure residents after.. 25/08/2026
Inflation pushes up Murcia food prices as eggs rise by 60%Eggs have risen by 60.5% since 2022, while lamb, beef, coffee and cocoa have also seen substantial price increases across the Region Anyone doing the weekly food shop in the Region of Murcia will probably have noticed that some everyday items are.. 24/08/2026
Asian hornets are spreading across Spain, and experts say they are here to stayAsian hornets are spreading into new areas of Spain, putting bees and other ecosystems under growing pressure The spread of Asian hornets across Spain is proving difficult to stop, with the invasive insects now being detected in areas where they.. 21/08/2026
