Bars, beaches, landmarks and local spots in La Manga, Cartagena — a hyperlocal guide to where to go.
A café and bar in one — good coffee, food and snacks by day, drinks and desserts into the evening. A handy all-day stop on the strip.
An emblematic caldero spot on the Cabo de Palos promenade — fresh fish, rices and shellfish with a fine maritime setting right by the water.
The old fishing village at the foot of La Manga — a working harbour of small boats, seafood restaurants and the coast's famous caldero, gathered under the lighthouse.
A sheltered Mar Menor-side beach by the Zoco, with the lagoon's calm, warm, shallow water — the family choice when the Mediterranean side is choppy.
A rocky, unspoilt cove just south of Cabo de Palos with wonderfully clear water — a quieter, more natural spot for a swim and a snorkel.
A beach bar for Mediterranean plates, drinks and stunning sea views — feet-in-the-sand dining on the strip.
Cabo de Palos is one of Europe's top scuba destinations — dive centres run trips and courses out to the Islas Hormigas reserve and its wrecks and reefs, for beginners to experts.
A Cabo de Palos institution since 1952 and a temple of caldero — chef Sergio de la Orden's fisherman's rice of rockfish and ñora peppers, with Calasparra rice, is the coast's benchmark.
A restaurant by the Mar Menor beach at the start of the strip — good Mediterranean cooking and fantastic lagoon views.
Puerto Tomás Maestre, La Manga
A waterfront restaurant at the Tomás Maestre marina — grilled sardines, seafood and rices with the boats alongside.
A well-regarded restaurant with lovely Mar Menor views specialising in rices and caldero — a favourite for a relaxed, romantic dinner.
The 51-metre lighthouse on the headland at the strip's southern tip, in service since 1865 and a listed heritage site — sweeping views over the sea and the coves, and guided visits.
A long-loved Cabo de Palos seafood restaurant by the harbour, famous for its caldero and the day's fresh catch.
Playa de El Pedrucho, La Manga
One of La Manga's busiest Mediterranean-side beaches — open-sea waves and golden sand backed by the high-rise strip, with beach bars and watersports. Blue Flag.
A long, sandy Mar Menor beach at the southern base of the strip near Cabo de Palos — calm water, a promenade and easy parking.
Puerto Tomás Maestre, La Manga
La Manga's big marina, where the strip meets the Mediterranean — moorings, the canal linking the two seas, boat trips and waterfront bars and restaurants.
One of the Mediterranean's best-preserved marine reserves, off Cabo de Palos — barracuda, grouper, dentex and dramatic underwater ridges like the celebrated Bajo de Fuera. A world-class dive site.
The calm Mar Menor along the strip is a playground for sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, paddleboarding and kayaking, with schools and rentals all the way up La Manga.
The strip's two entertainment hubs — clusters of trendy restaurants, bars, shops and pubs that are the centre of La Manga's summer nightlife.