Cabo de Palos is an area in the Region of Murcia known primarily for its beaches and coves with transparent water. However, there is much more to visit and do in this place and its surroundings. In this article, I tell you what to see in Cabo de Palos less than a half-hour drive away, and I give you ideas for plans and activities to enjoy the nature and heritage of this territory.

What to See in Cabo de Palos and Surroundings

These are the places you can visit in Cabo de Palos and its surroundings, driving a maximum of half an hour:

Cabo de Palos Lighthouse

The imposing Cabo de Palos Lighthouse, over 11 meters tall, has been operating since 1865, helping ships to keep the coastline under control during the dark night. It is very beautiful and worth seeing even from the outside.

Fortunately, its interior can also be visited, for which it is necessary to request a reservation at least 48 hours in advance. The guided tour inside the lighthouse costs €6 and lasts approximately half an hour, including the ascent to the lighthouse tower. If you are traveling with children, please note that the minimum age for the visit is 12 years. Likewise, it is not accessible for people with reduced mobility.

La Manga

Next to Cabo de Palos is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Region of Murcia: La Manga del Mar Menor. It is a strip of land that separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor (Minor Sea), the largest saltwater lagoon in Spain.

Decades ago, large tourist complexes were built on this coastal strip, which is why it is an important destination for sun and beach tourism. However, beyond this, it is interesting to observe the unique physiognomy of this landscape.

Portmán Beach

I admit that before visiting Cabo de Palos and its surroundings, I was unaware of the history behind Portmán and its Lastre beach. When you arrive, you see a small and pretty black sand beach located next to a lighthouse and a small port where many boats are in a state of abandonment.

However, believe it or not, one of the biggest environmental disasters in Spain occurred here. Due to the unrestrained mining activity carried out here between 1957 and 1987, the bay and port of Portmán were destroyed, dumping more than 300 million tons of mineral debris onto the coast.

By the way, during our getaway to Cabo de Palos, we stayed at Hotel Portmán, as it was well-priced and quite close to all the places I mention in this article.

Street Art of Los Alcázares

If, like us, you love street art, then you must take advantage of your trip to Cabo de Palos to visit Los Alcázares. It is a municipality less than 40 km away where large urban art murals have become the main protagonists.

This is thanks to an artistic collective from the town called La Compañía de Mario, which around 2014 began painting large murals and attracting artists from other places to go to Los Alcázares to do the same. An annual festival is currently held where dozens of artists come to leave their mark. The result is more than 150 works of various themes that are scattered throughout the town.

San Pedro Salt Flats

This is the farthest point of all those I mention. The Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park is 50 km from Cabo de Palos, just over half an hour by car. It is an 856-hectare wetland where you can observe different species of birds, such as flamingos.

Furthermore, some of the salt flats have an intense pink color that I haven’t seen in salt flats elsewhere. Along this regional park, there are several parking spots, as well as a visitor center and several marked hiking trails.

Calblanque Regional Park (Parque Regional de Calblanque)

Another regional park I recommend visiting is Calblanque. This one is only 7 km from Cabo de Palos and has beautiful wild beaches (unsupervised and without services, it is important to swim with caution), and an area of unspoiled coastline that barely remains on the peninsula.

During high season, you must leave your car in the entrance parking lot and take a bus from there to the beach area. It is important to wear a hat, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes for walking on the paths, and never stray from the marked trails.

Cartagena

It was probably already in your plans, but just in case, I’ll add the city of Cartagena to the list. Located 35 km from Cabo de Palos, there you can visit a spectacular heritage of the ancient Roman Empire, when the city was called Cartago Nova. To get to know it better, you can opt for this free walking tour.

What to Do in Cabo de Palos and Surroundings

Apart from everything you can see in the Cabo de Palos area, there are also various activities that will make your getaway to this part of the Region of Murcia special:

Do a Discover Scuba Dive

One of the most special activities to do in Cabo de Palos is diving. If you’ve never done it, this is the ideal place for an intro to diving to try the experience in one of the best places on the Mediterranean coast to do so, since you’ll be diving right in the marine reserve. This Civitatis option costs €105 and can be canceled up to 24 hours in advance.

Go Snorkeling

If you prefer to enjoy the seabed of Cabo de Palos without having to scuba dive, you can always opt for snorkeling from one of its beautiful coves, such as Calafría beach, Cala Botella, or Cala del Cantón Colorado.

Explore the Mining History of Cartagena

As I mentioned before, there was a large mining operation in Portmán. But the mining history of Cartagena goes much further. The Carthaginians and Romans already exploited several deposits until the 1st century AD, with mining activity in the area resuming from the 19th century onwards.

All these exploitations modified the landscape forever, and there are even places where completely abandoned mining stations and trains are found. Furthermore, various activities can be carried out in the Cartagena-La Unión mining mountain range to learn about this activity up close.

For example, at Minas Las Matildes, there is an interpretation center where guided tours are held. This center is open from Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00, and the guided tours are at 10:30 and 12:00. Entrance to the center costs €4, and the guided itineraries through the mining mountain range cost €8.

Another prominent place is the La Unión Mining Park, whose visits to the Agrupa Vicenta Mine take you inside it. However, as of the date of writing this article, in August 2024, they remain closed for renovations.

Go on a Hiking Trail

If you are not going in the middle of summer and the temperatures allow it, you can also choose to go on a hiking trail. There are numerous possibilities that can be adapted to the difficulty you prefer.

Two options for coastal routes are the aforementioned Calblanque Regional Park and the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park; you can obtain official information on the trails at their respective visitor centers.

Take a Boat Trip on the Mar Menor

The Mar Menor is a unique natural space, and a good way to get to know it is by taking a boat trip. This way, you will be able to see its shape and the Baron’s Island, which is located in the center and is the largest island in the Region of Murcia.

Try Caldero

If there was one local recommendation that was repeated quite a bit, it was undoubtedly to try caldero. This delicious rice dish can be tasted in numerous restaurants in the area. However, it is advisable to book in advance. We ate at Restaurante El Mosqui and it was very good. Another restaurant that was recommended to us (but which did not have space when we went) is Restaurante Bocana.

I hope these ideas of what to see and do in Cabo de Palos and its surroundings have been interesting to you, and that you enjoy your getaway to this area of the Region of Murcia.

Pictures are from my travel blog in Spanish, Meraviglia viajes, so I own the rights to them.