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Los Miradores del Puerto, La Manga, Spain |
Restaurants
There
are a variety of restaurants
on La Manga strip to suit all tastes. Maps and descriptions are provided at the
apartment. There is a panoramic restaurant at the 5 star luxury spa hotel next door. There are
several restaurants and bars within a few minutes walk,
and an excellent selection at the marina including a very good Italian
restaurant and a Belgian Creperie with fantastic views of the sunset across the
Mar Menor. Other restaurants include a Mexican, Asian, traditional Spanish
restaurants and restaurants specialising in barbeques. I can also
recommend a popular restaurant, Restaurante Paquebote, shaped like a boat,
which is less than 2km from the apartment (about 20 mins walk or hop on the
bus). The typically Mediterranean style of cooking is available in local
restaurants, this includes paellas, fresh fish, freshly grilled meats and
succulent salads, normally using locally grown produce. Fish and shellfish
fresh from the sea are prepared on hotplates, or as ingredients in the locally
famous Caidero, a typical rice dish. Salted fish are still cooked following
techniques from the Roman era.
Shopping
There is
a well stocked supermarket on the complex with a bakery and coffee shop. There is also
a Corte Ingles supermarket nearby on the turnoff for the Tomas Maestre marina which
is open 9-9 every day.
You will find
a small shop and fishing supplies store two blocks away where you can hire
DVDs. There are small shopping centers along the strip and there is an open air
market, throughout the year, every Sunday at Cabo de Palos, where you can buy
local goods. Markets are held in local towns during the week.
For serious
shopping go to Cartagena (30 min drive) and Murcia (1 hour
drive) which both have historic centers which are great for both shopping and
sightseeing. There is a large six floor Corte Ingles department store in
Cartagena which stays open during the afternoon siesta.
Festivals and Carnivals
Search
for events music, sports, fiestas.
January:
5th
Jan, evening
12th night procession in Cabo de Palos, Cartagena, Santiago de la Ribera,
and San
Pedro del Pinitar. The eve of Los Reyes Magos there is a
procession through the streets.
The Epiphany/Reyes festival represents the arrival of the three wise men, the 6th of January is when
Spanish children are given their Christmas presents. Most of the larger towns
host evening celebrations with floats and fireworks. The three kings parade
through the streets throwing sweets to the excited children.
Huge parade in Cartagena and Murcia.
From January to May the Músicas del Alma is not a traditional Festival as such, but rather a sample of different and disconnected music styles that always reach the soul of those who listen to it. It is the link between the summer Festivals and the musical bonfire that keeps the usual spectators in contact with the musical environment of San Javier. Músicas del Alma is a winter musical cycle organised by the Cultural Council of the Town Hall of San Javier, with the same staff that works for the International Jazz Festival of San Javier.
February:
3rd Feb, San Blas pilgrimage,
celebrations can be spotted throughout all the Mar Menor towns. Locals prepare
to compete against each other in the annual 'Paella' contests. Visitors are
invited to sample the local foods and the Mardi Gras (carnival celebrations)
are somewhat of a traditional Spanish entertainment. A colourful parade is
held, and every year a different town is chosen to host this marvellous
display.
San Pedro del Pinatar, on the Sunday of the carnival a procession takes place,
and on the following Sunday is the Carnival of Mar Menor in either Los Alcazeres, San
Javier or San Pedro del Pinatar.
Cartagena Carnival with its musical groups and all their colour and costumes is
the most outstding.
Rutas
de Tapas, in Cartagena where
participating bars offer their best tapas and drink for between €2 and €2.5,
for dates, locations etc.see www.rutadelatapadecartagena.es
March:
Los Alcazares
Las Incursiones Berberiscas is a fiesta full of music, dance, games a
medieval market and much more.
Carnival celebrations, known as 'Mardi Gras,' are held throughout Spain.
Although the day is supposed to be held on Shrove Tuesday (pancake Tuesday),
towns may decide to hold activities on the days surrounding it, or continue
events for up to two weeks after it (although this is more common in the
Spanish capitals). However they layout the celebrations it is likely the main
events will take place in the Shrove Tuesday week.
Easter Week: The Easter celebrations in Cartagena are renowned throughout Spain for their emotive processions and stunning embroidered costumes. The processions are organised by four principal cofradías (fraternities) and numerous sub-groups, some dating back as early as the 16th century, each with its own history and traditions. A sequence of processions is held ranging from the light-hearted to the positively sombre. Sweets are handed out to bystanders when the gaily-dressed Nazarenes take to the streets with their huge bellies stuffed with candy, biscuits and hard boiled eggs. At the other end of the scale, the Silent Procession is just that, an eerily emotive parade held on the Thursday, followed by the most important procession which starts early morning on Good Friday. Cartagena is not alone in its vast processions during the week, Cabo de Palos holds a beautiful yet moving one on Maundy Thursday, known as the 'Christ of the Fisherman'.
Fiesta de la Primavera (Spring festival) in Murcia includes: Bando de la Huerta (Orchard procession) and Entierra de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine). Burial of the Sardine; Traditionally this surreal event marks the end of carnival week in other parts of Spain, but in Murcia this parade takes place at the end of the week following Holy Week. A huge effigy of a sardine is paraded through the city accompanied by various groups parodying the nation’s politicians. At the end, the fish is thrown onto a huge bonfire accompanied by a massive firework display and a street party that often runs right through until the next morning.
The week after Easter a pirate theme surrounds Los Alacazares with the 'Berber attacks in the Mar Menor'.
April:
Rutas
de Tapas, in Los Urrutias where
participating bars offer their best tapas and drink for between €2 and €2.5.
Cartagena
offers classical Spanish guitar at the Semana de la Guitarra held the week after
Semana Santa,
www.guitarracartagena.com
May:
Torre
Pacheco;
Procession of the Santa Cruz.
15th May, San Isdro Labrador, Patron saints day for Pozo Aledo in Los Belones
and San Javier.
Rutas
de Tapas, in Los Belones where
participating bars offer their best tapas and drink for between €2 and €2.5.
Mucho Mas Mayo is a celebration in Cartagena involving
local artists that lasts about one week. Each year they hold a Noche de las
Museos night during the May event where museums open their doors for free during
the night time hours (between 9pm and 2am).
PECATA MINUTA
takes place between May and September, thanks to the wonderful weather that
allows us to enjoy an open-air concert after a day at the wonderful beaches of
the Mar Menor.
PECATA MINUTA is planning to make a programme including a representation of most
musical styles, thus offering an open and varied selection. In this Festival you
will find styles ranging from the most modern rock to traditional folk, soul or
traditional music and boleros.
In Lo Pagán they
celebrate la Feria Sevillana del Mar Menor.
14th - 24th June, San Juan Patron saints day celebrated by both San Javier
and
San Pedro. Both towns are decorated by floats, brought to live by brass bands
and dances, and finalised by a colourful display of fireworks.
Exhibition
of mass choirs "Corales en el Mar" - Halfway through
June is celebrated this mass choir contest in which regional and national
groups participate in the Parque de las Peñas Huertanas de Los
Alcázares.
29th June, the Patron Saint's celebrations of San Pedro. With only a few nights to rest the streets
of San Pedro are once again a live with floats and dancers, scattered with
'barracas' for, above all, enjoying the cuisine, and for the more energetic -
some typical dancing.
July:
San Javier; the Jazz
Festival. Top Musicians from all over the world take part in this fast growing
event.
16th July, Cartagena, Cabo de Palos, Santiago, San
Pedro local sailors honour their patroness La Virgen del Carmen. Celebrations are centered in the port area where a stage is erected
& a feast held. The evening finishes with the launching of decorated boats.
Either take to the seas or watch from the shores as boats from Lo Pagan,
Santiago de la Ribera, Los Alcazares, Catagena and the other coastal villages,
'march' across the ocean.
25th July, Santiago day. Santiago is the patron saint of all of Spain and it is
on this day that Santiago de la Ribera can be seen by the skies with an array
of colourful fireworks. Within the town the sound of processions and the sight
of the Spanish dancers makes the patron saints day a day of enjoyment for the
locals and the tourists. Also Santiago
Apostle day in Cartagena.
Músicas en el
Mediterráneo International Festival is mainly held in Cartagena, where during July there are some
classical music concerts, as well as in other cities in the south
Mediterranean of the Region of Murcia, such as San Pedro del Pinatar, San
Javier, Los Alcázares, La Manga del Mar Menor and interior cities like
La Unión,
Lorca and Murcia.
Concerts are held in buildings of great architectonical and cultural interest.
www.lamardemusicas.com
August:
1st - 15th August (days slightly vary from year to year, but it is roughly the
first two weeks of August) - A Sea festival in Los Alcazares, this includes the
sea procession of the Assumption (15th August). Pilgrimages take place on land
and sea, and of course there is much dancing to be attempted or just viewed!
Early or mid August, the nearby mining town of La Unión plays host to the
world's most important flamenco song festival, known as the Festival del Cante
de las Minas (Song of the Mines Festival). The town's historic, modernist
market building brings together some of Spain's best-known flamenco singers as
well as young artists, all vying to take away the coveted awards for the best
flamenco singer, dancer or guitarist.
14th - 21st August (the third week of August) Los Alcazares' Market Garden
week, 'Semana de la Huerta y el Mar'. As with all Spanish festival, activities
include dancing, and for a taste of culture, many local cuisines are also
available for sampling, and local produce on display. This week long Fiesta has
folk music, bands and handicrafts.
During the same week La Manga takes a more competitive path; holding sports
contests and evenings of poetry reading and dancing.
San Pedro del Pinatar hosts the international Folklore Festival of Mar Menor.
El
Trovo ballad national competition in Cartagena.
Habaneras
Festival in Cabo de Palos
held up by the
lighthouse for the Fiestas de Santa Maria del Mar. Choirs from across the region
celebrate with music and free concerts for the public to enjoy in the
atmospheric setting of the lighthouse. There’s usually a market, stalls and
often a greased pole stuck out over the sea, with a prize on the end for the
most athletic to win.
In Torre Pacheco they celebrate the Fiesta del Melón, which is known throughout
the world.
The San Javier International Festival of Theatre, Music and Dance started in the 70s, thanks
to the initiative of a group of theatre amateurs who used to put their plays
on a small stage in a little room with wooden chairs.
After some time, the local theatre groups were replaced by important national
and international companies, and the provisional and minute room became a
splendid Auditorium, making this Festival the most important cultural offer in
the region of Murcia in summer, next to other top Festivals held in Spain. It
is held in August.
It is now a solid Festival, and has had on its stages the best representations
of the international scope, such as Plácido Domingo, the Russian Army Choir,
Ballet and Orchestra, the Living Theatre, and many more.
September:
Feria de Murcia; The last fortnight in September sees the
city of Murcia transformed into one huge fairground with bullfights, music
festivals, golf tournaments, dance shows, parades and lots of other general
mayhem including the Moors and Christians Festival with its sword fights,
sieges and mock battles.
During the second half of September, the normally tranquil citizens of
Cartagena don their tunics and togas to re-enact events which took place
between 223 BC, when the city was founded by General Asdrubal, and 209 BC, when
the city fell to the Romans. During the festivities, thousands of local people
head for the streets dressed in typical costumes from the period, representing
the famous personalities, the different social groups, the Carthaginian troops
and the Roman legions who played a part in the city's history. There are
numerous events during the festival, including a Roman circus and the wedding
of the Iberian Princess Himilce and the intrepid Carthaginian General Hannibal.
After each of these events the crowds head for the 'camp' where the different
groups have their own 'field headquarters' and a party atmosphere is
guaranteed. More
info.
October:
7th October
- The festival of the 'Virgen del Rosario' at El Miradon, within the district
of San Javier.
12th October - Fish stew day (Dia del Caldero) in Los Alcazares. At eve time
people gather on the beach celebrating the municipal autonomy to enjoy the typical
dish of the Mar Menor.
13th October - festival of the municipal autonomy, Los Alcazares.
November:
Cartagena Jazz
Festival is held in
November and was one of the first to appear in Spain. It was created as a
simple Festival with no competitive intention, and makes Cartagena the meeting
point for the most prestigious music figures.
On the same lines we also have the concerts offered in Teatro Circo, live
musical shows in different cafés of the city and exhibitions. It is
well-known all over Spain for its quality
Nautical
cinema in Cartagena.
Rutas
de Tapas, in Murcia city where
participating bars offer their best tapas and drink for between €2 and €2.5.
December:
3rd
December - San Javier saints day - Yet another patron saints day that sees the
locals take to the streets and dance in celebration. Laser and music shows are
among other activities held on this day, which is also seen as one invitation
to begin the Christmas festivity.
8th December - Patron Saint's celebrations
in Los Narejos.
22nd December - Cartagena
carol concert, Plaza de San Francisco.
San Javier - El
belén of Spain and also Rutas
de Tapas, in where
participating bars offer their best tapas and drink for between €2 and €2.5.
Fiestas
Festivals
San Javier
Jazz Festival
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