Natural spaces

CABO DE PALOS

CABO DE PALOS

The town of Cabo de Palos, located around the promontory that gives it its name, was originally a fishing village that today continues to combine this…
The town of Cabo de Palos, located around the promontory that gives it its name, was originally a fishing village that today continues to combine this traditional activity with tourism, following the birth and development of La Manga del Mar Menor as a destination for sun and beach tourism. The town is organised around its beautiful port, where the fishing boats are mixed with those dedicated to diving, a growing activity, as the Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve has been recognised as one of the best in Europe. The port of Cabo de Palos also has a peculiarity that gives it charm, because unlike the usual, its dock is introduced into the land, since in its construction in the 70s an area called La Charca, low and flooded, was used to place there a safe port and sheltered from storms. From the port starts the Paseo de La Barra, adorned with the terraces of its cafés and restaurants, an ideal place to taste the typical dish of the area: the caldero, made with rice and fish. At the end of this promenade is the Muro de la Sal (Salt Wall), where the boats used to load the precious product obtained from the nearby Marchamalo salt flats. This is the beginning or end of a path that skirts the cliffs of the cape, offering a spectacular landscape of coves, where the blue of the sea contrasts with the dark tones of the rocks, making them ideal for snorkelling, and which takes us to its most emblematic spot: the lighthouse. The lighthouse, situated on a promontory that rises and sinks into the sea, has its origins in the old watchtowers. The 50-metre high tower stands on a square building, which was designed as a lighthouse keepers' school as well as a residence. Its 80 metres above sea level make it the highest in the east and the icon of the whole area. From this strategic point we can dominate the entire coastline, which, starting from Levante Beach and extending towards La Manga, becomes low and sandy. On the way back to the port you should not miss the Plaza de la Virgen del Mar, which is surrounded by whitewashed houses and on summer nights is full of atmosphere on its terraces.