Los Alcázares beaches: Playa Los Narejos

The main beach of Los Narejos is a 1.5-km stretch of sand on the shore of the Mar Menor

This sandy urban sandy beach is by far the longest of the group of beaches that make up the coastline of Los Alcazares at 1,500 metres. It is also one of the narrowest, giving easy access to the sea from the promenade. The beach extends from Avenida Mariano Ballester to Calle Pintor Delacroix and is home to the infanta Cristina Centre for Sporiing Excellence, where athletes from all over Spain as well as other European countries come to perfect their skills, particularly in water sports. 

The mild year-round climate in this part of Spain, the shallow waters and the prevailing winds in the Mar Menor make the area a mecca for all types of water sports and activities. Separated from the Mediterranean by the 22-kilometre strip of La Manga, it is only 7 metres deep in the centre and the shallow fringes and lack of tide and waves make it safe for families with young children as well as attractive for novices in sports such as canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking.

There is an abundance of these water sports and other activities available all year round at Playa Los Narejos, and this corner of the Mar Menor is very popular among kitesurfers, having long stretches of beach, shallow waters, and favourable winds.

This beach is very well catered-for with a children’s play area, several beach bars and restaurants situated on the promenade. In the streets behind the promenade in Los Narejos there is parking available, with several disabled parking bays, just a short walk to the beach. Nearby there are small small parks with footpaths and shade. Bicycle rackes are also available.

The quality of the installations and cleanliness are impressive, including sunbed, hammock and sunshade hire, toilets, bins and recycling points, adapted toilets for those with disabilities, footwashes, changing rooms adapted for disabled use, bathing seats for disabled use, lifeguard and mediacal auxiliary service, assistance for disabled bathers, and wooden walkways onto the sand to facilitate access.

Behind the beach is a paved promenade which stretches all the way along the seven beaches of the municipality of Los Alcázares, a distance of 7 kilmetres. This is popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists throughout the year.

Safety precautions for Mar Menor beaches

Most of the Mar Menor beaches have very gently sloping shelves, meaning that bathers can walk a considerable distance from the shore and still only be waist high in the water. These shore fringes are also very warm, heating up more than the deeper water and the Mediterranean, particularly during the hot summer months.

Many beaches are also protected by netting to exclude jellyfish. This creates safe bathing areas for families but there is also a danger as the calm water means that many elderly bathers bathe alone. This in itself is not dangerous, but every year there are unnecessary fatalities when bathers suffer heart attacks, strokes, faints or dizzy spells, slipping into the water without anyone else being aware.

The transition from hot beach to cold water can shock the body, causing dizziness or fainting, so it is advisable to splash the body with water to cool down before wading out!