By car the apartment is;
5 mins from Murcia San Javier Airport
50 mins from Alicante airport
5 mins from Los Alcazares – Local seaside town
40 mins from the city of Murcia
25 mins from Cartagena
Layout: click here for plan of apartment
Click here for Directions from Airport to Roda Entrance
Useful websites
Murcia Tourist Information:
Local Tourist Information: for the Mar Menor region including festivals, museums, restaurants, etc.
Golf: course guides, booking online, upcoming events, etc.
Wine Tours: wine tours in the region.
Click Here for Map of the Area & Local Amenities then search for rileygolfandbeach and select 'Roda 1' Map
The Costa Calida/Murcia Region
THE COSTA CALIDA:
The Costa Calida extends along 250 kilometers (155 miles), this stretch of the Murcian coastline is blessed with 320 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 20 degrees centigrade (68ºF).
All the usual sports and leisure facilities are available, and more, including the soothing mud baths at Lo Pagan, renown to relieve the aches and pains of arthritis and rheumatism. In addition, there is the exquisite Mediterranean cuisine that combines fish and seafood with fresh garden produce, providing a healthy balanced diet. All-in- all the Costa Calida is one of the healthiest places in the world, according to the WHO (World Health Organization). The fertile countryside (la huerta) inland supplies the local markets with fresh produce which is also exported to northern Europe, especially during the winter when local farmers take advantage of the comparatively warm weather.
THE MAR MENOR: the largest saltwater lagoon in Europe
Southeast of the region you will find the beautiful Mar Menor (little sea), 170 square kilometers (66 square miles) in size, with shallow warm waters, with a temperature remaining year-round a little higher than the nearby Mediterranean (rarely below 18C). Gentle winds and excellent sports facilities, make it one of the best places to learn and practice all kinds of water sports. Scattered along the shores you will find small towns and villages, each offering something for everyone, from fantastic sports facilities to beautiful architecture.
LOS ALCAZARES
Adjacent to Roda Golf, Los Alcazares (pronounced 'los-alcatha-res') was chosen by Arab kings for a residential retreat.. Beautiful 'Blue Flag' beaches, a palm lined promenade, beach bars, restaurants, tapas bars, shops, water sports, markets, and amenities, make it the Ideal location for the perfect holiday.. The town was afforded municipal autonomy on 13 October 1983. In celebration of this, each October the town puts on a week-long outdoor party featuring live music, shows and spectacular firework displays. Since 2000 the last three days in March has seen Los Alcazares take on a medieval flavour with a large medieval market and numerous events in recollection of the times of peace following the creation of effective defences against invasions of Barbary pirates during the 15th century. The town is well connected to the recently upgraded Spanish motorway network and there are regular flights from and to many European cities to Murcia/San Javier International Airport which is only five minutes drive away. Some predict this to be the next Puerto Banous
SANTIAGO DE LE RIBERA:
Wonderful Blue Flag beaches and an extensive promenade recently renovated. Here you will find the ferry point to the Roda Beach Club.
LO PAGAN AND THE THERAPEUTIC MUD BATHS:
Lo Pagan has the largest area of open-air mud baths in all of Europe, known as Las charcas de las Salinas. They are recommended for all types of skin and rheumatic ailments. It is advisable to combine these mud baths with the waters from the Mar Menor, which have therapeutic properties due to the high content of mineral salts and iodine. In addition Lo Pagan has various tranquil beaches, ideal for boating and swimming.
LA MANGA DEL MAR MENOR
The Mar Menor is separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow strip of land 22 kilometers (14 miles) wide called the La Manga del Mar Menor. Its sandy beaches and clear waters have made it one of the highest regarded tourist resorts on the Mediterranean, offering excellent water sport facilities, including sailing, sailing schools and scuba diving. At the very end of the strip you will find the exclusive "Roda Beach Club", which can be reached by private water taxi.
THE REGIONAL PARK OF SALINAS AND SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR:
The most important wetlands in the region of Murcia. Flocks of Pink Flamingo's stop over here each year on their journey to North Africa at the end of the summer.
THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST, with its spacious beaches and varied landscape
CABO DEL PALOS:
Located a few minutes from La Manga, a charming seafaring village, with an unmistakable mid-19th century lighthouse perched on a hill that affords a wonderful panoramic View of La Manga. This coastal enclave is also known for its delicious fish and caldero (a soupy rice dish) served at the restaurants around the port, its Sunday market and for being one of the best sites in Spain for skin diving.
CATEGENA:
Cartegena is a historical town founded in 227BC, by the Carthaginians. The city contains many Roman ruins and an archaeological treasure including the Roman Theatre, discovered in 1987, and is still undergoing excavation today. Art Nouveau buildings, including the majestic Ayuntamiento (town hall) and interesting museums are a reflection of the importance and prosperity of this harbour city steeped in 3,000 years of history.
THE REGIONAL PARK OF CALBLANQUE:
Calblanque is one of the few areas on the Murcian coast that still preserves all of it's natural beauty, a section of the coast left in it's virgin state, with arid mountains, dunes, long sandy beaches and an intensely Blue sea. This nature haven can be visited on foot, by bicycle or horseback, and is home to interesting vegetation and birds (Flamingo, Heron and stork) which inhabit the Salinas de Rasal.
LOS BELONES:
La Manga's nearest town, where the rich and famous are frequently spotted dining out at one of the many local restaurants or tapas bars.
LA UNION:
La Union is a town developed as a result of intensive mining activities where Carthaginians and Romans once mined tons of iron and other ores all over the empire. In the 19th century, silver fever produced and attracted newfound wealth to La Union, the same as the Californian gold rush. The prosperity during this period is reflected in a number of Art Nouveau buildings in the centre of the town, such as the Casa Del Pinon, and the public market, an authentic treasure.
Los Alcazares/Roda Golf Area
SPORTS AND WELLBEING:
The Mar Menor, because of its serenity and clean water, in addition to its favorable weather conditions, is an unequalled area for doing and competing in most nautical sports. Because of this, the Mar Menor is considered one of the best areas in the world for sailing. It is also one of the few areas where regattas of "Latin" sailing still takes place, a specialty that attracts a lot of attention on the coastal beaches. Seventeen International sailing schools and well equipped Nautical clubs, perfectly equipped for sailing, canoeing and skin diving, make up the " Water Sports Resort" of the Mar Menor, catering for both the beginner and the more experienced.
SCUBA DIVING
A wide variety of underwater settings and the good visibility of its transparent waters, make the Murcian coast one of the foremost places in the country for scuba diving. The best areas are located on Cabo de Palos, where a huge variety of flora and fauna exist, as well as interesting shipwrecks that have sunk along these shores. The beauty and variety of the seabed of the marine reserve of the Islas Hormigas make this an excellent place for scuba diving. There are a number of schools and diving centres catering for both expert and beginner.
CAVE DIVING
Underwater caves are located between Cartegena and La Azohia, with large underwater vaults and galleries. Maps of the caves should be used since some are several kilometers long with maze like galleries.
HIKING
The old roads used by miners and fishermen along the coast between Cabo de Palos and Portman, between Cartegena and the bay of Mazzarron, or in the Calnegre Park and Cabo Cope, all provide splendid countryside for hiking.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
The trails and roads between Cabo de Palos and Cartegena are in good condition and afford an impressive landscape through the mountains. Salinas de San Pedro is also recommended for a pleasurable ride.
HORSERIDING
From the Mar Menor, it is possible to arrange rides through the mountains, along the coast or through the vast plains of the Campo de Catagena, and the lovely farmland and pastures.
FISHING
Saltwater fishing is popular all along the Mediterranean coast. Especially recommended are the areas of Aguilles and Mazzaron because of the depth and transparency of the waters
SHOPPING
Close to Murcia, Cartagena, Alicante and with local rail links to Madrid and Valencia there are plenty of shopping opportunities.