I was supposed to be hanging out in Barcelona, for a few days, but it’s now going to be further south. Where’s reasonable for 3 nights to get some sun, sand and sea in the area?

Valencia, looks decent, but is a bit of a trek. Anywhere else worth considering?

Ta

La Manga’s nice

http://lamangaclubresort.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwuOHHBRDmvsHs8PukyIQBEiQAlEMW0MURcM4qKUrN0tcR6_nz9n8n-S39u4z9YquqPml0W1MaAg-N8P8HAQ

But you really want to go to Benidorm don’t you ?

Some great trails around La Manga, too.

I went with my parents to a place new Torrevieja, I’m trying to find the exact town but the whole area was quite nice. Small low built beachey places, with free parking and little independent cafe type places.

I was somewhere south of valencia but north of Lo Pagan, there may have been a lighthouse at the nearest beach, and there was a chinese buffet nearby that made me very ill

Pillar de la Horadada it turns out.

Would go back, but without the parents 😆

I go to Torrevieja most years, a family member has a flat there. It’s a bit cheap and cheerful, but it’s a proper Spanish town on the sea rather than a resort. Reasonable beaches, there are a few things to do in the area if you’re bored (Elx/Elche is nice, there’s a waterpark, a trip to Cartagena etc.), and as mentioned the prices are great.

The whole stretch of coast from Alicante to cartagena is very nice, and still pretty quiet at this time of year. Sierra Espuna is supposed to have sums good mountain biking.

Torrevieja is a pretty good place to base yourself

Look out for Lucy’s bakery near campoamor for great bread and pastry

(Yes, my parents live there)

Sierra Espuna is supposed to have sums good mountain biking.

It does.

Thanks all, I’ll have a look at Torrevieja and Pillar de la Horadada.

Puerto de Mazarron is quite nice with a modern marina and eating places around it.
Just South is Bolnuevo with a long usually deserted beach.
Cartagena is historic with the roman ruins.
Places like Torrevieja are not for me as I like to feel I’m in Spain !

All the above, also Vera is good and quite sleepy, but they have a massive techno dance festival each year if that’s your bag. Dream beach.

It’s a solid hours drive from murcia though.

I can hook you up with reasonable accommodation if interested.

Places like Torrevieja are not for me as I like to feel I’m in Spain

Torrevieja (the town itself) is very Spanish – you just need to avoid the outer edges, a lot of which are ex-pat colonies.

Puerto de Mazarron is quite nice with a modern marina and eating places around it.
Just South is Bolnuevo with a long usually deserted beach.

Happy memories of both those places, my father used to own a villa a few miles away. La Azohia also has a great beach with shallow waters.

Vera / Garrucha / Mojácar if you don’t mind an hour and a bit drive south.

We have a place in Playa Flamenca, love it. Pilar de la horradada is nice, the seaside bit is called Torre de la horadada. La zenia, Cabo Roig, Torrevieja, Guardemar all have good beaches.

Enjoy.