We're going to be staying for a week at a timeshare in La Manga and I've been doing lots of research for day trips. I know we will do Alicante at least one day and probably Cartegena and Murcia, which are both close, but I've been wondering about Majacar. Mappy has it at about 152 k. away, which seems a little long for a day trip. Is it worth it? Any other suggestions for daytrips nearby? We love art (LOL), architecture, and white villages...

Thanks for any advise.

Hi artlover,
From La Manga, I'd certainly go north to Alicante (follow signs to Alacant, which is its name in valenciano) and there, be sure to visit the Museo de la Asegurada, which houses 20th art by Miró, Picasso, Chillida, Tápies among the Spaniards, plus Kandinsky, Braque and Chagall.
And on the way, I'd take a detour inland to Elche (Elx in valenciano), which has the only date-palm grove in Europe, dating back to the time of the Moors.

In Murcia, besides a tour of the cathedral, I'd certainly include a visit to the Museo Salzillo, which houses the masterpieces of
incredibly life-like and moving polychromed wood sculptures of this native son that are put on "pasos", floats and paraded through the streets during Holy Week. The museum is closed Mon. and closes from 1 to 4 for siesta.
They say the prettiest town in the Murcia province is Lorca, and it has a small artists' colony. A friend of mine used to import handwoven rugs (jarapas) from there. It's also famous for its beautiful and moving Holy Week processions, and the beautiful, intricate hand embroidered vestments that adorn the sculptures on the floats during Holy Week. They celebrate the feast day of San Clemente on Nov. 23.

I don't know of any picturesque "white towns" in the Murcia province, and the very Arab looking Mojácar (village, not the beach town) is in the very Moroccan desert looking Almería province where they filmed parts of Lawrence of Arabia and the 3 Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns. I think it's probably too far a drive.

One Almería province white village that would be closer to La Manga would be Vélez Blanco, to the WEST of Lorca and Puerto Lumbreras. It has a castle perched atop the village. The Renaissance patio of the castle, done in marble, however, you'll find in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC!
Vélez Blanco is featured in my Spanish "Villages with Charm" guide.


Friends of ours just bought a vacatuib condo in La Manga del Mar Menor and we hope to visit them sometime (but not in the sizzling summer!). It's a golf paradise, as you probably know.

For this portion of your trip, you may want to pick up the new, very detailed Michelin regional map 577 of Murcia and Valencia.

Hope this helps a bit.

Once again, thank you Maribel for your (as always) terrific advise! We're going to miss the San Clemente festival by one day (will be at Alhambra that day), but will keep it in mind for the future. Will definitely check out the museums in Alicante--is Museo de la Asegurado the same as Museu Coleccio Art del Segle at Plaza de Santa Maria?

We'll be driving from Almeria to La Manga, but want to see the Alcazaba in Almeria in the morning. Would it be on the way to stop by Majacar? Let's Go claims it has "Spain's most romantic plazas."

I've been using Mappy.com and trying to find the Michelin regional maps here (in Seattle), but haven't had luck yet, but am thinking I can get them once we're in Spain.

Thanks again for your help.

hi artlover,
Yes, that's the same art museum in Alicante (Alacant) except its name in valenciano rather than castellano.

I see that Globe Corner Bookstores sells the new Michelin regional maps, but you can pick one up in Spain for less $, unless you'd like to have it now for your planning.
See www.globecorner.com/t/t31/15884.php

Also here:
www.languagequest.com/traveler/home/ product.php?prodCode=Mich577&region=Europe

And the "hot off the press" new Rough Guide Andalucía is extremely detailed, excellent for these parts.

Are you driving from Granada to Almería then from Almería to La Manga? If so, then Mojácar would just be a 14 km. detour east off the superhighway E15/N344 and Lorca would be next, on your way to La Manga. Mojácar pueblo, not on the sea, is a striking white town with flat roof, sugar cube looking houses that's rather bohemian and filled with expats (primarily British, I think) and also souvenir shops, so I don't find it particularly Spanish, really that authentic anymore and thus, for me not that compelling. (I feel the same way about Mijas). Mojácar Costa has become very developed. I think you'd enjoy Velez Rubio (with its Baroque Iglesia de la Encarnación) and picturesque Velez Blanco more. The villages featured in the "Pueblos con encanto" and the "Arquitecturas tradicionales con encanto" guides really do still have considerable "encanto". There are prehistoric cave paintings circa 5000 BC a couple of kms. south of Vélez Rubio, la Cueva de los Letreros, but I think you need to get the key from the tourist office or the town hall in Vélez Rubio to see them (the new Rough Guide explains all that).
And you'll probably be the only tourists in sight. (But please remember that I'm "notorious" for my off the beaten path travel).

Almería province is not well represented in the travel guides (except for the Rough Guide, George Semler and Fodors Andalucía gives it rather short shrift), as much of it is very arid desert, Spain's "Wild West" or its "Badlands", complete with the movie set/cowboy town theme park where those Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood westerns were filmed at "Mini Hollywood".

G. Semler does recommend the town of Sorbas, a 10 km. detour west off the E 15/N344 superhighway, but I've never seen it.

The western province around El Ejido, on the coast between Motril and Almería capital, is now Europe's greenhouse, flat lands covered with acres and acres of polythene canopies, "plasticultura", earning it the nickname of "La Costa del Plástico". So if you're traveling on the coastal road from Nerja to Almería capital, you'll be passing right throught it.

Hope this helps a bit more.

Yes, thank you, Maribel, this helps a lot. This is one of the many reasons I love Fodors. Like you, we find Mijas a bit too "cutesy", so probably would be better off bypassing Majacar for Velez Rubio. I'll have to check out Rough Guide.

Actually, we're travelling the other way--flying into Malaga and staying at a timeshare at the Marriott Marbella for a week and doing lots of day trips--some we've done before, such as Ronda, and others you and other people have suggested such as Cascares, Gaucin, and Antequera. Also possibly Tarifa. Debating on Gilbraltar--seems we can see "the rock" from Tarifa--what's your opinion on this?

It even looks like there are some interesting sights in Malaga that we missed last time, and I can't for the life of me figure out if the Casa Natal de Picasso is open or not. Would you happen to know? I've also heard that the outdoor market in Malaga is less expensive than the one in Marbella (though that one was fairly inexpensive, I thought) and wouldn't mind picking up some fun Xmas presents there.

After Marbella, we're driving to La Manga, stopping overnight in Almeria. Then La Manga for a week with day trips (I have a feeling I'm going to like Alicante--my Spanish teacher here is from Seville and she told me it was a beautiful city...a good recommendation to me) and then on to Granada for one night, then Cordorba, then back to Marbella to catch out.

I booked all the nontimeshare places through Petrabax.com with bancotel vouchers, thanks to advise from Fodors. Leaving in exactly 3 weeks and fell as if things are pretty much in order--just have to finalize the car (got the best rate with Nova, again advise through here). Will probably post "minor" questions as they come up.

Any advise and suggestions are very welcomed! Thanks again.

Best wishes,
Paula

Artlover
It is difficult to add something to your already well prepared trip. But if you are driving from Almeria to La Manga, you have the possibility to drive through The Natural Park of Cabo De Gata. Volcanic desert natural park with beautiful views. This road will lead you to Mojacar,without adding too much to your trip.
Regarding Alicante and Murcia two of the cities more underrated in gastronomic Spain, have some of the best resturants specialized in mediterranean cuisine. Let me name you two:
The Resturant Darsena in Alicante's port area, offering more than 100 types of Arroces(rices) , I personally had the best ,Arroz a la marinera, ever tasted.
In Murcia,Restaurant Raimundo Gonzalez, near the Cathedral and behind El rincon de Pepe.
This resturant I mention is owned by the former owner of el Rincon de Pepe once known as the best place in town, now sold to the INH group.

Hi Paula,
I'd also recommend the drive to Cabo de Gata, since you're overnighting in Almeria. (My sister-in-law lives in Almeria, and I find the city pleasant, but I like Alicante even more).

I just didn't enjoy Gibraltar at all. As you said, you can see the rock from Tarifa, so I'd spend my time exploring those wonderful white hill towns up from the coast rather than doing the Gibraltar excursion. And if you're in the Tarif vicinity, I'd also visit the blindingly white and very Moorish feeling town of Vejer de la Frontera plus the Roman ruins on the beach at Baelo Claudio.
www.spaincostaluz.com

Yes, the new Picasso Museum is scheduled to open Oct. 27, which will definitely put Malaga back on the tourist map.

In Malaga, for dining with sea views, we've enjoyed Antonio Martin on the Paseo Maritimo and in Alicante, besides Darsena at the wharf for those rice dishes, there's a wonderful restaurant in town for tapas or full dining, Nou Manolin, really great,on Villegas 3, and it now has a sibling, Piripi, on Oscar Espla 30, both owned by the same family.

Thanks again Maribel, and thanks dan--not only did you both give great advise, but you read my mind! I was going to ask about restaurants next and you already suggested some!

Thanks car, (meant to say that the first time...)