The advance of rocks and sand from two headlands into the Mediterranean Sea transformed what was once a bay into the Mar Menor (Smaller Sea), a famously calm expanse of water about 20 feet deep. The Mar Menor is Europe’s largest saltwater lake (170 square km [66 square miles]), and, because of its high salt and iodine content, it’s used as a therapeutic health resort for rheumatism patients. The Manga ("sleeve") is the 21-km (13-mile) spit of sand averaging some 990 feet wide that separates it from the Mediterranean. Four canals, called golas, connect the Mar Menor with the Mediterranean. The Manga has 42 km (26 miles) of immense, sandy beaches on both the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor sides, allowing swimmers to choose more or less exposed locations and warmer or colder water according to season and weather.
Log in with user name:
Not a member? Register Now
or
Log in with social media:
Log in with Facebook
Log in with Twitter
Love to travel?
Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
How we use your email
Fodor's may use your email address to send you relevant information on site updates, account changes, and offers. For more information about your privacy and protection, please review our full Privacy Policy.
