Client: Michael Lee
Copyright 2008 Michael Lee
Cycling in La Manga: Touring La Manga on Two Wheels
A great way to explore the sights and sound of La Manga, Spain is by bicycle. The transportation is affordable and accessible and even offers a great way to exercise while exploring the countryside.
Renting a Bicycle in La Manga:
Bicycle rentals are available whether you are a seasoned cyclist or just beginning. The kind of bicycle that is given to you will depend on your needs for exploring. Rough terrain requires a mountain bike while the flatter streets can be enjoyed with a standard street cycle. Rental bicycles are up-to-date and come with a helmet, lock and a tool pack. Included in a standard tool pack is:
� Spare inner tube
� Pump
� Multi-purpose tool
Where to Ride:
There are a wealth of trails, paths and roads for every level of cycling. Calablanque National Park offers routes that range from novice to extreme and everything in between.
If you prefer to steer clear of the paths in nature, then you can elect to travel the town of La Manga and the surrounding cities by cycle. Imagine visiting the local shops and attractions in the morning, then cycling along the seaside in the early evening. The road through La Manga has a cycle lane for rider safety. All along the coast of La Manga, del Mar Menor you will find shops, restaurants and bars to visit and partake of the local culture and cuisine.
Cycling Tours:
Do you prefer being close to the water? If so, then there are recommended tours you can choose from to accommodate your preferences. A tour of the Mar Menor offers a great way to explore this coastal paradise. There are a variety of dirt tracks and cement paths to choose from. Or, you can follow the ravine. Whatever you decide, you will enjoy this tour as you remain close to the edge of the water.
Perhaps you prefer to be enveloped by nature. Then you should consider a tour of the famous mining hills of La Union. This cycling tour begins and ends in Los Belones. Along your journey, you will visit Portman Bay. While there, take the time to admire the massive Portman Guns and the solitary sanctuary of the Murcian coast. Your nature tour will provide spectacular views of the environmental and geographic treasure that is La Manga, Spain.
Here is still another option for your cycling pleasure. Why not tour the hothouses along the countryside? This area is flat and inland and offers still more cultural discoveries. Here, you will find fields of hothouses, simple structures made of wood and plastic that house acres and acres of fruit and vegetable crops. The development of these inventive structures revolutionized farming in this area of Spain.
The Shoreline:
However you choose to enjoy your vacation in the area of La Manga del Mar Manor, you will marvel at the nature around you. The white sand beaches offer a three hundred meter by twenty-one kilometer stretch of shoreline. This strip of land separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor (Minor Sea). The Mar Menor is a natural salt water lagoon that boasts gentle winds and warm waters.
La Manga was formed over centuries by the currents of the sea. These currents pushed the sand onto an underwater range of volcanoes. This provided the coast of Mar Menor with many islands and volcanic islets to explore. Some of these areas are privately owned, but others are open to the public.
Explore and enjoy the sights and sounds of the area by bicycle. You can create your own agenda and make your way around in your own time. Whatever your cycling pleasure, La Manga, Spain awaits you.