Playa de las Amoladeras, La Manga: dunes and directions

Protected dunes and fine sand at the entrance to La Manga

Las Amoladeras is a protected natural area of around 100 hectares at the entrance to La Manga del Mar Menor, between the last houses of Cabo de Palos and the first buildings of La Manga, in the municipality of Cartagena. It preserves one of the few remaining dune systems on the strip and a beach facing the Mediterráneo with very little development around it.

The beach

Regular visitors praise the fine sand and clean water, and say you can wade quite far out while still being able to stand. There are foot showers, a beach bar and access via wooden boardwalks and ramps. It gets busy in midsummer, especially in August, but its width leaves room for your towel.

Dunes and vegetation

Unlike the rest of La Manga, this area preserves its sandy landscape and dunes, with plants adapted to the dry climate of south-east Spain. They include dune juniper, a threatened species in the Region of Murcia. The site forms part of the Paisaje Protegido de Espacios Abiertos e Islas del Mar Menor, so visitors should keep to the paths and avoid treading on vegetation.

Five thousand years of history

Las Amoladeras is also a Bien de Interés Cultural (a protected cultural heritage site). Excavations uncovered a Copper Age settlement dating back around 5.000 years, with remains of circular huts, silos, shell middens and grinding tools. A shipwreck from the late first century BC was also found offshore, carrying mainly lead, and studied in connection with the ARQVA museum in Cartagena.

Getting here

It is at the start of the Gran Vía when arriving from Cabo de Palos. There is a free visitor car park very nearby, with a wooden boardwalk leading down to the sand. To compare other beaches, see the beaches of La Manga.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Las Amoladeras beach?

At the entrance to La Manga del Mar Menor, between Cabo de Palos and the first buildings on Gran Vía, in the municipality of Cartagena.

How do I get to Las Amoladeras beach?

Via the start of the Gran Vía in La Manga. There is a free visitor car park nearby, with beach access along a wooden boardwalk.

Is the water deep at Las Amoladeras?

No. Several swimmers say you can go quite far out while still being able to stand.

Does the beach have facilities?

Yes. There are foot showers, a beach bar and access via wooden boardwalks.

Why is it a protected area?

For its dunes and vegetation, such as dune juniper, and its designation as a Bien de Interés Cultural (a protected cultural heritage site) thanks to a Copper Age settlement.

Las Amoladeras

Protected dunes and fine sand at the entrance to La Manga

The beach

Dunes and vegetation

Five thousand years of history

Getting here

What's on offer

Services

Setting

Frequently asked questions

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