Mazarrón Travel Guide

The first time I went to Mazarron (too many years back to think about)...I hired a moped. Having been accustomed to two weels rather than four for some time in my life, but having given it up when moving back to London, I really enjoyed being back on a bike, on uncluttered roads and with the sun beating down on my face.

OK - so it wasn't a Harley (!), but it zipped along nicely with a simple accelerator and breaks that were best ignored (put your feet down a hundred yards before you want to stop!)

Having been up all night, I took it up the mountain roads beyond Bolnuevo at dawn once, with a 6 foot 4" Mr Pdc wobbling around precariously on the back (ho ho) Que comica ; )

Pictured here, 5' 2" me solo on 'the road to nowhere'. In those days, mobile phones were not so common, so if you got stuck out there, you could find yourself stranded and gasping for water for some time, so take liquid provisions.

You could find some totally unspoilt little bays where you could have the whole beach to yourself. I wonder if it's still like that? It used to be protected for the breeding of turtles I believe.

A very friendly Chinese restaurant situated on Camposol in Mazarron. The staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome and their food is delicious.

Favorite Dish: I highly recommend the chicken in black bean sauce with a side of egg fried rice

Mazarron and Puerto De Mazarron are quite a distance away from each other so I recommend renting a car. There is a car rental shop situated on Camposol called F&C Rent A Car (fcrentacar.com) or you can also hire one from the airport (use travelsupermarket.com to find the best deals)

Nice to see someething a little different. Very friendly and helpful.

What to pay: Some things can seem expensive but it is nice stuff

I am sure that I will be hotly disputed, but the finest sangria I have experienced in Spain, is of the Mazarron kind.

Secret recipes are protectively guarded from bar to bar so we were told by various bar owners, who took the matter quite seriously.

I was also told, one of the secret ingredients for a decent sangria, is cinnamon sticks.

Look out for the sangria local to this region - I can assure you, it blows your socks off! (Not that I wear socks in Spain, I hasten to add!) Deceptively sweet, it is not for lunchtime drinking (she speaks from experience).

Here is a basic recipe, you can adjust to your own taste accordingly.

1 1/2 L Red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 cup Sugar
1 large Lemon, sliced
1 large Orange, sliced
1 large Apple, cut into thin sections
3-4 oz plain Brandy
Soda water

Mix wine, sugar and fruit, and let sit in the fridge for 18-24 hours. The mixture will have a somewhat syrupy consistency. Before serving stir in brandy and cut the mixture with soda water until it have a thinner, more wine like consistency. Serve from a pitcher in wine glasses.

You may use orange or lemon flavored soda instead of the soda water.

La Azohia is a picturesque fishing village east of Mazarron on the road to Cartagena.

The views from this tower make it worth the trip, although if you have a car, it may be better to leave it by the port and walk up by foot. On a hot summer's day you might want to stop at a bar along the way for an ice cream or some tapas.

The tower was built in the late 1500s as a lookout post to spot pirates. When open it's possible to climb to the top. Below the tower is an abandoned searchlight station built after the Spanish Civil War

It's worth the climb but take it easy if you suffer from vertigo. The staircase is narrow and as a child I was scared to come down! still, I've been up many times and always made it out alive.

See my "La Azohia and Mula" travelogue for more pictures!