PIRATE ARTESAN MARKET AND MUSIC

Cabo de Palos is holding their "Fiestas Patronales" in honour of Santa Maria del Mar this weekend.


There will be an artesan Market with a Berber Pirate theme down by Marina/fishing port. Open from 11.30am till late.


On the evening there will be "verbenas" (music and dancing)

On Sunday the 15th of August at 1pm they will be having a "Cucaña" where local boys try and show off by walking a greasy pole which is extended off the brow of a boat across the sea, they need to get to the end to grab the flag, to win the prize (a leg of ham usually). Below is a Picture of a Cucaña I saw this summer in Santiago de la ribera.

Later that afternoon around 7pm the virgen will be carried out of the church and a procession will take place and then she will be shipped out to sea. Come night fall there will be a Verbena with music and dancing.

So Sunday could be a good day to go down to Cabo de palos, get there 12ish, go and watch the cucaña, grab some lunch in a good restaurant. I have reccomended 2 in my Restaurant guide, but there are many more down there.

http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/07/restaurants-in-region.html

Then have a wander around the market, maybe a spell on the beach, and catch the procession then the Verbena.

Enjoy :)

MARKETS

Local markets are held daily around the region. Full of fruit and vegetables, clothes, shoes, trinkets and much more. Please be careful with your belongings as these are places where pickpockets hang out. I personally have never had a problem, but best to be safe.

They tend to close at around 2pm, which then is the perfect time to grab some lunch in a local restaurant. Check my post about Cabo de palos market finishing with lunch at Restaurante Katy on the beach (with pictures) http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/08/sundays-at-cabo-de-palos.html

MONDAYS = Roldan, San Pedro de Pinatar
TUESDAYS = Los Alcazares
WEDNESDAYS = Santiago de la Ribera, Cartagena
THURSDAYS = San Javier
FRIDAYS = Torrevieja
SATURDAYS = Los Narejos (Los Alcazares) , Torre Pacheco
SUNDAYS = Cabo de Palos , Autocine los Narejos (down near Airport)

On a Sunday from 9am till 2pm there is an antiques market in Murcia city, it is located behind the Museo Salzillo.

You can see location here

http://maps.google.es/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=es&geocode=&q=MUSEO+SALZILLO,+Plaza+de+San+Agust%C3%ADn,+3,+30005+Murcia&sll=37.984866,-1.14069&sspn=0.034298,0.076818&g=barrio+de+san+andres,+murcia&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=MUSEO+SALZILLO,+Plaza+de+San+Agust%C3%ADn,+3,+30005+Murcia,+Regi%C3%B3n+de+Murcia&ll=37.98649,-1.138029&spn=0.034298,0.076818&z=14

Then you have all the Artesan Markets which happen monthly, for more information on when these are, check my earlier post
http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/07/artesan-markets.html

All the markets are on my EVENTS CALENDER, which means you can see at a flick what market is on, what day, and where. Plus what concerts, events and festivals are on.

SUNDAYS AT CABO DE PALOS

Sunday is Market Day in Cabo de Palos and makes a great day out. I went down last Sunday and took some pictures for you to see.

Sunday lie in and late breakfast at home and then head down to Cabo de Palos 11.30 - 12ish. You can´t miss the market as it is heaving there, you do need to search hard for a parking space but head down some side streets and you should find one!

Have a wander around the market






Then head down to the Port and have lunch by the sea.

We went to Restaurante Katy which is just gorgeous, it is set on the beach, if possible book a table and ask to be seated on the terrace. Otherwise I advise getting there 1.30ish any later and you will struggle to get a table.



We had a superb salad for 3.50 euros



Followed by an enormous and yummy fish and chicken paella

The Paella does take 30 mins to prepare and must be a minimum of 2 people eating it, but well worth the wait.


You can see their menu, how to get there and booking numbers on their website
http://www.restaurante-katy.es/

and some great pictures of the restaurant and food here
http://www.cabodepalos.com/reportajes-cabo-palos/restaurantekaty/index.htm

Afterwards you could spend the afternoon at the beach, only a few steps away and have a siesta:)

Another option for eating which is equally as superb is Miramar, which is down on the port on the corner. Click picture below to go to their website and see the menu and more pictures.

There is seating outside with great views across the sea and the swordfish is to die for!

On your way home you could stop of at the Karting track at la Manga

http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/07/go-karting.html

RESTAURANTS IN THE REGION

There is lots of choice on the coast and in the cities, but I am going to tell you about restaurants I personally think are very good or good friends have reccomended.

1. El Rey in Balsicas, next to Petrol Station on Main Road, Great food. Had a superb Steak in there.


2. Tropical, this restaurant is down in Los Alcazares on the road going off the main street to the beach by side of the townhall, great tapas, food and service, founded in 1836. To see the menu, click here http://www.restaurantelatropical.es/carta.pdf


3. Miramar This restaurant is down in Cabo de Palos, if you go down to the sunday market, head down to the port and its just on the sea front on the corner, serves superb fish (as it is on the fishing port!) great swordfish,Founded in 1969. Click on the picture below to go to their website where you can see the menu plus GPS coordinates of how to get there!
4. Taperia Casa Tomas. I always go when I am in Cartagena,and am a little reluctant to post it on here, as love the spanish feel to it, but its all about sharing information. If you walk down the main pedestrian street, keep going and where the pedestrian street forks into loads of pedestrian streets, turn right. This brings you down to a plaza, where the small flower market is, turn right and its just there on the left in the square. They serve Tapas and a menu of the day which is super, full of spanish not an English person to be seen, unless you look in the mirror! seems to be where all the office and shop workers go for lunch.

for more info about this restaurant and to see more pictures I have taken click here
http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/07/taperia-casa-tomas-and-tapas.html

To see location on google map click here http://maps.google.es/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=es&geocode=&q=Calle+del+Parque,+2,+30201+Cartagena&sll=37.604287,-0.98628&sspn=0.008194,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Calle+del+Parque,+30201+Cartagena,+Murcia,+Regi%C3%B3n+de+Murcia&ll=37.601482,-0.98628&spn=0.008619,0.019205&z=16

5. La Casa del Reloj now this is superb, go down AP7 direction Alicante, take the last turning to San Pedro de Pinatar, the one where there is a boat on roundabout, turn right into San Pedro, but look to your left and you will see a house in the middle of some Palm trees, that is it. An Old Hacienda style house with a courtyard and divine mediterranean food. Click the picture below, to go to their website, where you can see more pictures and the menu with prices.



6. Ramons This one is a delicious Spanish restaurant in Los Alcazares, situated on the main street and being green is hard to miss, an extremely popular restaurant with the locals and well worth it. Click the Picture below to go to their website.


7. Encarnacion This restaurant is on the beach front in los Alcazares, if you wander down to the beach from the townhall then wlk along the promenade direction alicante, a short stroll later you will find it, nice place for a snack and a coffee in the daytime, but the evening restaurant is fantastic, set in an old spa hotel with an inner courtyard, the decor reminds me of british india, very colonial, and the food is superb. Afterwards in the summer months walk down a bit further and there is a bar/restaurant on a pier, great for an after dinner drink out on the sea. Phone to book 968 575 007

8. Restaurante los Molinos, head down to the mudbaths, have a brisk walk down the promenade that goes right out into the sea and come back or have a mudbath, then you are ready for a big lunch and just there is this spanish restaurant, with views down to the sea, it is glass fronted and you can´t miss it, do a great paella and a very good "menu del Dia"

To see directions of how to get there, click here http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/07/beaches-and-coves.html

10.Asiatic run in los Narejos, down by the 525 hotel, is great, they serve a la carte but the best is their Run Menu, which is god knows how many little things, the main is brought out in a wooden box with compartments. Asian food.

11. Restaurante BIG HOUSE Asiatic restaurant in Santiago de la ribera, as you come down into Santiago from San Javier, there is a petrol station on a roundabout, it is next door, serves food from all over Asia, very good and again full of local people.



12. La Venezuela in San Pedro de Pinatar /Lo Pagan comes highly reccomended by a friend. I Have yet to try it, but just know it will be delicious. Family run been in business for over 40 years! The Menu is mediterranean and of course Seafood. Click the photo below to go to their website.

To see directions how to get there click here
http://maps.google.es/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=es&geocode=&q=Restaurante+Venezuela+,+San+Pedro+Del+Pinatar&sll=38.146974,-0.985112&sspn=1.095085,2.458191&ie=UTF8&hq=Restaurante+Venezuela+,&hnear=San+Pedro+del+Pinatar,+Murcia,+Regi%C3%B3n+de+Murcia&ll=37.816073,-0.786209&spn=0.00817,0.019205&z=16


13. Restaurante Katy at Cabo de Palos. Situated right on the beach, with lots of outdoor seating and serving the most delicious seafood and paellas, very popular, especially on sundays. 95% of clientele are Spanish. Click the picture of the delicious paella we ate there on Sunday to see a great slideshow of the restaurant and its cuisine.

For more info and menu go to their website http://www.restaurante-katy.es/
You can see my review and pics here http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/08/sundays-at-cabo-de-palos.html

16. RESTAURANTE LOS ESPIGARES. This is a little gem. Absolutely love this place, have been back various times since my review below and what makes this place is the service from the owner and the great home cooked food. You must try this little restaurante bar. The Swordfish is to die for, the wine is delicious and served in carafes. And if they have the pudding Cuajada con Miel on the menu, have it!http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2010/10/bar-restaurante-espigares-roldan.html

17. RESTAURANTE VENTA EL GARRUCHAL. This little Venta serves a great menu del Dia and is a superb place to stop after a long walk in the mountains that surround it.
http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2011/01/restaurante-venta-la-garruchal.html

18. RESTAURANTE ASADOR LOS NARANJOS. This is another little Venta that serves a great Menu del dia, close to San Javier on the way to Sucina on new motorway.
http://polarisworldandbeyond.blogspot.com/2011/02/restaurante-asador-los-naranjos.html

19. Valle Del Sol Restaurant, on C3319 motorway on way into La Torre Golf, Great Menu del dia and evening meals, Do a good Mixed grill, Meat cooked on charcoal oven.

20. The Argentinian in La Xenia Boulevard mall. If you are there you must go, Eat as much as you want, They keep coming round with skewers of meat.

21. Airemar Service station Restaurant. What a gem, there is a shop with local produce, a butchers and the restaurant is super. Also do a great Menu del dia.