The Mar Menor has an unfair advantage when you are travelling with children: the water is shallow, warm and almost motionless. There is no surf to knock anyone over, no strong current to watch, and no cold shock on the way in.
The shape of a good day
Start early, when the water is at its calmest and the sun is still reasonable. Swim, then move indoors for the middle of the day: lunch, shade, a siesta, and something that does not involve sunscreen. Go out again in the late afternoon, when the light softens and the promenade fills up with other families doing exactly the same thing.
Things that work
The promenade is flat and traffic-free in the parts that matter, which makes scooters, bicycles and pushchairs genuinely easy. The beaches shelve so gradually that a toddler can paddle safely with an adult close by. And the lagoon's watersports schools take children for introductory sessions on the flat water.
Things to know
Even shallow water needs an adult's full attention, and the Spanish sun in July and August is not the sun of northern Europe. Hats, shade and a long lunch break are not optional here; they are the reason the day works.
What the apartment offers
Casa Brisa Marina has a highchair, a baby cot and children's toys, and there is a lift in the building. We do not describe the apartment as fully childproof — ask us and we will describe the layout honestly, including the stairs between the two floors.
Where to stay
Casa Brisa Marina
Casa Brisa Marina is an apartment for six in Los Alcázares, with a terrace, a balcony and shared use of the pool.
