El Portús lies on the Mediterranean and is surrounded by the Parque Natural de la Sierra de La Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán. Its broad beach of grey sand and pebbles lies within the Parque Natural de la Sierra de la Muela, a protected area of high ecological value. The coastline itself also shapes the experience: off El Portús, bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins and common dolphins, as well as grey and common pilot whales, can be spotted.
Beach and practical information
El Portús beach has a beach bar, foot-washing stations, walkways, accessible toilets, and a first-aid and safety station. The listed facilities are open from 11:00 to 19:00. If you plan to use any of them during your visit, check their opening hours in advance.
The beach can be reached on foot, by car or by boat. The access road is at kilometre 2.000 of the N-332 on the Cartagena–Playa del Portús–Isla Plana–La Azohía route. This provides both a choice of ways to get there and a specific road reference, without implying a particular journey time.
Coastal paths and coves
The PR9 route runs from Playa del Portús through Campillo de Adentro to La Azohía. Campillo de Adentro is 10 km away, and La Azohía is 12 km away. The municipal tourism leaflet about the route was first published in February 2004; check local trail conditions before setting out. The two distances refer to different destinations and can help you choose the right route plan.
Several secluded coves lie along the GR92 coastal path between El Portús and Punta de la Azohía and can be visited on foot or by boat. Kayak trips start in El Portús or La Azohía and stop at coves on the western coast of Cartagena. The coast therefore offers both trails on land and excursions on the water; these routes and excursions are different options, not one prescribed combined tour.
The hermitage and Jábega tradition
The small Ermita de la Virgen del Carmen in El Portús is a rectangular building dating from 1924, restored in 1991. The hermitage offers views of the Mediterranean, and swimming is possible at its beach. The building thus connects a specific historical reference with the coastal landscape.
The Jábega is also part of local history. In the past, it was a form of seine fishing in the bay of El Portús, carried out from the shore: fishermen pulled the net ashore using a hauling rope. This original fishing practice is no longer carried out. It is distinct from the reenactment staged by the residents of El Portús every summer: they use a floating net and then return all the fish caught to the sea alive. This contrast shows how a former working practice appears in a present-day performance, without treating the two as the same thing.
Plan your stay
If you are looking for a hotel in El Portús, you can plan your stay around what matters most to you. For a beach visit, the facilities’ opening hours are a practical point of reference; for the PR9, your chosen destination and trail conditions, which should be checked locally, will shape your plans. A beach day and a route call for different considerations. If you are interested in the coves, you can also find information about visiting on foot or by boat, as well as kayak trips. This makes it easier to choose a stay in El Portús based on the experiences that matter to your trip.
Discover more destinations: Torre Guil, El Palmar, Blanca, Las Torres De Cotillas, El Salado, El Saladillo, Torre-Pacheco, San Ginés.
Return to the main travel overview: Murcia.
