Collados Beach

This place is found at the end of La Manga, close to the "Puente de la Risa" (the Bridge of Laughter) in Veneziola.

It's only open in summer, and as well as being open to the public, it can be reserved for weddings or other events.

What makes it different?

Being cut off from the tourist area and its cool minimalist image, without a doubt. It's a very relaxed area, in comparison to the rest of La Manga. The precinct consists of a type of dome where the reception area is, the kitchen, the changing rooms and a kind of shop, amongst others; outside is the pool area, big and with a pretty colour, with deckchairs and showers, a kind of beach bar where they make cocktails and slushies amongst other drinks and snacks. The beach area has more deckchairs, parasols, beds and chairs.

If you want to enjoy the pool and the deckchairs, you have to ask for a wristband which costs 10€ and is valid for the whole day. Furthermore, there is no problem with changing clothes, since in the area with the washrooms, there are showers, as well as ticket windows which look after your clothes, and a hair dryer, something which makes the women pretty happy.

On the other hand, you can also eat there. The dishes look really good and there are set-menus. The slushies cost 5€ and are also good. For sushi lovers, there is a sushi menu in summer which is renowned and merges with the Mediterranean diet. Of course it's quite expensive, but it's worth it since there are few places like this, so it's not something you see everyday.

The staff at Callados Beach are quite professional and educated, sometimes a little too much, and they're a little guilty of treating some customers nicer than others, but I can't complain.

I was lucky enough to go to a wedding there. It was in June 2012, my cousin was getting married and she wanted to be in an Ibiza style so she asked us to dress all in white. It was very pretty, firstly the ceremony was in the beach area, clearly decorated for the occasion, all in white and they put out seats for the guests, all by the sea and in the middle of sunset. My uncle officiated the wedding and the ceremony was short but very emotional, since they made it more personal and the groom said a few words.

Then there was a reception in the bar area; the parmesan and the ham were really tasty. We ate dinner on some tables in the pool area and finally had some drinks - the dancing area was close to the beach bar. Although during the day, there was a typical Murcian heat, in the evening it started to cool down and because we were by the beach, the sensation of humidity and cold rose, so despite what you think, bring a little jacket with you.

It's really comfortable here, you can come with some friends or surprise your guests. I have been here with family too (not for a wedding) and we had a different and very pleasant experience. I brought an Asian friend with me too and she loved it, she said that it seemed like a place typical of a film.

Collados Beach belongs to the Callados group and they have other very similar spaces but not on the beach with a good image: Collados de La Sagra, Collados Agridulce and Collados de Roda.

To get to Callados Beach, you have to follow the main road through the whole of La Manga (Gran Vía La Manga), which is followed by Calle Sierra del Almirez until you come to a roundabout, take the second exit of the roundabout, which is followed by the "Urbanización Veneziola Golf" and turn to the right to exit which is about 700 meters away. There you'll find parking for Callados Beach.