Traditionally an important fishing port, the charming locality Cabo de Palos is a only few minutes away from Playa Honda and adjoins the 21-kilometre La Manga strip.

The lighthouse, know as “El Faro de Cabo de Palos” is very impressive and “a must visit”. It makes for a beautiful walk with its scenic surroundings. You can cycle up there too. Click here to read an interesting article about the lighthouse, courtesy of Murcia Today. The same source has also published a great article about Cabo de Palos.

Cabo de Palos has a lot to offer, here are a few interesting links (opens in new window) – only the tip of the ice berg!:

There is a famous and tragic story that happened near the lighthouse: SS Sirio was an Italian merchant steamer that was shipwrecked off the coast of Cabo de Palos in August 1906 (on the Punta Hormigas, two and a half miles east[ of Cape Palos), causing around 150 deaths of Italian and Spanish emigrants bound for Argentina. According to the records, the captain Giuseppe Piccone abandoned ship at the first opportunity.

Local fishermen launched boats to aid in the rescue, but it was reported that some of the rescuers also drowned.

Legend has it that most of the drownings occurred more due to panic from swimming in the darkness – it was not far from the shore – and it was not winter. The Mediterranean waters are not cold in August.