San Pedro del Pinatar is a small town and municipality in the province of Murcia, the area is 22 km2 and the population is just over 25,000. It is located midway between the cities of Alicante and Cartagena, close to the Mediterranean Sea and close to the north part of the Mar Menor. It is the northernmost town in Costa Calida/Murcia and adjacent to the province of Alicante.
San Pedro del Pinatar got its name in the seventeenth century after the Franciscans built a chapel dedicated to the Apostle Peter. The reason was that most residents were fishermen. Formerly San Pedro del Pinatar was known as Pinatar. This name was given due to the area's pine forests.
The area has a long history, starting with the Romans around 200 BC, they produced salt and operated a prosperous fishing industry. Muslims and Christians have done the same up to PRESENT today. Today it is more a tourist town, primarily for Spanish tourists, but more and more foreign tourists are coming to buy holiday properties in the area.
Salinas y Arenal is a protected nature park which also belongs to the municipality and is known for its salt mines. It is also a protected area and home to many bird species. Beautiful hiking trails, salt lakes, mud baths and with a little luck some flamingos.
The cozy coastal town of Lo Pagán also falls under the municipality of San Pedro del Pinatar. Selection of beaches are only 2-3 km from the town centre. There are also 2 marinas, one in Lo Pagan the other “Puerto Marina de las Salines” which is adjacent to the Mediterranean.
