The Region of Murcia has taken a major step forward in its commitment to inclusive tourism, expanding its network of accessible beaches across the Costa Calida this summer. A total of 17 beaches will now offer a free assisted bathing service, marking an increase of six beaches compared to the previous year. This initiative, led by the regional government, aims to ensure that individuals with disabilities or reduced mobility can enjoy the coastline with dignity, comfort, and equal opportunity.

A comprehensive coastal accessibility review in Murcia

The expansion comes as part of a comprehensive coastal accessibility report conducted by the Regional Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports, in close collaboration with the accessibility organisation FAMDIF and Cocemfe Murcia. More than 80 access points across 76 beaches were reviewed by experts along the regional coast, assessing crucial infrastructure including reserved parking, accessible ramps and walkways, modified changing rooms and showers, shaded resting areas, and amphibious equipment. Out of all the locations analysed, an impressive 80 per cent were classified as usable for individuals with mobility challenges.

Top accessibility status for important beaches

Cartagena stands out as a main focal point of this effort, with four of its famed beaches, including Levante in Cabo de Palos, Playa Honda, Puerto Bello, and San Ginés achieving the prestigious “accessible point” status. This classification represents the highest level of accessibility available, guaranteeing fully adapted itineraries, specialised facilities, and direct assistance for disabled visitors or those with reduced mobility. 

Advanced in-water adapted features

Additionally, three locations in Aguilas, San Pedro del Pinatar, and Mazarron now feature fully adapted, in-water bathing zones. These specialised zones include submerged seating, access platforms, sturdy handrails, and water-based shaded areas that empower users to swim with confidence and independence.

The free assisted bathing service provides amphibious chairs and personnel trained to help visitors safely navigate the sand and enter the sea. These services are distributed across key coastal areas, including popular stretches in Aguilas, Mazarron, the Mar Menor, and the open Mediterranean. 

Planning trips to the Costa Calida with real-time tools

To help families plan their trips with ease, updated information regarding each location is accessible on the regional tourism portal and through the dedicated ACCEDE Playas mobile application. This data not only guides travellers with specific accessibility needs, but also encourages local municipalities to continuously improve their beach infrastructure, re-establishing Murcia’s position as a leading destination for universal accessibility.

As the Costa Calida’s beaches gain more and more popularity, beachgoers are flocking to the coast during the hottest month of the year to cool off in the chilly Mediterranean. Thanks to the efforts of local towns, now residents and visitors with reduced mobility can enjoy nearly any beach on the famed shoreline, making for a memorable summer.

The Cartagena district of Perin reached the joyful peak of its annual patron saint festivities over the weekend, celebrating the incredible 26th edition of its most beloved local tradition: the ascent of Lucero the donkey to the church bell tower. Hundreds of enthusiastic residents and visitors gathered in the town square to witness the quirky spectacle, filling the air with cheers, applause, and a powerful community spirit.

Jurassic Park and pasodobles: Vibrant floats and local music

The day’s festivities kicked off with a vibrant afternoon parade, featuring creatively decorated floats with themes ranging from Jurassic Park and Peri Bros to ancient Egypt. Music filled the streets thanks to the lively performances of the Cartagena 1990 Musical Group, who got the crowd dancing to the traditional local pasodoble, a fast-paced Spanish music and dance genre, “This is my town.”

Honouring the legend of the lock: Lucero the papier-mâché donkey

Following the colourful parade, attention turned to the main stage for the official reading of the “proclamation of the donkey” by the President of the Municipal Board, Pepi Méndez. Local leaders joined the festival committee and the gathering crowd to celebrate the district’s unique heritage.

The highlight of the event finally arrived when a local resident hoisted the large papier-mâché figure of Lucero the donkey up the side of the church tower, successfully reviving the historic local legend to the delight of onlookers below. The papier-mâché donkey’s journey to the top of the bell tower served as an emotional and triumphant symbol of Perin’s enduring folklore, and a gathering point for many friends, families, and visitors to the charming area.

A responsible end to the party: Fire safety amid festivities

The event was not only a show of local pride and tradition, but a show of community responsibility. To protect the surrounding countryside during a period of dry weather, organisers agreed to suspend the traditional end-of-festival fireworks display, prioritising fire safety due to the high risk of forest fires in the area during the summertime. Despite the absence of pyrotechnics, the day concluded as a resounding success, proving once again that Perin’s unique customs and tight-knit community spirit remain as strong as ever in the shining muncipality of Cartagena.

Every day, thousands of motorists stop at toll booths on Spain’s AP-7, hand over their cash and continue their journey without giving the transaction a second thought. But on one section of the motorway, Guardia Civil investigators say part of that money never reached the company responsible for collecting it.

The arrest of a toll booth employee has exposed an alleged fraud that investigators believe relied on something as simple as swapping tickets. Drivers paid the correct amount for their journeys, but officers say the cash recorded by the system told a different story. The investigation began only after the motorway concessionaire noticed unexplained discrepancies in its accounts and alerted the Guardia Civil.

Operator’s checks trigger Guardia Civil investigation

The investigation, named Operation Enlazado, began in June after the company operating the AP-7 toll road between Cartagena and Vera detected irregularities in cash collections. The inconsistencies could not be explained through routine accounting checks, prompting the concessionaire to report its findings to the Guardia Civil.

Traffic officers and members of the Judicial Police launched a joint investigation to determine where the missing money was going. Their enquiries focused on one toll booth, where they believe the discrepancies repeatedly occurred during cash transactions. According to investigators, the employee is suspected of diverting more than €1,200 from the motorway operator. The alleged fraud did not affect motorists directly, as drivers always paid the correct toll for the journeys they made.

Investigators say tickets were swapped

The Guardia Civil believes the fraud depended entirely on motorists paying in cash rather than by bank card or electronic toll devices. Investigators say the employee would collect the correct payment from the driver before registering a different ticket in the toll system. Instead of entering the customer’s actual journey, officers allege he used a ticket from a previous vehicle that carried a lower toll charge. The reduced fare was recorded electronically, while the difference between the two amounts was allegedly kept by the employee.

Because the customer had already paid the correct amount and received a valid receipt, motorists had no reason to suspect anything unusual had happened. Investigators believe the fraud remained hidden because the electronic records appeared legitimate unless they were compared with the cash collected at the toll booth.

Arrest made while employee was working

After weeks of enquiries, Guardia Civil officers moved in while the employee was working at the toll booth. According to the investigation, officers found two separate tickets during the arrest. One belonged to the customer who was being served at that moment, while the second related to a cheaper journey.

Investigators believe the lower-value ticket was about to be used to register another transaction using the same method uncovered during Operation Enlazado. The employee was arrested at the scene and is now under investigation for an alleged offence of continuous fraud.

Cash payments made the alleged fraud possible

Investigators say the alleged scheme depended on cash transactions because electronic payments automatically generate a record matching the amount paid. Cash allowed the employee to receive the correct payment from the driver while entering different journey details into the system.

The Guardia Civil has not indicated how long the fraud may have been taking place, although investigators believe the method was repeated often enough for the concessionaire’s internal controls to identify a pattern of missing money. The amount allegedly diverted exceeded €1,200, but investigators say the significance of the case lies less in the total involved than in the method used to obtain it.  By recycling tickets from previous journeys, officers believe the employee was able to conceal the discrepancies until the company’s financial controls exposed the irregularities.

Investigation remains open

The case has been referred to the competent judicial authority, while investigators continue examining the evidence gathered during Operation Enlazado. The Guardia Civil has not ruled out further enquiries as officers analyse the toll records and documentation seized during the investigation. It has not disclosed whether additional transactions could form part of the case.

For the motorway operator, the investigation has highlighted the importance of routine financial controls in detecting irregularities that would otherwise have remained hidden. For the Guardia Civil, the case marks the end of an investigation that began with unexplained accounting discrepancies and ended with an arrest inside an AP-7 toll booth.