Town
Murcia · Mar Menor
San Javier
The western shore of the Mar Menor, where a purpose-built bathing resort, the northern La Manga sandbar and the Spanish air force academy share one flat lagoon coast.
The lagoon and the academy
A resort shore under a training-flight sky
San Javier grew as a farming settlement on the Campo de Cartagena and turned towards the water with Santiago de la Ribera, laid out from the late nineteenth century as a summer town for Murcian families.
Since 1943 the Academia General del Aire has occupied the lagoon edge at La Ribera, and its aircraft are part of daily life here. The northern section of the La Manga sandbar also lies within the municipality.
Fast facts
INE padrón, 1 Jan 2025
- Population
- 36,524
- Change since 2015
- +14%
31,915 in 2015
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One new contribution
New contribution · Summer 2026
San Javier: the Mar Menor shore and the air academy
How Santiago de la Ribera, the 1927 seaplane base that became the Academia General del Aire and the northern La Manga sit together on the Mar Menor's western shore.
Published 1 September 2026
Read the guide