# Sunday on Tabarca from Murcia or Elche, by boat from Santa Pola

Drive to the Santa Pola jetty, Tabarbus in 15 minutes, the island on foot with its wall and its museum, snorkelling with an instructor and caldero before heading back.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/sunday-from-murcia-via-santa-pola · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 09:00 · Salida: 1 h 15 by car (motorway to Santa Pola and the quay; park with time to spare)
- 10:00 · Boat to Tabarca from Santa Pola (Tabarbus · departures every 30 min · booking by phone) · Tabarbus
  - 15 min by boat
- 10:30 · Walls and San Rafael Gate (Puerta de San Rafael and the walled village)
  - 5 min on foot
- 11:30 · Nueva Tabarca Museum (free, Wednesday to Sunday)
  - 5 min on foot
- 12:15 · Guided snorkelling in the Tabarca marine reserve (Tabarca Snorkel · 1 h 20 min · €21) · Tabarca Snorkel, From €21 per person
  - 5 min on foot
- 14:00 · Mar Azul Restaurant (caldero on the central beach · book and confirm it is open) · Mar Azul Restaurant, €€
  - 10 min on foot
- 16:00 · Walk to the San José Tower and the lighthouse (1 h walk through the countryside)
- 17:30 · Vuelta: 15 min by boat (Tabarbus boats every hour; in Murcia around 19:30)

From Murcia or Elche, the short way to Tabarca goes through Santa Pola: you drive to the jetty and in a quarter of an hour you are on the island. Tabarbus leaves every half hour, so the day adjusts to your own pace.

## The day, hour by hour

9:00 · Set off. From Murcia to Santa Pola, a little under an hour on the motorway. Park near the harbour with time to spare.

10:00 · Boat with Tabarbus. About a 15-minute crossing. Book and ask the price on 687 916 450.

10:30 · Walls. Enter by the Puerta de San Rafael into the 18th-century village.

11:30 · Nueva Tabarca Museum. Free, next to the harbour.

12:15 · Snorkelling with an instructor. Tabarca Snorkel: 1 h 20 min with equipment, insurance and photos for €21.

14:00 · Caldero at Mar Azul. On the central beach. Book and confirm the hours.

16:00 · San José tower and lighthouse. A flat one-hour walk.

17:30 · Head home. Tabarbus returns every hour until 21:00.

## Cómo llegar

### By car
To the Santa Pola jetty; on the island, everything is on foot.

## Consejos

### Water shoes and a cap
The sand is coarse and outside the village there is no shade.

### Ask the price when you book
Tabarbus does not publish fares on its website.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Murcia to Tabarca?
A little under an hour to Santa Pola and 15 minutes by boat.

### Are there boats outside summer?
Yes; out of season Santa Pola is the port with the most departures.

### Is the snorkelling suitable for children?
The company does not publish a minimum age: ask when you book.