Best things to do in Torrevieja

Torrevieja is a town on the Costa Blanca coast in the province of Alicante. It is located about 40 km south of the city of Alicante. Originally it was a fishing village, but the large salt deposits allowed the town to flourish. Thanks to this, it has a unique microclimate described as one of the healthiest in Europe. To this day, Torrevieja is one of the largest salt producers in the Old Continent.

The history of Torrevieja

Until 1802, Torrevieja existed only as an old guard tower, hence the name of the town:  Torre - the tower and Vieja – old. In 1803, Charles IV moved salt production to the town and took care of the infrastructure development. Despite the damage caused by the earthquake in 1829, only 2 years later, Alfonso XIII granted the reconstructed town of Torrevieja with town privileges.

The town – what is worth seeing?

Torrevieja is built mainly of brick and lacks old buildings. However, do not get discouraged by this. When walking around the city there is a big chance to see the restored windmills and the pier. It is a wonderful place for a walk, which provides amazing views of the city and the sea at any time of day or night. In addition, there is a series of sculptures scattered along this very long breakwater. The city centre includes an old neoclassical church, which was completed in 1928 on the site of a previously destroyed temple. The church is very beautiful both inside and outside, consisting of some remarkable masterpieces. It is especially worth visiting this place during the Easter period, due to the miraculous procession that takes places here. It is also worth mentioning that in front of the church there is the La Constitucion square with a beautiful fountain and benches, creating a peaceful place to relax for the whole family. The tourists may also enjoy the clean, sandy beaches, such as: Playa La Mata, Playa Del Cura, Playa Los Locos and a few smaller beaches along the coast.

The microclimate

The location of the city provided it with an extremely healthy microclimate. It is due to the clean and huge deposits of salt. Torrevieja is also known for an average of 335 sunny days per year. Even in winter, the temperature rarely drops below 12 degrees. The exception is February, which is the coldest month with strong winds from the sea, but still the temperatures do not drop below zero.
 

Las Salinas – a one of a kind place in Europe

Salt lakes, including the pink lake, are located in the area of the National Park. The pink lake near the city is one of the largest of its kind in the world and the only one in Europe. It owes its unusual colour to the unique microalgae, halobacteria and crustaceans living in it. During the summer, the pink colour is the most conspicuous because of the sun rays falling at the right angle. The contrast between the bright pink and the crystalline white of salt is almost dazzling. It is also worth seeing the channel known as the Pink River. Many tourists admire the extraordinary health properties of bathing in this lake, but also complain about the lack of services, such as showers to rinse the salt water. However, they forget that it is a National Park and swimming in the pink lake is forbidden. Access to the salt lakes is quite difficult, there is no public transport, therefore the only way to get to the salt lakes is by car. Nevertheless, there are free car parks available, the park is open 24 hours a day and the entrance is free. It is recommended to use the navigation. GPS coordinates: 38.017803, -0.70666666 to the entrance to the reserve and GPS coordinates: 38.024154, -0.721554 to the channel.

The flamingos – the attraction of salt lakes

The area around the salt lakes is home to all waterfowl, including flamingos. These birds can be seen in several places in Spain, including Calpe. However, only here in Torrevieja are they pink. Flamingos are white by nature, while their colouration varies depending on the diet. They owe their unique colour to shellfish, which also colour the lake. In addition, flamingos are most likely to be seen in summer, but not everyone will be able to see them.

Mercadillo de Torrevieja – the market

Mercadillo de Torrevieja is one of the many attractions of the city. The market is held on Fridays and attracts many tourists. Why? It is due to the wide variety of colours and aromas surrounding it. One may taste the local fruit or vegetables, which are completely different and unique to foreign tourists. In addition, the market is also filled with wine, fish, meat, clothing and souvenirs. It is worth mentioning that the prices are quite low and therefore attract not only tourists but many local residents. We recommend buying products from farmers or local winemakers in order to fully enjoy the Spanish climate and food.

Torrevieja - a perfect place to live

Torrevieja has a unique microclimate described as one of the healthiest in Europe. So it's great place to spend a holiday, but also for permanent residence. Find best properties for sale in Torrevieja with tripinvest.com!