If you drive south along the Costa Blanca from Alicante on the N-332 for around an hour you will find yourself in Torrevieja.
The city is rather unusually surrounded by water: as well as being a seaside city with attractive beaches, the town centre sits in front of two large salt-water lakes known as Las Salinas.
This quirk of geography provides Torrevieja with a pleasant microclimate.
The city is fast-growing, but remains more relaxed than many resort towns – a tranquil place that is ideal for a family holiday.
Here are some of the best activities to enjoy during your stay in Torrevieja…
Museum of Sea and Salt
Torrevieja has an excellent range of museums, brilliant for those who are interested in learning about the culture and history of both the city and the region. If you have limited time during your stay it’s probably best to focus on finding out more about the city’s most iconic feature, Las Salinas – the two salt-water lakes.
The Museum of Sea and Salt will take you through the town’s growth as a major exporter of salt. Entry is free, and it is open mornings only (from 10am) on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, and mornings and afternoons (until 8.30pm, after a “siesta” break” from 2pm to 4.30pm) from Wednesday to Saturday.
Abundance of Beaches
As a classic seaside resort, Torrevieja is blessed with no fewer than 20 kilometres of coastline containing six impressive beaches.
Playa del Cura is considered to be the main beach due to its central location and popularity with locals and tourists alike.
It does tend to become quite crowded during the summer, so if you are travelling at peak times you might need to arrive early to secure yourself a spot on the sand.
If you can’t find space at Cura there are other options including Los Náufragos, south of the marina, and Playa de Los Locos a little way up the coast.
Park of Nations
Close to the town centre you will find the Park of Nations, which is dedicated to the other countries of Europe and has a scale reproduction of the continent.
It is a pleasant place to enjoy a relaxing walk, with a 6,000 square metre lake with geese, ducks and coloured carp, a small zoo, a children’s playground, and regularly changing art exhibitions.