- Torrevieja landmarks
- Torrevieja for families with children
- birds of a feather flock together
- Note to shopaholics
- Delicious points on the map
Forecasters claim that Torrevieja is the sunniest city in the Old World. There are up to 320 clear days here a year. And in the popular beach resort of Spain, you can hear Russian speech more often than anywhere else. Compatriots prefer not only to relax in Torrevieja, but also to buy real estate in the city. However, the British, Germans and Swedes are not lagging behind, and almost half of all apartments in the resort are owned by foreigners.
Where to go in Torrevieja if you are used to having a varied and active vacation? The town is not very rich in large-scale architectural sights after the devastating earthquake that happened in 1829. Still, there is enough entertainment in the resort and in the surrounding area, and gourmets will love the restaurants of Torrevieja, where the entire rich palette of Mediterranean cuisine is presented.
Torrevieja landmarks
You won't have to spend too much time on a sightseeing tour, but you should go to the most popular sights at least for the sake of memorable photos:
- The old tower that gave its name to the city is called the hallmark of Torrevieja. The medieval building of a round shape, built of stone, collapsed from time to time, but the inhabitants of Torrevieja chipped in and built an exact copy of it. La Torre del Moro has an observation deck with gorgeous views of the city.
- The Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in Torrevieja in 1786, was significantly damaged during the earthquake of 1829 and was restored several years later using stones from the collapsed Old Tower.
- The city's promenade stretching from Los Locos Beach to Vistalegre Avenue is a great place to stroll after a busy day on the beach. In the evenings, on the promenade, you can meet the entire city elite, demonstrating fashionable outfits. There are several sculptures on the embankment, near which it is customary to take pictures in memory of the rest. The most popular are the sculpture of the beautiful Lola, sitting on a white bench, and the figure of a young girl waving to the ship, installed on the pier.
- Piazza Waldo Calero at the beginning of the breakwater is famous for its picturesque fountain and benches, which are decorated with mosaics.
- An excursion to the city port is worth making, if only for the sake of an old submarine, which is there for eternity. Those who wish can go inside and look at the authentic furnishings, navigation equipment and sailors' belongings.
- In Torrevieja, you can visit the Park of Nations, which is a large-scale reproduction of a map of the Old World.
In the Museum of Sea and Salt, visitors are introduced to the main craft of the inhabitants of Torrevieja in the old days. For many centuries, salt was mined in the vicinity of the resort, and the museum exposition tells in detail about all stages of its extraction, processing and trade. The main work was carried out in Las Salinas - salt lagoons located west of the city. Today they are part of the territory of the natural park, which is also worth going on an excursion.
Another object of interest to tourists and related to the salt industry is the Eras de la Sal in the port. It served as a warehouse for mined salt and a berth, from where ships loaded with it were sent. Eras de la Sal worked from 1777 until the middle of the last century.
Torrevieja for families with children
You can perfectly diversify a lazy beach vacation in the Torrevieja water park, where you can go with children for a couple of hours or for the whole day. The amusement park on the water is called "Aquapolis", and tickets for visiting are more profitable and convenient to buy on its official website. On the territory of the water park you will find several pools of different depths, water slides, attractions for the little ones, teenagers and adults, jacuzzi and sun loungers for relaxing by the water. In the kids club, kids tired of active games can draw, and their parents will love the aqua aerobics lessons. To satisfy hunger and thirst, guests are offered cafes and kiosks with food and drinks. In the park, you can organize and hold a children's birthday or any other festive event.
Flamingo Waterpark looks more like an intimate family club. It is not too big and is ideal for families with small children. Its rides, water slides and pipes are safe even for the youngest visitors, and its convenient infrastructure provides all the needs of family tourists: changing rooms and cafes with a children's menu, an ambulance station and toilets. Parking at the "Flamingo" is free, and the easiest way to get to the water park is via the CV-905 highway - the road from the "Abaneras" hypermarket will take only a couple of minutes.
Another option for changing the beach environment is a horse ride around the resort's surroundings. At the Centro Hípico Villasalada equestrian school, you can not only take a lesson, but also independently or accompanied by a coach walk along the picturesque coastline and the Salinas de Torrevieja Natural Park. Younger visitors can ride a pony. There is a restaurant on the school grounds where horse shows are held. The four-legged artists dance flamenco and viewers claim that the horse shows in Torrevieja are unforgettable. You can get to the school by taking the N-332 road towards Cartagena. The distance from the resort to Centro Hipico Campoamor is about 15 km.
birds of a feather flock together
If you think the best water experience is fishing, a vacation in Torrevieja is perfect for you. Captains of boats with the necessary licenses and travel agencies offering this type of active vacation will help you to go sea fishing in the popular Spanish resort.
In Torrevieja, you can go on sport fishing, which is organized from the boat. This pleasure lasts about four hours, the boat does not go too far out to sea, and the ticket price usually includes drinks for fishermen and bait for fish.
Far from the coast, you will be offered to fish for large fish, but this will take up to 12 hours: the length of the route will be about 50 nautical miles one way.
Deep fishing is usually arranged for spinning lovers. Mechanical reels allow you to cast the bait several hundred meters, and the catch is usually quite enough so that on the way back it can be cooked on coals right at the stern of the boat.
Another option to get acquainted with fishing is to buy a fishing boat tour. From Torrevieja every day fishing schooners leave for the sea, and everyone who is interested in the centuries-old fishing is invited to observe the work of the crews.
Note to shopaholics
Not far from the city market, on Canonigo Torres and Fotógrafos Darblade Streets, there are numerous shops with cosmetics, footwear, leather accessories and clothing for all tastes. You will find many of these shops on the Constitution Square and on Ramón Gallud and Caballero de Rodas streets. The shops of Torrevieja are dominated by the things of Spanish designers, but you can hardly find the latest fashion items at the resort. Outlets in Torrevieja, owned by Gore and Astoria, are the only chance.
Everything can be bought at once in the Carrefour hypermarket, which meets the tourist at the entrance to the city along the CV-905 highway. Another large shopping center, Centro Comercial Habaneras, is built nearby. Family tourists prefer to shop there: the department store has a children's play area where you can leave little customers, as well as food courts with various restaurants and bars on each of the three floors.
Products, souvenirs and local artisans are best purchased at the Friday market, which opens every week near Aquapolis. The products of farmers and small family businesses for growing and processing agricultural products are widely represented on its counters. The market offers olive oil, oranges, jamon, cheeses and other Spanish delicacies.
Delicious points on the map
It is believed that it is impossible to remain dissatisfied with Spanish cuisine, and therefore all Torrevieja establishments, without exception, can be recommended to fans of high-quality, hearty and healthy food. The selection criterion can only be the price of the offered food and the level of service, which is not always ideal even in pompous restaurants. Target local visitors. They usually know the best and cheapest places and try to eat in such establishments:
- Mediterranean cuisine is varied at the Chez Danne Bar Restaurante. The institution has repeatedly received a certificate of winner among restaurants in the region, and guests, in addition to food, always love the service and atmosphere in it. The popularity of Chez Danne Bar Restaurante has played a role, and now you can taste the famous paella from the local chef only by ordering a table in advance.
- At Sunset Beach, guests invariably celebrate the variety of seafood dishes and their unusual presentation. The creativity of the chef and friendly staff have done their job, and it is now worth reserving a table at Sunset Beach in advance too.
- If you prefer meat, head to Rancho Blanco for dinner, where the highlight of the program is a leg of lamb baked with aromatic herbs. For dessert, guests are served homemade ice cream, and the selection of wines in the local bar will impress even the most sophisticated connoisseur.
At lunchtime, in a cafe or restaurant, it is most profitable to take set meals. On the menu, they are called menu del día, and the cost of such a complex, which traditionally includes salad, hot meals and dessert, will range from 5 to 20 euros, depending on the status of the establishment.
