Alan's Torrevieja Guide

Places and towns to visit in and around Torrevieja.
Tips:-
Shops close at 2-2:30 until 5-5:30 for siestas, so visit early or later for shopping.
Carry money for tolls when driving on A7-E15.
When you get to a town find the tourist info they would help if you were stopping over.
Tourist info Torrevieja, plaza de Capdepont s/n Torrevieja 96 570 34 33
Market day in Torrevieja is FRIDAY
Bike Hire Rent a bike C/Vicente Blasco Ibañez 143, 03180 Torrevieja (Alicante)
Tel: +34 96 570 63 91

The aqua park
Torre like every resort town has its own water park, namely Aquopolis. This is located to the rear of the town not far from the n332 turn off and the Crevilliente road, not too far from the Carrefour supermarket. The park is open from the 11th June til the 7th of September, in what the Spanish call season. It is a good day out for the kids and you can relax as the kids run riot. I believe there is another in nearby Quesada. Some people say take your own food and drinks as the food maybe of a poor quality and a high price (captive market). Benidorm boasts the biggest aqua park in the area.

Murcia.
A city located about an hour south of Torrevieja, this city is relatively untouched by tourism and boasts lovely narrow streets and historic buildings. The central square is beautiful near the cathedral. There are museums, shops including el Cortes Ingles , a river with a lovely walkway and a large bull ring. Tapas bars are a plenty, and the cost of eating very reasonable, as they have not caught on to the tourist rip off! Easy to reach on the A7/E15 motorway just keep going until you reach the city centre, a warning is park in the centre as otherwise you will never see everything. You can reach it by bus from the central bus terminus, but I do not think I fancy a bus ride that far. By car this drive is excellent with churches and monasteries dotted in the lovely sierras (mountains) along the way.

Alicante
Another bustling city, with a very interesting castle (of course attacked by the British navy in Napoleonic times) which now houses many art exhibits. The view is outstanding and the place is worth an afternoon. Alicante boasts a nice little old town and thriving shopping areas including el Cortes ingles. The area comes alive at night, especially around the port area, and it is said to be a fantastic night out. Restaurants, tapas bars, clubs, it has the lot

Guardamar del segura
A sleepier town than Torre, this town boasts a hillside castle, but apart from firework displays at fiesta times is rather poor. The town has lovely golden beaches, restaurants, bars and a semi permanent bullring, that if you are that way inclined you could visit in summer.

Elche/Elx
A nice afternoon out located on the A7/E15. This town is famous for farming palm trees and most of the palm trees around originate from Elche. There are several parks, but park is an understatement they are beautiful, one even boasts log cabins to stay in the middle of it. Elche has a large fortress in the centre and a lovely old town with cafes and winding streets to explore.

Orihuela
This is not truly a tourist trap, but it boasts more churches per head of population than any other town in Spain, therefore if churches rock your boat then this is the place to visit. Usual array of shops and windy streets. A little poverty stricken for me but that's life. From Torre take CV-95 through Jacarilla and Bigastro to get there.

Cartagena
A historic navy port, boasting several fortifications a lovely old town and the first ever submarine built in the world. A town with an obvious historic link, being named after the famous people. About 1.5 hours away on the N332 south.

La Manga
Yet again drive south on the N332 this place is rapidly becoming the Marbella of the costa. This is where the England team practice. There are golf courses and water sports and the whole area is located on the lovely Mar Menor or small sea. The journey is worth doing just for the scenery.

Benidorm
You could not mention the Costa blanca without mentioning Benidorm. The principle resort in Western Europe even bigger than Blackpool this place is difficult to write about as there is so much. The town has two zones like most Spanish towns the old town is lovely, winding streets full of very busy shops, bars, and gay bars (in fact for drag acts this is heaven). This culminates at the lovely blue tiled church, a must for everyone. The new town is the mad bit, full of skyscrapers and British bars, donkeys, sombreros and drunken lager louts. Benidorm offers top comedians, excellent beaches, superb selection of bars and restaurants. I went out a 9 and saw three comedians before 12, what an experience. There is also the unforgettable "sticky vicky", a wax museum, and Mundo mar, which is literally sea world. You get there from Torre in a good hour on the A7 E15, this road takes you straight there but there are tolls. Hotels right in the centre are surprisingly cheap for stopping over 30 E a night for b&b and do negotiate.

Terra mitica
Located to the rear of Benidorm, you can see it from the A7-E15. This is owned by paramount studios and is supposed to be the best theme park in Spain. It was built about 3 years ago and is pretty state of the art. It is based on historical myths from the periods of occupation in Spain, Greek, Roman Carthaginians etc. An expensive yet rewarding day out. The park is closed for a while in low season..

Guadalest
A beautiful typical historic Spanish town located about 20 minutes by car inland from Benidorm, this town is in the hillsides and boasts typical white Andulucian houses nestled in the rolling sierras, what a place. Views to die for. Donkeys abound as to tourist shops. Go through Polop and Callosa den sarria to get there.

North Costa Blanca
Towns such as Calpe, Javea, Denia, Moraira await your inspection, all lovely places with harbours, bars beaches and thriving expat communities. You get there using the now familiar A7-E15 motorway and tolls are in force yet again.

Valencia
The capital city of the area, Valencia is located on the E15-A7 route and is about 2hours to 2.5 hours away. This city is gorgeous, plazas, historic streets, markets, and monumental buildings. A lovely river way and a fantastic new zone of museums and art galleries. The nightlife is phenomenal and the hotels are cheap. There are churches, castellated gates everywhere. I recommend the open bus tour to get your bearings. Try a horchata in the oldest horchataria in the centre, this is a milkshake made from nuts! Well worth a weekend break.

Carrefour
I have not come all this way to see a supermarket. Well visit this one, it's good for your booze to take home and is impressive in its own right with a fantastic array of goods on offer, from diy to doggies. The fish department is unbelievable with whole swordfish on display, its cheaper than the aquarium.
Located cv95 or prevalent road to the rear of the town.

The Friday market
If you have any money left, then this is the day for you. The market is held in the centre of town near to the central bus terminus, the police station, and bar Carlos. It is an experience, particularly the fruit market. There are clothes, watches, carpets, clothes, shoes, pottery and all sorts more. Particularly good are the roast chicken shops which are "very good very cheap". Watch for petty criminals in a crowd, and the egg cup and ball con men, very interesting to watch but you have NO chance so do not even consider having a go. This is reputedly the biggest market in southern Spain.

The Isle of Tabarca trip
There is a glass bottom boat trip to the Isle of Tabarca. This is worth it in summer as you can look around the tourist shops on the island after a leisurely trip to get there. Then sunbathe til the boat comes to take you home. You catch the boat from the harbour side. This is located by walking the paseo (Vista Alegre) until you reach the fountain from here look right and you will see an entrance which is a gap in the hippy market, go through here and the boat is to your right.
I believe they also undertake nighttime voyages with meals and dancing. The coastal run for 5 euros is a bit of a waste of time unless you enjoy sailing pointlessly.

The saltlakes (Salinas)
There are two salt lakes one at La mata, which is the real nature reserve, and the Torrevieja Lake, which is still used for salt production. The La Mata Lake which is sign posted on the out skirts is a haven for rare breeds of birds and often you can see flamingoes etc. The Torre Lake is a nice walk or cycle and it is located to the rear of the town nestled behind the Torrettas urbanisation, this is a curiously pink lake. In some parts you can daub yourself in mud if this rocks your boat. You can see the piles of salt ready for collection, and the underground conveyor can be seen as it emerges near playa de Acequion to reach the waiting boats.

Rio safari park
Located at Elche elx (read for directions. It is clearly sign posted and is a good day out for the family, but the animals look a little mananad and tired but it shuts the kids up for a while.

Quesada
Located to the rear of Torrevieja on the Creviellente road, this town which is on the right from the aforementioned road, is accessed by going through the arches in a rather roman legionary fashion, this is a village cum new urbanisation and has sleepy charm with British bars and restaurants everywhere. You could cycle here from Torrevieja.

Playa Flamenca/ La zenia
Two coastal urbanisations just down the road, they both have great beaches and are popular with the owners who live there, and worth a run through if you have a car.

The cart track
Located at playa Flamenca, this is an out door go cart track, it looks like good fun. Open to everyone about 10 years, there are races etc. This is on the N332 just south of Torre and you could cycle there.

Granada
The Al ham bra is the main objective of this city, the beautiful Moorish palace surrounded by a historic city virtually un-rivalled in Europe. This is about 2.5 to 3 hours of the best drive I have ever undertaken. Monasteries, castles, sierras, and marble mines all await your exploration and that's just on the way. The city is truly beautiful with windy streets cafes and museums. If you love Spain you must go here one day.

Fancy Bowls
San Luis Bowling Club
Casa Ventura Restaurant & Sports Complex, Calle Arbizu, Torrevieja, South Alicante
Contact President: James Victor Slater
Tel No 96 678 9247

The Church of the Immaculate Conception 9The main central Church)
Plaza Constitución. Tel: 96 571 21 32
Originally erected in 1798, it was rebuilt in the year 1844 using ashlars or blocks of stone from the Old Tower near the Eras de la Sal, which had fallen into ruin after the earthquakes that had destroyed the city.
The church is built in Neoclassical style. Inside, the traditional Latin cross ground plan is roofed over with barrel vaults with lunettes in the central nave and groin-vaults in the transepts. It also possesses some fine images, particularly that of the Immaculate Conception in the central niche of the altarpiece, the work of José Puche (1791). Its main frontage is simple and sober, a prominent feature being the two bell towers topped by pyramidal figures. Worth a visit if you are "churchy".

The Old Railway Station (Renovated)
Located at the south end of town to the rear of parque Dona sin fosforo. The old Railway Station, whose now disused line linked the inland villages in the area with the coast, consisted of several buildings. Around the restored railway complex a park has been created which includes skating areas for young people. Taking advantage of the layout of the old railway line, it is planned to open up a green route of approximately six kilometres.
There are two buildings in the complex: the Exhibition and Conference Centre and the Salt Industry Information Centre (Open from monday to friday, 10:00-14:00).