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Torrevieja, Alicante, (Costa Blanca), Valencia, Spain (This page is under development as we get time) Location         The Costa Blanca or "white coast" is situated between the two other well known areas of Costa Brava to the north and Costa del Sol in the south, and is within the region of Valencia with the warm Mediterranean on its shores. Located on the Costa Blanca to the south-west of Alicante, Torrevieja is named from the translation of "old" or "ancient tower", a landmark which is found on the north side of the town overlooking the sea. The tower was originally a moorish defence and has been recently restored with gardens laid around. It is a popular place for visitors with the Mediterranean Sea as a backdrop. This is an area where spanish people take their holidays. It is named by the world health organisation as one of the healthiest places in the world to live because of the climate. Two natural salt lagoons lying close to the town have been recognised for centuries as being beneficial for people with chest problems, arthritis, rheumatism etc. The climate with its lowest average temperature of 15ºC combined with 320 days sunshine each year, added to the famous mediterranean diet of fresh meat, fish, vegetable, fruit and even a glass of delicious local wine, go towards making a healthier lifestyle a reality. All the beaches in this area carry the European blue flag ensuring pollution free bathing. The Town The Beach at Torrevieja  Torrevieja is a typical and genuine Spanish town with narrow alleys, louvred windows and traditional shops to attract the many tourists who visit the area. The town has an excellent indoor market which is open every day and where deliciously fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and spices are displayed and sold by the typically spanish stallholders. Each Friday sees the centre of Torrevieja become a colourful market place where a superb selection of Spanish handicrafts, leather jackets, gloves, bags, baskets, shoes, pottery, textiles and souvenirs is available at excellent prices. Local restaurants are a wonderful source of "tapas" (small Spanish snacks) and chilled local wine and beers. Costa Blanca wines come from Monovar, Piñoso, Villena and Benejama and are a must for the discerning visitor. Torrevieja boasts more than 100 restaurants offering, for example, French, Austrian, English, Italian, Chinese and Indian food. Every August there is an international contest of traditional folk-songs. This event, called the "Habaneras" is one of the cultural high-points of the Torrevieja year and is supported by artistes from all over the world. Harbour Front Monument Columns Monument The area along the sea-front in the town has been set over to pedestrian use and offers a pleasant few miles of walking area without traffic polution. All along this area there are swimming areas, seating areas, palm trees and monuments all adding to the natural beauty of the Mediterranean Sea Shore. Naturally, there is a wonderful selection of restaurants, cafe's and bars to suit all tastes. One of the major social items in Spain is the evening walk or "Paseo" and the locals are joined by the tourists in this part of the town. One of the walls of the main harbour has been extended and raised to form a one kilometre walk. This is a very popular addition to the pedestrian facilities in the town. The harbour in Torrevieja is still very much a working harbour with prominent areas for the fishing fleet, fish market and the export of the main product of the town - salt. There is also a large marina formed in part of the harbour to accommodate the many boat owners who are attracted to the area. In the evenings, the area around the harbour comes alive as a street market where all manner of world arts and crafts are available. Painters, characaturists, face painters and cartoonists work live on the streets selling their wares and entertaining the public. Harbour Plaza Public Park There is a wealth of public parks in the Torrevieja. The Aquatic Park is a water theme and fun park with swimming ponds, slidesand rides to suit all the family. The Park of the Nations is laid out as a large map of europe with each country clearly identifiable. Ponds and boats in the shape of giant swans add to the entertainment available. As in all of Spain, religion is a very important part of public and family life for the majority of families. During the times of religious festivals the square and the area surrounding the church is filled with people anxious to become a part of the festivities. At these times, tourists and visitors are welcomed by the locals who are happy to be joined in their celebrations. We have experienced this during the "Semana Santa" or Easter celebrations when parades with bands and floats take to the streets each evening. Adults and children alike take part  with an apparent determination to enjoy this great event in their religious year. The plaza outside the main church near the centre of Torrevieja is a popular place for tourists to rest during their sight-seeing.   The Main Church Square  Paseo Del Mediterranio   This is part of the pedestrianised walkway "Paseo Del Mediterranio". Along this part of the beach, together with many quality restaurants, are natural pools that have been developed into swimming areas. The statue on the left of the photograph is "Hombre Del Mar" or "Man of the Sea". The photograph is taken from the start of the "Paseo Dique de Levante" which forms one of the harbour walls. This pier is approximately 1 Km in length and provides a very enjoyable walk.       The Old Tower        Torrevieja is situated in Alicante's southern extreme. There you can find the Torrevieja and La Mata Lagoons ( the first one with an area of approximately 1.400 hectares and the second one with 700 hectares ). In both lagoons there is a history of intense activity in natural salt extraction. This is the main industry of the city and nowadays both lagoons are protected by the government having been converted into a Natural Park. The origins of Torrevieja begin from the early 18th century when it was a "TORRE VIGIA" - a place where soldiers kept watch on the castle. Near the year 1759 a little settlement was formed around this tower called TORRE VIGIA. This settlement was formed by fishermen who lived near the place and discovered the amazing quality and quantity of fish that could be gleaned around that piece of coast. In 1829 there was a tremendous earthquake which destroyed the city. King Fernando VII took up a national collection of charity and a new city started to grow up. In 1830 the first city hall was established and the city is one of the most important points of tourist interest of all the mediterranean coast. The climate, beaches, food and of course its people turn Torrevieja into a little Eden in this magnificent Costa.           This coast has long been a favourite area for tourists from all over Europe and Spain. The Costa Blanca is neighbour to the Costa Brava to the north and the Costa del Sol in the south, and lies in the region of Valencia. The city of Alicante provides an ideal centre for the visitor with its international airport, railway station, and motorway access to both the northern and southern Costa Blanca resorts. Both the Spanish motorway network and the modern high speed train service from Alicante connect with the major countries of Europe. The south Costa Blanca is famous throughout Spain its seafood and fish which are landed daily at local ports along the coast. This coast is protected by the Crevillente mountains to the West and the Mediterranean Sea to the East which gives the Costa Blanca a wonderful climate in both summer and winter. These conditions provide for the Valencian fruit and vegetables for which the region is renowned Markets           There are many local markets held weekly in the Torrevieja area. They are excellent source for a wide variety of products, including vegetables, fruit, clothing, shoes, hardware, home products and almost anything you may need. Some of the markets are :- Monday - Elche, Orihuela, Santa Pola and San Pedro Tuesday - Alicante, Orihuela and Altea Wednesday - Guardamar, La Mata and San Miguel Thursday - San Javier, Rojales and Alicante Friday - Torrevieja and Los Montesinos Saturday - Almoradi, Santa Pola, Elche and Alicante Sunday - Guardamar to Quesada Road, & Quesada to Montesinos Road via Club Laura The Salt Lakes, Torrevieja The two salt lakes at Torrevieja have been a source of wealth to the area for centuries. Today, both of these lakes are recognised as areas of natural beauty and have been named as "Parque Natural". The larger, Lagunas De La Torrevieja still provides the main industrial output for the town while the smaller Lagunas De La Mata is mainly a nature reserve. Photograph reproduced by kind permission of our friend Janet Daniels Alicante Alicante is the capital of the province. It is a vibrant and beautiful city with a modern harbour and marina complex surrounded by excellent restaurants and bars. Alicante boasts everything one would expect of a big city from its small pavement cafés to the extensive shopping possibilities. There is a very "Valencian style" about the City. The Barrio Santa Cruz - the renowned old moorish quarter - gives the tourist an opportunity to see Spain away from the beaches & bars and a feeling of life as it may have been in history. The Castle of Santa Barbara - the 16th century military fort - perches 180 metres above the city and offers maginificent views of the surrounding area together with the possibility to visit it's small yet impressive museum. Elche Just a few kilometres from Alicante lies the ancient city of Elche with many historical and cultural buildings. During the 19th century an ancient bust of an Iberian Princess, dating from four centuries before Christ, was discovered. This bust has become known as the Dame of Elche and is now the official symbol of the city. The City is famous throughout Spain as the major grower of palm trees. These are exported to countries all around the world for both religious and ornamental use. The city also has a thriving shoe industry which is a major attraction to tourists. Guardamar Guardamar is situated close to Torrevieja. The two towns are connected by a magnificent beach which is backed by pine tree planted dunes that stretch for 17 kilometres. Much of this area has been declared a Conservation Area or "Parque Natural" and the Local Authority has converted part of the pine wood into a wonderful park with excellent picnic facilities and picturesque walks through the pines down to the sea. This is a perfect place for a Spanish picnic. The town of Guardamar, with a population of just over 11,000, has historically played the role of guardian of the river Segura. After the earthquake of 1829 which devastated the old walled town close to the castle, it is now located nearer the coast and its constructions have been built to withstand future earth movements. The damage sustained by the Vega Baja riverplain and the coastline brought tragedy to the town, as did the plague which ravaged its population during the 17th century. Mar Menor The Mar Menor is a part of the mediterranean sea seperated by a thin strip of land 22 kilometres long. The "lake" thus formed is shallow and has an even temperature around 18 degrees celcius all year round. It is used as an aquatic playground for swimming, sailing, diving and windsurfing together with the typical pastime of of this part of the world - sunbathing. The thin strip of land is called the "La Manga Strip" and the world renowned golf complex of La Manga makes this part of Spain very popular. The Mar Menor is situated in the south east of the Region of Murcia, a natural "swimming-pool" spanning 25 kilometres in length, 12 kilometres wide and no deeper than 7 metres.   Santa Pola Santa Pola has been an important fishing port since Roman times and is now popular with holidaymakers to the area who are attracted by it's excellent sandy beaches. The town has responded to it's popularity by developing a range of tourist attractions which include an aqua park, aquarium, castle and museum together with the salt flats that are a distinguishing feature throughout this region. The Isle of Tabarca is a short boat trip from Santa Pola an is very popular for day trips. It remains "car-free" and is now recognised as a marine reserve.           Murcia Murcia is the capital of a region which has become known as the "Garden of Spain". The magnificent cathedral features some of the greatest examples of Spanish Baroque and Renaissance Art. In the City, artefacts of Murcia's history from the Roman and Moorish periods can be found. During the last years, Murcia has gone through a great change of urban development. The pedestrianization of the oldest streets and squares in the city centre, the restoration of the artistic and historical heritage and the wealth of green spaces have turned Murcia into a modern, bright and sensual city which can be visited all around the year thanks to its gentle climate. Visitors should take time to drive through the surrounding farmland (la huerta) with its fields of peppers drying in the sun, acres of roses and dahlias, or mile after mile of vegetables growing all year round and destined for markets around Europe.   Average Land Temperatures (Degrees Celcius) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 18 17 20 22 24 26 30 32 32 27 20 17 Average Sea Temperatures (Degrees Celcius) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 15 14 15 19 20 21 22 23 22 20 18 15   Links                   These Websites provide further information on theTorrevieja area of Spain Torrevieja.com Another excellent site for local news. maps, town guides etc. Free cyber postcards are available and free lessons in Spanish language are advertised Costa Blanca News An on-line version of the popular English language newspaper. Updated each week on Fridays. Costablanca.org A site offering a wide range on information about the Costa Blanca in general. Comunidad Valencia General information and access to a set of live on-line video from webcams sited all along the coasta from North to South BBC Spanish Course A site offering tuition in basic Spanish language. Written with typical BBC excellence, the tuition is enhanced through the use of images, sound and video clips. Highly Recommended.