Torrevieja

Torrevieja is a commune of the province of Alicante in Spain.

This city initially was a fishing port before being transformed, in the recent years, in important seaside resort. A great number of tourists are German, British and Scandinavian (of which much resides at the year) and another strong quota are Spanish tourists with second home.

The city is located between the salted sea and two big lakes. That makes it possible Torrevieja to have a healthy microclimate.

The summer, here, the population is multiplied by 10 as for the majority of the sites along this coast.

Name of the inhabitants (in Spanish): Torrevejense, (as a Catalan): Torrevellenc, Torrevellenca.

Demography

History

Salt and the sea or the sea and salt are the insoluble elements which marked the history and determine the current reality of Torrevieja.

At the beginning of the century spent, on the current site there was only one tower of geut, Torre Vieja (old woman tower) and some houses. In 1802, the administration of the saltworks of Mata moved towards the current site, which involved the fast installation of first Torrevieja. The proximity of the saltworks and its condition of port of shipment as well of salt as of products of fruit-bearing and market-gardening culture of Vega Baja of the river Segura supported the development of the port and its independence of Orihuela in 1820. An earthquake destroyed most of the city on March 21st, 1829 one entered several victims there.

Nowadays it produces approximately a million tons of salt which it exports, mainly, thus transforming itself into principal European salt producer. But the principal industry of Torrevieja is tourism of mass by far.

Known Torrevieja its gallopping demography (one of most important of Europe) in the Seventies with tourism rather of proximity; the first estivants came from the cities close to Vega Baja del Segura like Orihuela, Callosa, Rojales…, and especially of the province close to Murcia. In the Eighty, a new era began which will transform Torrevieja forever, the property developers, helped by the local authorities, began a new urban policy which encouraged the " Marbellisation", the second home pushed like mushrooms. Attracted by the very gravitational prices of these residences, foreign tourism made are appearance. Of the Dutchmen, Belgians, of the French, Germans, British and Scandinavians bought bungalows or villa per hundreds. In the Nineties construction again increased by more beautiful with the arrival primarily national tourism, by Madrid and its area and also by the Basque Country. Torrevieja became the 3rd provincial town behind Elche and Alicante but in Torrevieja summer is the 2nd city of the area (with nearly 900.000 hab.) behind Valencia. In the years 2000, the city continues to grow enormously with the arrival of population extra-community, primarily South American, Moroccan immigrants and of Eastern Europe.

The International Contest of Habaneras and Polyphony, declared Interest Tourist International, is celebrated in homage to the inhabitants of Torrevieja who make trade with Cuba, old Spanish colony and fatherland of Habaneras which the sailors sang on their return of over there.

The lagoons are declared Natural park and are of a great interest, just like the whole of the ecosystem of the marshes of the south of the province of Alicante, ecological as a habitat of migratory birds or nidifiants.

Torrevieja contemporary includes/understands significant elements like the Modernistic Casino or the church of Inmaculada Concepción which are in one of the commercial and human cores of the city. In this zone you will also find the monument in Coralista or the Museum of the Sea and Salt where one explains the history of the marina and the industry of the extraction of salt which compose the history of Torrevieja. You can go to foot to the quay fishing and carry out walks in the boat to discover the littoral of Torrevieja.

Torrevieja includes/understands splendid sand beaches like that of Los Locos, El Acequión, Los Náufragos, Subdued It or that of El Cura. The beach more in the south east that of Los Náufragos, equipped with all service types; between the dam of Levante and Punta Carral beach LED is Cleaned. After having crossed Punta Carral you will fall on the beach from Los Locos. The most extended and more to north east that of Subdued, from where one can carry out an excursion to the Tourist Watchtower of the tower Torre Del Moro, one of the medieval towers which said its name to Torrevieja.

Bonds

Torrevieja.com
www.costablanca.org - French Site
TorreVigia.com - Photographs of Torrevieja

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