Torrevieja

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title: "Torrevieja" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["municipalities-in-the-province-of-alicante", "seaside-resorts-in-spain", "populated-coastal-places-in-spain", "torrevieja"] topic_path: "geography/spain" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrevieja" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Torrevieja
official_name
native_name
settlement_type	Municipality
image_skyline	Paseo marítimo Torrevieja.JPG
image_caption	Beach promenade in Torrevieja
image_flag	Bandera de Torrevella.svg
image_shield	Escut de Torrevella (2001).svg
image_map
map_caption	Location of Torrevieja
pushpin_map	Spain Valencia#Spain
pushpin_label_position	right
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Spain
subdivision_type1	Autonomous community
subdivision_name1	Valencian Community
subdivision_type2	Province
subdivision_name2	Alicante
subdivision_type3	Comarca
subdivision_name3	Vega Baja del Segura
subdivision_type4	Judicial district
subdivision_name4	Torrevieja
established_title	Founded
established_date	19th century
seat_type
leader_party	PP
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Eduardo Dolón Sánchez (2019)
area_total_km2	71.44
elevation_m	7
population_as_of
population_footnotes
population_total
population_density_km2	auto
population_demonym	Torrevejense (es)
postal_code_type	Postal code
postal_code	03181 a 03188
area_code	965 and 966
area_code_type	Dialing code
blank_name_sec1	Official language(s)
blank_info_sec1	Spanish and Valencian
website
timezone	CET
utc_offset	+1
timezone_DST	CEST
utc_offset_DST	+2
::

Torrevieja () ; is a Mediterranean-seaside city and municipality on the Costa Blanca, in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, in southeastern Spain. The city is in one of the only Spanish-speaking areas of the Valencian Community.

Torrevieja lies about 50 kilometres south of the city of Alicante and had a population of around 90.1k residents as of the 2011 census; the latest official estimate (2019) is 83.3k inhabitants. Torrevieja was originally a salt-mining and fishing village, as it is located between the Mediterranean Sea and two large pink salt lakes known as Las Salinas de Torrevieja.

History

Until the 1800s, Torrevieja was nothing more than random cottages and desolate dwellings near an ancient guard tower, which gave the town its name; torre vieja is Spanish for 'old tower'. In 1803, Charles IV decided to relocate the salt-mine production and offices from La Mata to the town of Torrevieja itself, allowing for the construction of new buildings and homes there. However, in 1829, the town was totally levelled by an earthquake, but the salt basins were soon recovered and business resumed.

In the 19th century, the salt was mainly shipped from the town by Swedish and Dutch merchant and cargo ships. At the time, there was only limited salt exportation to other regions of Spain, mainly to Galicia and, to a lesser extent, greater Valencia. Soon, with the turn of the 20th century, a quarter of all the salt sold in Spain was harvested directly from the Torrevieja lagoons, with the rest being exported to foreign markets. Today, it is still an important industry in Torrevieja and still a major employer. The city features a Museum of Sea and Salt.

In 1931, Alfonso XIII gave Torrevieja city status by special grant. During this period, there was also a growing market for locally-grown flax, hemp and cotton.

The municipality contains a water desalination plant, the largest of its kind in Europe. The company that built the plant, Acconia, maintains that the plant supplies water for customers across Northern Europe.

Recent history

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/torrevieja_alicante.JPG" caption="The Port"] ::

Since the mid-20th century, and entering into the 21st century, the local economy has grown exponentially due to the Mediterranean tourism industry, attracting visitors from elsewhere in Spain as well as tourists from abroad. Additionally, there is a strong contingent of British, Irish, German and Scandinavian citizens who stay in Torrevieja year-round, as well as many extended-vacationers using companies like Air BnB, or property timeshares. There is also a growing number of Spaniards who own second homes in the city.

In 2004, Torrevieja had the largest number of British expats of all the Spanish municipalities (approx. 7,180). The high number of British residents from Yorkshire has led to Torrevieja being nicknamed 'Costa del Yorkshire' by some, and paella can be had served in giant Yorkshire puddings in many of the city's restaurants.

In 2001, the city was (along with Random House's Spanish subsidiary, Plaza & Janés) recognised with Spain's second-most important annual literary award, the Premio de Novela Ciudad de Torrevieja, and its poetry correlative, Premio de Poesía Ciudad de Torrevieja.

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot semi-arid (BSh), with dry, mild winters and hot, very dry summers. October is the wettest month.

::data[format=table title="Torrevieja mean sea temperature{{cite web |url=http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/spain/costa-blanca/torrevieja.php |title=Torrevieja Climate and Weather Averages, Costa Blanca |publisher=Weather2Travel |accessdate=2013-12-06 }}"]

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
15 °C	14 °C	15 °C	16 °C	18 °C	21 °C	23 °C	25 °C	24 °C	21 °C	18 °C	16 °C
::

|- |{{Weather box|width=100% | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Torrevieja | Jan high C = 16.8 | Feb high C = 17.6 | Mar high C = 19.7 | Apr high C = 21.6 | May high C = 24.8 | Jun high C = 28.8 | Jul high C = 31.7 | Aug high C = 31.9 | Sep high C = 29.4 | Oct high C = 24.7 | Nov high C = 20.5 | Dec high C = 17.4 | year high C = 23.8 | Jan mean C = 12.0 | Feb mean C = 12.7 | Mar mean C = 14.6 | Apr mean C = 16.3 | May mean C = 19.3 | Jun mean C = 23.1 | Jul mean C = 25.8 | Aug mean C = 26.1 | Sep mean C = 23.8 | Oct mean C = 19.4 | Nov mean C = 15.3 | Dec mean C = 12.5 | year mean C = 18.5 | Jan low C = 7.2 | Feb low C = 7.8 | Mar low C = 9.5 | Apr low C = 11.0 | May low C = 13.8 | Jun low C = 17.5 | Jul low C = 19.9 | Aug low C = 20.4 | Sep low C = 18.2 | Oct low C = 14.2 | Nov low C = 10.2 | Dec low C = 7.6 | year low C = 13.2 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 29 | Feb precipitation mm = 19 | Mar precipitation mm = 27 | Apr precipitation mm = 28 | May precipitation mm = 26 | Jun precipitation mm = 16 | Jul precipitation mm = 6 | Aug precipitation mm = 8 | Sep precipitation mm = 31 | Oct precipitation mm = 59 | Nov precipitation mm = 42 | Dec precipitation mm = 37 | year precipitation mm = | Jan rain days = 5 | Feb rain days = 4 | Mar rain days = 4 | Apr rain days = 5 | May rain days = 4 | Jun rain days = 3 | Jul rain days = 1 | Aug rain days = 1 | Sep rain days = 3 | Oct rain days = 4 | Nov rain days = 5 | Dec rain days = 5 | Jand sun = 6 | Febd sun = 7 | Mard sun = 7 | Aprd sun = 9 | Mayd sun = 10 | Jund sun = 11 | Juld sun = 12 | Augd sun = 11 | Sepd sun = 9 | Octd sun = 7 | Novd sun = 6 | Decd sun = 6 | source 1 = Climate-Data.org AEMET - Spanish Meteorology Agency | source 2 = Holiday Weather (sunshine hours, rain and rainy days) |}

Population

In 1991, the city had 25,000 residents, two decades later close to 100,000. The father of the expansion was Pedro Ángel Hernández Mateo, mayor between 1988 and 2011. In order to encourage growth, all the land was rezoned fit for building, save for the two lagoons, designated natural parks in 1989.

The INE (Spanish Census) of 2005 showed that the city had 84,838 residents, and the ajuntament (district council area) had 95,531 residents. By January 2008 this figure had reached 103,154 of whom only 47,870 were Valencian or Spanish. More than 7,000 of the Spanish residents were originally from Madrid and not for nothing is Torrevieja known as la playa de Madrid (the beach of Madrid). However, by the 2011 census, the population had reduced to 90,097 and the latest estimate (for the start of 2019) is 83,337.

The city’s age distribution is as follows:

Children and youths under 20 years: 19,674

Adults aged 20-40: 24,453

Adults aged 40-60: 32,212

Seniors aged 60-80: 24,331

Residents aged 80-100: 5,656

Residents aged 100 or older: 24 (7 men, 17 women).{{Demography | 1897 = 7,833 | 1910 = 8,961 | 1930 = 8,754 | 1950 = 8,935 | 1960 = 9,234 | 1970 = 9,726 | 1980 = 12,314 | 1991 = 25,014 | 1996 = 35,998 | 2001 = 50,953 | 2004 = 75,530 | 2005 = 84,348 | 2011 = 90,097 | 2012 = 105,270 | 2014 = 88,447 | 2016 = 85,000 | 2019 = 83,337|2024=106,350}}

The most prominent nationalities in 2012 were: ::data[format=table]

Nationality	Percentage
Spanish	59.89
Russian	5.59
British	5.59
Ukrainian	3.19
Moroccan	3.13
Romanian	1.99
Bulgarian	1.88
Swedish	1.24
German	1.22
Other	16.28
::

Politics

The city is a conservative stronghold, with the Partido Popular (PP) maintaining an absolute majority at the municipal elections of 2007, and 2011. PP however narrowly lost its absolute majority in 2015 to a coalition of five parties which designated Green candidate José Manuel Dolón García mayor.

Transport

Torrevieja's main road link is the N-332 road linking Cartagena with Valencia hugging the Mediterranean coastline. There was once a branch line from the Alicante–Murcia railway serving Torrevieja; which closed in the late 1970s. There are plans to reopen this line.

Places of interest

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Torrevieja-IglesiaInmaculada.jpg" caption="Iglesia Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Paseo_juan_aparicio_torrevieja.jpg" caption="Torrevieja: Juan Aparicio seafront"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/CasinodeTorrevieja_2009-7-15.jpg" caption="Building of the Casino"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Torrevieja-MonumentoMediterraneo.jpg" caption="Monument to the Cultures of the Mediterranean"] ::

(Archpriest's Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception) – erected in 1789 and reconstructed in 1844, using stones reclaimed from the original Torre Vella (Old Tower)
Panoramic viewpoint , old watchtower
(La Mata), constructed in 1896
, dyke or breakwater of Levante, 1600 m long
(Park of the Nations), scale map of the European continent
(Museum of the Sea and Salt)
Submarine S-61 Delfin Floating Museum
Albatros III Patrol Boat Floating Museum
– served as a storehouse and wharf for salt from 1777 until 1958
– the two salt lagoons to the west of the city, Nature Park of the Lagoons of La Mata and Torrevieja
Friday street market – As of May 2017, the market has moved to a new location outside of the city centre, near Aquapolis
– a semi-outdoor shopping mall
Carrefour Torrevieja hypermarket
– Local natural park – waterwheel park in La Mata
(music hall)
(Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre)
(Torrevieja Municipal Theatre)
International Music Auditorium of Torrevieja
(museum dedicated to Ricardo Lafuente, composer of Habanera songs)
Museum of Easter (Holy Week Museum 'Tomás Valcárcel')
Old Railway Station – houses Torrevieja Natural History Museum
Cultural Society of Torrevieja Casino – Neo-Mudéjar style interior from the 1880s
Water fountains
Seaside esplanade 'Juan Aparicio' (Paseo Maritimo Juan Aparicio)
Park of the (Windmill Park)
Natural swimming pools at the Juan Aparicio promenade
Aquapolis, water park

Sport

The town was home to professional handball club CB Torrevieja since 1973 until its bankruptcy in 2012. They played at the Palacio de los Deportes de Torrevieja, where the 2012 Copa del Rey de Balonmano was hosted. The town also hosted the 2nd IHF Women's Handball Qualification Tournament for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The local football teams used to be Torrevieja CF and CD Torrevieja.

In road cycling, the town was the starting point of the 2023 La Vuelta Femenina and the starting point of the 2019 Vuelta a España.

Notable people

Joaquín Chapaprieta (1871–1951), politician
Fourmidables, an a cappella singing quartet (2008)
Nicola Kuhn, tennis player

Notes

References

"Ley Orgánica 5/1982, de 1 de julio, de Estatuto de Autonomía de la Comunidad Valenciana, Article 8".
Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid,2019.
(12 August 2024). "Spain Is Thirsty. Here’s How It Gets Water.". The New York Times.
(16 July 2010). "Spanish property: 'There's a lot of over-priced rubbish out there'".
"5 Facts You Might Not Know About Torrevieja".
"Climate: Torrevieja - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org.
"Torrevieja Climate and Weather Averages, Costa Blanca". Weather2Travel.
"Pluviometría media mensual (Mm)".
"Torrevieja, Spain - Average Annual Weather - Holiday Weather".
Zafra, Ignacio. (2015-07-08). "Is tourist resort Torrevieja really Spain’s poorest town?".
"Home".
(15 May 2019). "The wait goes on for the Torrevieja Railway".
Klein, Joanna. (10 March 2017). "A Lake Turned Pink in Australia. It's Not the Only One".
"Torrevieja Water Park - Aquapolis Water park in Torrevieja - Costa Blanca". Torreviejainformation.com.

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