Torrevieja On The Spanish Costa Blanca Is Close To Our Guardamar Apartment

The name Torrevieja quite literally means old tower, at the start of the last century Torrevieja consisted simply of the old watchtower and a few houses. Dotted along the coast you will find a number of watchtowers, they existed to keep watch for the Moroccan pirates that roamed the seas in the Mediterranean for centuries.

The salt lakes which Torrevieja is well known for were originally royal hunting grounds, and belonged to the crown. Allies of the king were often granted licenses to hunt in the area. Salt, which was an expensive commodity in the middle ages, was in great supply here and in the middle of the 13th century residents of nearby Orihuela were issue warrants granting them permission to harvest it. The town began to take shape at la Mata or Torrelamata as it was known. Torrelamata and Ibiza became the most important centres for salt production in the kingdom of Aragon.

The La Mata salt lake offices moved to their present site in 1802 which brought about the rapid urbanisation of Torrevieja. Because of the proximity of the salt lakes and the use of the port for exporting salt and the horticultural produce of La Vega Baja the port and town grew and in 1820 it gained it's independence from Orihuela.

About a million tonnes of salt is produced by Torrevieja yearly, mainly for export, making it one of the the leading European salt producers. Occasionally the salt flats (or salterns as they are known) dry up to form a dry salt crust. The salterns also account for the high level of iodine in the air leading the area to be called one of the healthiest areas in the world (according to World Health Organisation), people with arthritis etc do claim to lead a healthier life here because of it.

Since the 1980's Torrevieja has grown significantly due to the migration of thousands of Europeans to the area and the town's economy changed to encompass tourism as well as the income from salt export. The salt lakes are now also a thriving bird reserve and natural park. There are walks and cycle routes around the salt lakes which if you are a bird watcher or nature lover are well worth a visit.