Leisure in Torrevieja
FREE Guided Tours in Torrevieja
A few days ago the official tourism account of Torrevieja on Instagram, we were tagged in an advertisement that read as follows; “Sign up for our guided tours and learn curious facts from Torrevieja”. We have been living in Torrevieja more than 30 years and it is the first news we have of this, so we went on the web to see what the visits consisted…
Then you discover (we started this project of queverentorrevieja.com a few weeks ago) that the sign-up button is hidden and the information is very poor. To top it all the photo that promotes the visits is a model of the museum of the sea and salt, something that is not very striking for the public. Since it is not an area that people know, such as the salt mines or some beaches that are always on TV. Is that maybe why almost nobody signs-up? They are maximum 20 people per visit. We believe that it is a small number for the number of visitors we receive. In July there are 5 visits scheduled and there are only 20 people signed-up. My theory is that people like us do not know that this free service is available…
The visits leave all from the tourist office on the Vista alegre promenade. The departure time is at 9.30 in the morning to try to pass as little heat as possible and they have a duration of 2 hours approximately. They are available with a guide in both Spanish and English.
Free guided tours throughout the year in Torrevieja. Tuesdays and Saturdays in Spanish, Thursdays in English.
The first stop is the eras de la sal, which is right next to the tourist office. The monumental set of the eras de la sal is an old salt dependency where the salineros (salt-men) loaded the salt in barges and transported it to the boats anchored in the bay. It is formed by quays and piers from the late eighteenth century. Its construction begins in the year 1777 and in 1997 it is proceeded to its restoration. The reconstruction of the wooden structure that existed, the loading trestle and the hopper for the pouring of sallt to the barges. It s currently used for various cultural events and it is where the prestigious international Habaneras and Polyphony event, declared of international tourist interest, is held. Undoubtedly one of the best places in the city and which is more difficult to access, it is usually closed, just because of this, it is worth these visits.
The second stop is the sea and salt museum, on Patricio Perez street, 10, also very close to the eras de la sal. It is currently the most important museum in the city. A fundamentally ethnological museum dedicated to Torrevieja, its marine and salt essence that was inaugurated in 1995. In it you can see the history of the salt mines, artisan fishing, salt crafts and museum workshop among others.
The third stop is the Torrevieja casino cultural society. The oldest building in the city with more than 100 years, located on the promenade vista alegre,14. The building was designed by the architects Jose Guardiola Picó and Tomás Aznar in 1896. Its architectural style is Valencian modernism and was inaugurated on August 10, 1896. The main hall was decorated by the murcian painter Inocencio Medina Vera illustrating murals of the seasons.The murcian artist Enrique Alvarez Salas made the decoration of the first floor, games room. During the Spanish Civil War the casino was converted into a Republican army barracks. This is another of the essential sites that you have to visit if you come to Torrevieja. Nowadays it is a private cultural meeting place where acts of all kinds are held, even so, the entrance is free to everyone and you can have something on the terrace any day of the year.
The next stop is the dique of Levante. One of the most striking parts of the port of Torrevieja. There you can see the monument tribute to the sailor’s wife, one of the most representative and popular figures of the city. With a distance of 1,5 km is visited every day by thousands of people to walk or play sports.
The last stop is optional, since it has a price of 2€ that is not included in the visit. The submarine S-61 (delfin), cataloged as a floating museum. It is a submarine that the Spanish Navy yielded in 2004 to the town hall of Torrevieja. It is the first time that the Navy gave one of its ships to a town hall. Along with the visit to the submarine, the customs patrol boat Albatros III is also visited. If you have never visited a submarine, it is worth it.
Guided tours are available all year round. Tuesdays and Saturdays in Spanish and Thursdays in English. There must be a minimum of 5 people to be made and must be previously registered in the tourism website of Torrevieja.
To fill in the registration form in Spanish click here
To fill in the registration form in English click here
In summer visits start at 9.30 from the tourist office and end at eleven o’clock, and in winter the hours are from 10 to 12. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes and water, something warm in winter just in case