Torrevieja: Pink Lagoon, Salt Heritage and the Submarine Museum

Torrevieja is a large coastal town in the south of Alicante province, built around salt. Two salt lagoons, one of them pink, sit directly behind a centre of promenades, a fishing harbour and city beaches. It suits travellers who want a practical seaside base with services, a long walkable waterfront and two unusual nature outings, not a quiet village. It is a working town rather than a postcard one, and the pink lagoon itself can only be seen on a guided train. It is part of our Costa Blanca guide.

Quick facts

• Where: Torrevieja, province of Alicante, Comunitat Valenciana. The Generalitat Valenciana places the town’s lagoons in the Vega Baja del Segura comarca.
• Residents: 98,533 in 2025 according to INE, the Spanish statistics institute.
• Beaches: yes, in town. Playa del Cura is 375 m long, Playa de Los Locos 760 m and Playa de La Mata 2,365 m, according to the municipal tourism site.
• Airport: Alicante–Elche is about 40 minutes by road, and the Región de Murcia airport is also about 40 minutes, according to the town’s tourism site.
• Road distances: Alicante 50 km, Murcia 60 km, Valencia 220 km and Madrid 450 km (town tourism site).
• Train: no station in the town. The nearest are Orihuela (30 km) and Alicante (50 km).
• Language: Spanish. The municipal tourism site is also published in Valencian, English, German, French and Russian.
• Market days: Fridays in Torrevieja and Wednesdays in La Mata, according to the municipal tourism site.

Where to base yourself

Torrevieja’s coast is long, so the useful choice is between three bases. Pick by whether you want city life, a long beach with nature behind it, or small coves.

The centre, Paseo Vista Alegre and the harbour

The central beaches, Playa del Cura and Playa de Los Locos, lie within the built-up town with restaurants along the promenade, and the Eras de la Sal, the Museo del Mar y la Sal and the submarine museum are all in this part of town. It is the best base if you have no car, if you want to walk to dinner and if you want the bus station nearby. It is also the busiest part of the municipality, so expect traffic and crowds in summer.

La Mata

La Mata (also called Torrelamata) is north of the centre and has the municipality’s longest beach, 2,365 m, with beach bars, sun-lounger hire, play areas and a protected dune behind it. The Molino del Agua dune reserve and the signposted trails of the La Mata lagoon are close, and the Wednesday market is held here. It suits families and walkers who prefer long open sand to a city promenade.

Cabo Cervera and the southern coves

South of the centre the shore turns rocky, with small coves such as Cala Piteras, Cala Ferrís and Cala del Rocío, listed by the municipal tourism site, and the Torre del Moro viewpoint on Cabo Cervera. This is the quietest base and the best one for snorkelling, but it has the fewest services, so check bus lines and parking before you book.

Things to do

The pink lagoon and the salt works

The Laguna de Torrevieja is the pink one. The town’s tourism site says its colour comes from high salinity and microorganisms in the water, and names Dunaliella salina and Artemia salina. The lagoon is a working salt site, and the municipal tourism site says that, because of its protection, it can only be visited on the tourist train. The operator of the salt works also offers guided walks and cycle routes. Salt is the town’s business: the same site says about half a million tonnes are extracted a year, piled into white heaps called garberas. We cover access, rules and what the colour looks like in detail on our page about the Torrevieja pink lake and the salt works.

A word of caution: do not plan around a single bright-pink photo. Our sources describe what causes the colour but promise no particular shade on a given day, and you cannot simply walk up to the shore of this lagoon. Swimming in either lagoon is prohibited.

La Mata lagoon and the birds

The natural park covers 3,700 ha, of which 2,100 ha are water, according to the Generalitat Valenciana. The two lagoons work as one salt system: La Mata warms the brine, and the salt is harvested in the Torrevieja lagoon. La Mata is the one for walking, with signposted trails and viewing points. The park’s fauna page counts almost a hundred bird species, and flamingos feed and rest at La Mata, with up to 2,000 counted together. Stay on the marked paths and away from the fragile water’s edge; camping and caravans are not allowed inside the park.

Salt heritage in town

The Eras de la Sal on Paseo Vistalegre date from the last third of the 18th century and were used to store and load salt until 1958. This is where the barges were loaded, and the site still has a reconstruction of the wooden loading frame. The Museo del Mar y la Sal, opened in 1995, shows fishing, coastal shipping, boat carpentry and salt-working objects.

The S-61 Delfín submarine

The submarine Delfín is moored at the fishing port next to the fish market. It became the first Spanish Navy vessel turned into a floating museum on 8 May 2004, and you can walk through the interior. The municipal tourism site gives a minimum height of 1.15 m for entry. Opening hours and prices change, so check the municipal tourism site before you go.

Torre del Moro

The tower on Cabo Cervera dates from the 14th to 16th centuries and was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in 1985. It stands in a 23,000 m² park, and the viewpoint looks north to La Mata and Guardamar and, on clear days, to the island of Tabarca, or south to the Mar Menor and Isla Grosa.

Music and fiestas

The International Habaneras and Polyphony Competition has been held since 1955 and is declared of International Tourist Interest. The Torrevieja carnival is declared of provincial and regional tourist interest, and its dates change each year. Check the municipal agenda before you plan around either event.

Beaches and places nearby

Playa del Cura is the central beach, between Punta Margallo and the Paseo Juan Aparicio swimming areas, with fine sand, loungers and promenade restaurants. Playa de Los Locos is wider and longer, 760 m by 27 m according to the tourism site, with a beach bar, play areas and restaurants on Avenida Dr. Mariano Ruiz Cánovas. Its name comes from a sanatorium that Dr Mariano Ruiz Cánovas opened nearby in the early 20th century. Both are urban beaches: busy in summer, but easy to reach and well equipped.

For something calmer, the tourism site lists small coves along the southern coast and describes Cala Ferrís as clear-watered and good for snorkelling. For a longer walk, La Mata beach runs for 2,365 m.

Beyond the municipality, Guardamar del Segura is the next town north, Orihuela is the nearest rail stop, and Santa Pola and Alicante lie further up the coast.

Other town guides nearby: Pilar de la Horadada (about 16 km in a straight line), Callosa de Segura (about 24 km in a straight line), Tabarca Island (about 28 km in a straight line).

Food and drink

The municipal tourism site describes the local cooking as Mediterranean, built on fresh fish and the vegetables and fruit of the Huerta del Bajo Segura. Two dishes are named as typical: caldero, a soupy rice cooked with rock fish and served with alioli, and pulpo seco, dried octopus, which the site calls one of the town’s most distinctive traditional dishes. Ask for them at restaurants near the harbour and on the promenade.

The weekly markets sell fresh produce, clothes and accessories. The Friday market is on Avenida Delfina Viudes next to the water park, and the Wednesday market is on Avenida de Francia in La Mata.

Where to stay

The municipal tourism site lists hotels, tourist apartments, holiday rentals, hostels, guesthouses and campsites, plus motorhome areas. We have no price data from a source we read, so we do not quote rates. Book early for July and August and compare cancellation terms. Without a car, the centre is the practical choice.

Getting there and around

• Fly: Alicante–Elche airport is the closest, about 40 minutes by road, and a direct bus line connects it with Torrevieja. Taxis and hire cars are at the terminal. The Región de Murcia airport is also about 40 minutes away.
• Train: Torrevieja has no station of its own. The town tourism site names Orihuela (30 km) and Alicante (50 km) as the nearest, both with high-speed and long-distance services, and says intercity buses complete the trip.
• Bus: the bus station is in the centre, with regular services to Alicante, Murcia, Elche and Cartagena. The operators named on the tourism site are Avanza, Bam and Alsa.
• Car: the AP-7 and the N-332 reach the town.
• Around town: the centre is compact and walkable. The city runs eight urban bus lines plus one circular line, and there are taxis and bike and car hire.
• Parking: the tourism site lists large car parks at Paseo del Mar, Paseo Vista Alegre, Centro El Arco, Virgen del Carmen, Plaza de Oriente and Marina Internacional.

Best time to visit

The municipal tourism site describes a mild Mediterranean climate, with winter temperatures typically between 12 and 18 °C and summers often above 30 °C. That makes spring and autumn comfortable for the lagoon trails and for walking the coast, while July and August are the time for the beach and the fullest streets. The carnival falls in the first weeks of the year. The long Habaneras week is in July, and the patron-saint fiestas end on 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

FAQ

Is Torrevieja worth visiting?

Yes, if you want an easy seaside base with long beaches, a salt-working landscape and a protected lagoon with flamingos. Skip it if you want a quiet fishing village or a pink lake you can walk up to, because access to the Laguna de Torrevieja is by tourist train only.

Can you swim in the pink lake?

No. The Generalitat Valenciana states that bathing in the lagoons is prohibited. Swim at the town’s beaches instead.

How far is Torrevieja from Alicante airport?

About 40 minutes by road, according to the town’s tourism site, and the city of Alicante is 50 km away. A direct bus links the airport and Torrevieja.

Is there a train to Torrevieja?

No. The nearest stations are Orihuela, 30 km away, and Alicante, 50 km away; buses cover the last stretch.

When is the market in Torrevieja?

The Torrevieja market is on Fridays on Avenida Delfina Viudes and the La Mata market is on Wednesdays on Avenida de Francia, according to the municipal tourism site.

Are there flamingos at the lagoons?

Yes. The park says flamingos feed and rest at La Mata, with up to 2,000 counted together. Numbers vary, so do not count on a fixed number on the day.

Sources and freshness

Last checked: October 2026. Sources: Torrevieja tourism, cómo llegar (airport, road distances, trains and buses); Torrevieja tourism, cómo desplazarse (urban buses, parking); Torrevieja tourism, información práctica (climate); Torrevieja tourism, las salinas (colour, salt production, rules); Torrevieja tourism, natural park; Torrevieja tourism, alojamientos (accommodation types); Torrevieja tourism, compras (markets); Torrevieja tourism, gastronomía; Torrevieja tourism, grandes eventos (Habaneras, carnival, 2026 dates); Playa de La Mata, Playa de Los Locos and Playa del Cura; Torre del Moro, Eras de la Sal, Museo del Mar y la Sal, Museos Flotantes and Molino del Agua; Generalitat Valenciana, park presentation (3,700 ha); park fauna (flamingos); visiting recommendations; Salinas de Torrevieja operator; INE, population by municipality (98,533 in 2025).

Main photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.