TORREVIEJA INFORMATION

torrevieja outlook supplement

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July 2020

Torrevieja General Information

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Religious Services

There are many religious services in and around Torrevieja available for most denominations.

25 years ago there were three Catholic parishes, but this has grown since then into seven parishes in Torrevieja and several chapels-of-ease. Each parish has its own webpage. Both hospitals have chapels used by different denominations and served by chaplains. The existing three churches are the original parish of Holy Rosary of la Mata, the Immaculate Conception in the town centre, the rebuilt Sacred Heart Church which were supplemented with the new parishes of SS Roque and Ana (Acequion area), SS Peter & Paul (Torretas), Virgen

del Carmen (playa los Locos), and St. Saviour.

The Torretas church also has a side chapel used by the Orthodox Ukrainian community. The Orthodox also have a lovely church at Casas www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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Blancas. The la Siesta church and los Balcones churches are multi-denominational churches used by the local Catholics and the growing Anglican community. The Finnish Lutheran church also uses la Inmaculada church for services.

The Anglican community has been in Torrevieja for a few decades and is steadily growing, making use of multidenominational churches such as la Siesta and civic centres not only in Torrevieja but generally south of Alicante. This comes under the The Chaplaincy of St Peter and St Paul, Torrevieja and is part of the Anglican ‘Diocese in Europe’, with a webpage with lots of information about serviceshttp://www.c-of-e-torrevieja.com

Both Torrevieja Hospitals have chapels with chaplains offering regular church services as well as attending to spiritual needs of patients.

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There are a few Evangelical groups (http:// www.lasiestaevangelicalchurch.org) based at La Siesta or (http://icatorrevieja.org ) or Torrevieja Fellowship (http://tcf-spain.org) There are also Jehovah Witnesses and several Spiritual groups.

The Hindus/Sikhs have a temple and Muslims have their own mosque, but both religions really need a bit of land to build proper buildings.

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There are many associations that offer a wide range of activities. Here is a list of some associations including charitable ones in an alphabetical order.

Others are choirs, town hall numbers, pensioner clubs, schools, courtrooms etc. Lacking are clubs in general, so any input would be grateful.

ADIEM (ASOC. DEFENSA ENFERMO MENTAL) Mental Health 966 705 294 ADUANA Customs 965 714 434 AECU (ASOC. CONSUM. URBANISMO) 619 097 779 AEROPUERTO EL ALTET 966 919 000 AGAMED (AGUA) Water Board 965 710 966 AGENCIA DE DESARROLLO LOCAL 966 708 846 ALCOHOLICOS ANONIMOS 658 242 930 APAEX drug association 966 704 036 APANEE disabled support association 965 706 277 ASOC. ALZHEIMER (AFA) 966 702 500 www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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ASOC. AMAS DE CASA Housewives association 966 702 294 ASOC. DE COMERCIANTES 966 705 909 ASOC. DISM. PSÍQUICOS Y FÍSICOS Association for disabled 965 704 405 ASOC. ESPERANZA Y VIDA association for addicts 965 707 082 ASOC. HOSTELERIA 965 704 281 ASOC. LUCHA C.CANCER 965 709 927 AULA MENTOR EN TORREVIEJA 965 705 551 AYUNTAMIENTO - Centralita town hall 965 710 250 AYUNTAMIENTO town hall 966 926 348 BIBLIOTECA MUNICIPAL (Library) 965 703 168 BRIGADA VERDE 965 710 319 BOMBEROS (Fire) (112) 966 704 433 CARITAS 965 712 055 CASA 3ª EDAD SAN PASCUAL Pensioner club 966 701 275 CASA 3ª EDAD PEDRO LORCA Pensioner club 966 707 536 CASA 3ª EDAD URB. ARREGUI Pensioner club 966 701 071 CASINO cultural centre 965 707 023 CEMENTERIO MUNICIPAL 966 706 961 CTRO. ALPE disabled children college 965 714 104 CTRO. CULT. VIRGEN DEL CARMEN cultural centre 965 719 900 CTRO. DESARROLLO TURÍSTICO tourist development office 965 722 600 CENTRO DE INFORMACIÓN JUVENIL youth office 965 714 220 CENTRO SOCIAL POLIVALENTE LA MATA sports centre 966 921 145 CENTRO DE SALUD ACEQUIÓN clinic 966 707 143 CENTRO DE SALUD LA LOMA 24 hr clinic 966 700 877 CENTRO DE SALUD DE LA MATA clinic 966 926 032 CENTRO DE SALUD PATRICIO PEREZ clinic 965 711 541 CENTRO INTERP. INDUSTRIA SALINERA exhibition centre 965 708 460 CLUB DE TENIS 966 722 167 COFRADÍA PESCADORES fishermen guild 965 710 294 schools COLEGIO ACEQUIÓN 965 714 604 COLEGIO CUBA 965 290 125 COLEGIO INFANTIL GRATINIANO BACHES 966 926 735 COLEGIO INMACULADA 966 926 718 COLEGIO LA PURÍSIMA 965 710 102 COLEGIO Nº 9 (LAS CULTURAS ) 965 290 165 COLEGIO Nº 10 (HABANERAS) 966 700 252 COLEGIO Nº 11 (CIUDAD DEL MAR) 965 290 170 COLEGIO Nº 12 (AMANECER) 965 710 800 COLEGIO Nº 13 (CIUDAD OVIEDO) 965 707 621 COLEGIO ROMUALDO BALLESTER 965 290 155 www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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COLEGIO PRIMARIA SALVADOR RUSO 966 926 730 COLEGIO VIRGEN DEL CARMEN 965 290 120 COLEGIO VIRGEN DEL ROSARIO 965 290 160 town hall departments CONCEJALÍA BIENESTAR SOCIAL councillor of welfare 966 706 666 CONCEJALÍA CULTURA cultural office 966 706 838 CONCEJALÍA DEPORTES sports centre 966 111 222 CONCEJALÍA EDUCACIÓN education department 965 074 309 CONCEJALÍA 3ª EDAD councillor for pensioners 965 074 310 CONCEJALÍA FIESTAS fiestas councillor 966 709 594 CORREOS post office 965 710 679 CRUZ ROJA red cross 965 711 818 ECOPARQUE recycling 965 707 232 EPA (EDUCACIÓN PERM. ADULTOS) adult education 966 926 835 ESCUELA M. DE DANZA municipal dance school 965 703 146 ESCUELA M. DE PINTURA municipal paint school 966 707 944 ESCUELA M. DE TEATRO municipal drama school 965 708 389 ESCUELA OFICIAL DE IDIOMAS language school 966 700 232 EST.AUTOBUSES bus station 965 710 146 FEDERACION ASOC. VECINOS. neighbourhood associations 966 786 931 GAEX (GRUPO AMIGOS EXADICTOS) ex-adicts support group 685 101 071 GUARDIA CIVIL (062) 965 710 113 HOSPITAL VEGA BAJA 965 877 500 HOSPITAL DE TORREVIEJA 965 721 200 HOSPITAL QUIRON 966 921 313 Colleges IES Nº1 (Libertas) 965 290 100 IES Nº2 (Lagunas). 965 296 775 IES Nº3 (Mare Nostrum) 965 290 205 IES Nº4 (Mediterráneo) 966 926 820 IES Nº5 (Torrevigía) 966 926 830

Courtrooms JUZGADOS Nº 1 965 713 964 JUZGADOS Nº 2 965 716 191 JUZGADOS Nº 3 966 705 596 JUZGADOS Nº 4 966 704 599 JUZGADOS Nº 5 966 703 550 JUZGADOS Nº 6 966 708 190 JUZGADOS Nº 7 966 708 306 www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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INFORM. AL VISITANTE information 901 343 343 MUSEO DEL MAR Y DE LA SAL sea museum 966 704 643 MUSEO SEMANA SANTA holy week museum 966 708 037 OF. MUN. TURISMO tourist office 965 703 433 OF. INF. CONSUMIDOR consumer office 966 928 835 PALACIO DE LA MUSICA palace of music centre 965 712 311 PARQUE NAT. DE LA MATA la Mata parkland 966 920 404 PARQ. INMACULADA church 965 712 132 PARQ. S.CORAZON church 965 710 170 PARQ. SAN ROQUE church 966 703 965 PARQ. SRA. DEL ROSARIO church 966 920 628 PATRONATO HABANERAS 965 712 570 POLICIA LOCAL (092) 965 705 166 POLIDEPORTIVO sports 965 713 701 PROP office for municipal documentation 96 644 46 44 PROTECCION CIVIL. 965 713 927 PUERTO port 965 710 194 REGISTRO. Nยบ1 registration office 966 704 343 REGISTRO. Nยบ2 registration office 966 705 303 REGISTRO CIVIL 966 705 203 RESIDENCIA DE ANCIANOS elderly residence 965 710 700 RENFE railway 902 240 202 SALINAS TORREVIEJA salt works 965 707 144 SAMU (112) paramedic ambulance 965 144 000 SERVICIO LIMPIEZA cleaning service 966 702 390 www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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SERVICIOS SOCIALES social service 966 706 666 SERVICIO URBANISMO urbanisation 965 711 414 SERVEF – INEM unemployment office 966 701 377 SUMA local tax office 965 292 000 TANATORIO Morgue 966 701 818 TELETAXI 965 101 611 or 965 712 277

Beaches and Coves Torrevieja

is a seaside resort of Alicante province that is equidistant between the airports of Alicante and Murcia.

It is a holiday resort with a large concentration of foreigners - around 120 nations, the majority of these live all year round though many have a holiday home in the town. Almost half the area is made up of two salt lakes, one lake produces salt, the other is surrounded by protected natural parkland. It is considered by the World Health Organizations as having a micro climate that makes it one of the healthiest places in the world.

Two salt lakes form almost half of the municipal area. The pink one is used for producing salt. The green one is surrounded by protected parkland

Traditionally salt production was the principal industry of Torrevieja, followed by fishing and boat building.

This was overtaken in the 1950’s by residential tourism and a huge construction 1987 www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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plan that has changed the town into a tourist town located on the Mediterranean close to Alicante and Murcia airports, about 25 minutes drive. Tourism continues to be the principal industry in distinct areas:- sun and beach, culture, sports, nautical, fiestas, gastronomy and health. The cultural department of the town prints a quarterly programme of events that include concerts of international artistes, musical and art competitions, poetry competitions, workshops in various media such as painting, dance, sculpture etc.

There is a network of local buses with interchanges at strategic points. The Costa Azul bus company also has regular routes between Alicante - Torrevieja - Alicante, stopping at various coastal towns down to Cartagena. They also operate a daily express service between Alicante airport and Torrevieja, as well as a similar express service connecting the airport with Benidorm. Another bus services is in conjunction with the railway company RENFE using an express bus connection between Villena railway station and Torrevieja, linking up with the high speed Madrid-Alicante AVE train. There are buses that connect to interior towns like Orihuela and Elche. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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Torrevieja has 14 kilometres of coastline and several award winning beaches and many small coves. The town has contracts ensuring a lifesaving team on all the beaches with backup of ambulances in the summer season. Several first aid posts act as liaison with patrol boats and ski jets that are fast and capable of dealing swiftly with emergencies in the water.

To the north the longest beach is the two kilometres of Torrelamata that has a long boardwalk adjacent to a dune park with a cascade falling down the hillside. The water here has some dangerous currents so care must be taken and the warning flags obeyed.

Cabo Cervera is mostly rocky with a small beach and this is one of the oldest parts of Torrevieja. On the top road there is a replica of a watchtower in a small park that has a rusty monument dedicated to the sun and tourism, plus a bust of a Swedish businessman. Nils Gabel, who sailed into Torrevieja and built the first urbanisation nearby for Scandinavians, More coves exist with a cliff top walkway until the next beach of Los Locos that takes its name from the sanatorium that was located here until 1936. The main promenade begins here that wends its way into the town centre and beyond. It has kids play areas; in summer there are ski jets for hire and an offshore raft to swim out to.

There is small sandy area at the Palangre curve and then a rocky area and pebble strewn artificial beach until the next sandy beach of playa del Cura. This is the most popular beach and flies the European Blue Flag for good amenities as well as the Qualitur quality flags flying.

Pedaloes are available for hire in summer as well as hammocks under straw umbrellas plus several seafront restaurants.

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Between here and the harbour there are a few manmade swimming areas with imported sand.

Often these areas are used for outdoor concerts and in July the 2,500 metre s w i m m i n g competition ends here. From here the one and a half kilometre main harbour wall can be seen. There are three interesting statues here. One is Lola sitting on a concrete bench wistfully looking to sea for her lover.

Another is The Hombre del Mar, a seaman safe in the hand of God with an octopus representing the dangers of the sea wrapped around his legs. On the harbour wall there is another large statue of Lola waving her kerchief to her man out at sea. At the end of the long walkway there is a small lighthouse to guide vessels into the harbour area where the fishermen’s wharf is located at present, although there are plans to move it to the far side of the harbour as new developments will take place over the next decade. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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The harbour area has three leisure marinas with plenty of restaurants at hand. This is sited in the town centre so there are many good shops around. The Marina Salinas is on the right side close to the lighthouse and harbour wall, with an excellent leisure area. The oldest marina is in the town centre - the Real Club Nautico and often holds exhibitions and regattas as well as fishing competitions. Inside the harbour area is the open-air theatre of the Eras de la Sal (formerly a holding zone for salt) and soon the Sea & Salt Museum will be located here in one section. Round the next curve comes the International Marina which has the harbour control tower. Next is the old canal and Acequiรณn beach, which is reached, from here by a bridge across the canal that leads to the Rosa Laguna. The Acequiรณn beach is within the harbour area and hence the water is not so clean as elsewhere, but nevertheless is very popular and has lots of bars on the water edge.

At the southern end of the beach is the salt conveyor belt and beyond that the Naufragios (shipwrecked) beach where, before the harbour was built, many sailing ships were washed ashore. A recent addition to the salt quay is the pump house installation that cycles and recycles the water in the large desalination plant.

A further couple of kilometres south we come to the Mar Azul beach which has lovely gardens. The next beach is one of the few untouched areas the palm trees of Lo Ferris that also has a history as contraband drop off point and was used after World War I as a wreckers yard for unwanted ships. Part of this land is private property.

Finally there is a small beach area at Rocio del Mar with lovely garden area, then the playa de Cala de las Piteras, when we reach Punta Prima that takes us into the Orihuela Costa area. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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What to do in Torrevieja

Throughout the year there is a varied programme of Jazz, flamenco, classical and dace concerts, as well as the international Habaneras competition and concerts. There are several small,museums and there are nearby towns worth a visit. Nearby are several excellent golf courses. The town has some of the best sporting facilities, including an Olympic sized swimming pool. The town has a wide variety of restaurants from fast food outlets to top cuisine dining experiences. Many restaurants specialize in Spanish cuisine, but as it is an international populace you will find food from all around the world.

Shopping is a must with excellent outlets in the town Centre, nearby Habaneras shopping and leisure Centre, and a short drive the Boulevard Centre, one of the largest shopping malls with restaurants to suit all pockets.

Torrevieja has a large cultural heritage through its bands and choirs that play at international events and participate in international events, but also has a large number of municipal and private dance schools, drama groups. Notable among them is the

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Certamen de las Habaneras, a choir and soloists competition of Habaneras and Polyphonic music that has completed 60 years.

There is a continuous interchange between Torrevieja based bands and those in other countries with a couple of very popular band music festivals held in Torrevieja. Thanks to the multicultural programme it is possible to enjoy music and dance from many other countries that have resident associations in the town. Dance groups also participate in the many festivals of the town including the famous carnival in February/March.

Exhibition Centres and Museums

All these places are within easy walking distance of the town centre apart from the present Semana Santa Museum until the new one is opened, hopefully this year.

- There are three public exposition halls. One on the Vista Alegre paseo in the town centre, The Virgen del Carmen Cultural centre and the third is Los Aljibes in the Park of the Nations. All three have a variety of exhibitions and events in all forms of art, or an International model boat display making use of the small lake in the Park of the Nations.

In addition the Casino, a cultural club on the main central promenade also has frequent art exhibitions, concerts and seminars. Historically the Csino has been a cultural club. In front of this is the Real Club Nautico that at times has interesting art events and exhibitions. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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- The Sea & Salt Museum is temporarily located in calle Patrico Perez near the municipal Theatre with artefacts pre-dating the Romans until the present time. A modern interactive museum is to be built in the Eras de la Sal, the former salt warehouse on the port where a wooden quay exists and a salt barge that will be eventually connected as part of this museum.

- This museum has at present three floating exhibits in the harbour that can be boarded and viewed – the Delfin submarine and the Albatros III excise boat plus the refitted Pascual Flores sailing ship, originally built in Torrevieja. Unfortunately due to bad maintenance and negligence the sailing boat requires a lot of alterations.

There are several small vela Latina sailing boats built in the town and used as a club, teaching youngsters the benefits of sailing. Plus the reconditioned three-masted sailing boat that was originally built in Torrevieja – the Pascual Flores; this is also destined to be a training ship for cadets of the Valencia region.

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The Semana Santa Museum is located out of town in calle Formentera behind the large restaurant on Avenida Baleares.

This will be moved nearer to the bus station when a purpose built museum and facilities in a fourstorey building has been constructed.

Here some of the floats and images used in the Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions can be viewed as well as many of the costumes and accoutrements of these fabulous processions. Other images are kept in local churches.

- There is a private Belen museum (Bethlehem cribs) in Avda. Diego Ramirez with interesting crib scenes and the artists here prepare a huge open-air crib scene in the town plaza during December.

- Another prĂ­vate museum is in calle BazĂĄn dedicated to the printing past of Torrevieja and also to every day articles of the 20th century.

- The Habaneras Music Museum in the Acequion district is dedicated to composer Ricardo Lafuente is in the p r e v i o u s r a i l w a y buildings with a collection of manuscripts, photos and relics related to the Habaneras m u s i c a l tradition of the town and this f a m o u s musician of the town. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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- Alongside this is a Natural History Museum dedicated to flora and fauna of the Mediterranean.

- Close to this is an excellent Salt Industry Exhibition now under the ministering of NCAST the salt company, where aspects of extracting salt form the two lakes can be seen. A small train takes visitors on a guided tour of the salt lake and its workings.

The main centres for music, concerts and displays are: – The open-air Eras de la Sal theatre, which has several monuments dedicated to the musical traditions of the town such as a monument sitting in the harbour and a statue of a conductor handing on the baton to a new generation, and in the Paseo a large crown shaped fountain dedicated to the choir heritage of the town, as well as a group of musicians playing various instruments dedicated to the town’s bandsmen.

- another open air venue is in the Park DoĂąa Sinforosa where the traditional bandstand is located. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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- The Municipal Theatre is in plaza Miguel HernĂĄndez (with underground parking): - Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre in Ramon Gallud street (underground parking) is also a satellite centre for students of the Miguel Hernandez University with many courses for adult education available. This centre is open all day and used for municipal classes in art, drama, dancing and photography. It has a nice theatre and an exhibition area.

- The Palace of Music in the Union Musical Torrevejense Street also has a small auditorium as well as rehearsal rooms for local bands and choirs and a minor musical conservatory for beginners. This is also the centre for the Francisco Casanovas Music Conservatory until the International Conservatory is ready.

- The Casino Cultural Club is one of the oldest buildings in the town and is a private cultural centre. It is opposite the harbour entrance and has a permanent painting exposition and always has art exhibitions, musical events and other cultural attractions.

- Near the harbour wall is the nightly Pub Zone of Baluarte or Punta Prima.

- On the Avda Habaneras near the bus station there are several pub/discotheques.

- There is a leisure area with cinemas, ten-pin bowling, a gambling casino, restaurants, and hypermarket, a Pensioners’ Discothèque around the Habaneras shopping mall in the Ocio Leisure centre.

- Nearby is the Aquapolis water park with many waterslides and large swimming pool open in summer months only.

- More Large discotheques are located near the Parque de Antonio Soria, which is used for large open-air concerts. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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-Pride of place is the large Auditorium that will be part of an International Musical Conservatory in the future, which also includes conference halls, auditoriums, rehearsal rooms, studio and a residence for students and is located close to the Quiron private hospital. There are also two Torrevieja symphony orchestras who make good use of the auditorium with a programme of wide ranging music.

-Live entertainment is available in many bars and restaurants.

Torrevieja centre is full of shops, restaurants, bars and an indoor market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh and frozen fish.

There are all types of shops clothing shops, electro-domĂŠstic equipment, souvenirs, shoes, banks, health and dental clinics, physiotherapists, gyms, dance schools, and a public clinic with regular visits from specialists of Torrevieja Hospital. On Friday mornings there is an immense outdoor market with fruit and Veg, flower stalls, ceramics, pottery, toys etc. Etc. Etc. Most large urbanisations also have a small shopping centre with banks and shops as well as bars and restaurants. There is a nightly market on the central promenade.

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There is a large commercial shopping area with the Habaneras Commercial Centre as the hub with many brand names such as Zara, C&A etc., as well as some good restaurants. Nearby are large shops such as Lidyl and garden nurseries.

Bars often supply live music.

Within fifteen minutes drive South there is another very large shopping complex known as La Zenia Boulevarde with lots of well known branded shops and restaurants.

Wheelchairs including electric ones can be hired with a deposit and an alarm, should it be taken out of the shopping area.

There are regular street events held in the town centre and the larger shopping centres also often provide some form of open air entertainment.

In recent years there has been a tremendous growth in recuperating old plazas and gardens as well as developing new ones scattered throughout the municipal area. Many have a distinctive sculpture, as several years ago part of the cultural programme was competitions that attracted many prestigious sculptors whose works have been made into larger than life monuments that are scattered around the municipal area and its parks and plazas.

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Parks and Plazas

- The principal plaza is where the town hall is located and is close to the seafront. This plaza is dedicated to the Spanish Constitution and principal church is here, la Inmaculada. Underneath this plaza is a bunker shelter that was used by the townsfolk at the time of the Spanish Civil war.

- The plaza where the municipal theatre is located is dedicated to one of the victims of the civil war, poet Miguel Hernandez of Orihuela. This plaza was formerly dedicated to all the victims of the civil war and had a huge metal cross that has long gone. A short walk from here takes us to one of the oldest parts of Torrevieja known as Acequion.

- In the gardens of the former RENFE railway you will find larger than life sculptures dedicated to the salt workers alongside a crazy golf course. A couple of museums are here and a roller skating park. This runs alongside the old Acequion canal, which is the oldest construction in Torrevieja.

- Near here is the small, but lovely DoĂąa Sinforosa Gardens with an aviary, a bandstand and that is close to the beach.

- Across the road is the plaza de las Islas Canarias that is similar in design with many large trees and shaded areas. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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- A short walk away is the Park of the Nations that has another aviary and a variety of wildlife.

The small lake is in the shape of Europe and appropriate flags of each European nation flown.

This is often the centre for outdoor festivals. There is also an exhibition centre.

-Another park in this area is dedicated to Asturias with a small version of a typical house on stilts of that region. This particular example in Torrevieja has a lump of coal inside as a reminder of the miners’ of the Asturias who share the same patron saint as the salt workers of Torrevieja, that is Saint Barbara. There is also a marble plinth here that comes from Pinosa as the salt that is now harvested in the Torrevieja Lake is sent via a tube from Pinosa salt quarries. This plinth is alongside a walkway that covers the salt conveyor belt and takes one down to the harbour area where salt is loaded onto cargo vessels and there are a couple of small sailing clubs. There are several excellent beach restaurants along this part of the Acequion area.

- From the railway station buildings the former rail line has been turned into a walking area with access for bicycles and horses going through the Torretas areas until the municipal border with Rojales.

- Across the road from the Rojales end of the ramble walk, one can enter the Torrelamata parkland, which takes ramblers round the lake to the La Mata area. Here there are vineyards, hides for birdwatchers and the Information centre for the lake. There are several picnic areas with benches and tables.

- The principal park is obviously the parkland around the La Mata Lake. Here there is a small exhibition centre and information office with exhibits about the natural habitat and its preservation. A group of international volunteers act as guides so that visitors can www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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appreciate the natural parkland, which is a protected zone; there are hides so that birds can be spotted on the lake, including pink flamingos. There are also several picnic tables in selected areas. This area also grows vines that produce a unique wine of Torrelamata and it is planned to have a Bodega Museum here.

- In the La Siesta urbanisation a large park area has been constructed and another park is dedicated to Princess Martha Louise of Norway where a Norwegian community centre and church has been built alongside the multi-denominational church and a modern public clinic. Nearby is the Flamingo Aqua Park area and a bowling club. In La Siesta another park has been developed for the use and leisure of the residents in this large urbanisation. At the top end of this urbanisation pathways lead into the natural parkland of La Mata.

Close to here on the sea side of the N332 road is a lovely hidden small garden dedicated to agriculture and the wine making of the town with several implements related to the wine industry.

- Also in La Mata is the Aqua Molino parkland, which is on a hillside with a cascade tumbling down in the direction of the sea, and this has several picnic areas. This is another important historic site as at one time the water from this spring was ferried to

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the town centre before the present potable water system was introduced.

At the top end of this park is a restaurant in the shape of a Mississippi paddle steamer.

-Another large park also on a hillside and close by is the Aromatic park at Torresol which follows the route of a gully and has well lit paths, seating and children play areas in a an zone noted for the aromatic plants of rosemary, thyme etc.

- Along from La Mata is Cabo Cervera that has small beaches and a very nice park with fountains. Overlooking Cabo Cervera is the Torre del Moro gardens where a replica of the former watchtower takes pride of www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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place. This is another picnic area and there are a couple of mini-sized barraca style houses used as summer Information Office and a cafeteria. The barracas were typical long sloping roofed houses of the Mediterranean area and can still be seen in a few places in the Valencian community.

- Alongside the Torre del Moro is a small pleasant garden dedicated to Nils Gäbel, a Swedish entrepreneur who constructed the first urbanisation for foreigners that is located here and is known as the Swedish Colony.

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- Another plaza that has become a tourist attraction is the remodelled plaza Oriente. A new stunningly designed sparkling white church (Sagrado Corazon) has been built on this plaza.

- The former palm trees that were in the plaza Oriente have been replanted in another small park alongside the public Residence for the Elderly and is popular with players of the bowling game petanca as there are several rinks here.

- A fairly large park is dedicated to Europe in the Calas Blancas area and a small hermitage is almost completed here dedicated to the Virgen del Rocio, a favourite of the large Andalucian community that lives in the town.

- To the south of the town the park at Rocio del Mar urbanisation has as a feature a stone monument that has been taken from the original hermitage that was in the plaza del Oriente. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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- There are many plazas throughout the town and often they have a central fountain or monument that links the area with the past. One of these is Molino Park close to the park of the Nations where a windmill has been reconstructed as a memorial to the former windmills that were in this are and an important part of the salt industry and local farming. This is a hilly part of town that is also known as Calvario as a small garden is dedicated to the Calvary hilltop where Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem and each year a pilgrimage winds its way to this small garden, with men carrying a huge cross that is in the main church of la Inmaculada.

- Near Torrevieja Hospital in the Los Balcones district two main parks stand out. One

runs parallel to the lake, the other is on the other side of the road in a gully and is divided into three sections including a popular area with a variety of sports facilities and leisure activities.

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Sporting Areas

In the 1987 General Urbanisation Plan of the town a large area was set apart to build a Sports City and this has gradually taken shape with excellent sporting facilities that are of international standards. These are attracting national and international athletes of all types to train in Torrevieja, partly because of the benign climate as well as the excellent facilities provided.

- These Sporting facilities are usually in the same area around the Infanta Cristina Pavilion with its Olympic swimming pool where international events are held from swimming to water polo championships.

- The blue roofed Cecilio Gallego Pavilion is used for basketball, volleyball, futbol sala, gymnastics, and on-line hockey.

- Another multi sport pavilion is under construction and another Olympic sized swimming pool and there are two smaller pools used by the various water clubs.

- New athletic tracks, football pitches, as well as rugby and cricket pitches.

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- The Torrevieja Football ground is home to a Third Division team and there are now many football pitches catering for the large youth element in the town. Many of these youth teams play in regional leagues and some of the larger football clubs provide funding for them with an eye to the future.

- Torrevieja’s Tennis Club is located at Los Balcones, but there are several new modern courts in the sports city area with seating capacity for several thousand spectators and offering the opportunity for international events.

- Torrevieja has three large marinas within the harbour as well as a fishing fleet, a rowing club, a small dinghy sailing club and other attractions such as boats that specialise in fishing trips at sea. Plans are underway for a Sailors Cadets Residence that will use the sailing ship “Pascual Flores”.

- A greens bowling club is located in La Siesta and there are several petanca courts scattered throughout the town with players in several leagues and each year in May the international Petanca Championships are a popular event.

- Torrelamata also has a new gymnasium being built.

- There are a number of private gymnasiums and aerobic centres in the town.

- Torrevieja does not have a golf course but it is central to several golf courses only 20 minutes drive away in surrounding municipalities.

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The gastronomy of

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Gastronomy

this area is based largely on the produce of the sea, rice, pulses, rabbit and chicken. May seem like the ingredients for paella, and they are, but they form the basis of a great number of other dishes. It is a pity that the more traditional recipes of the housewives of the Vega Baja area does not find its way into restaurants. The area boasts a wide variety of excellent restaurants, Spanish style, international ones representing various countries and the inevitable pizza, kebabs, hamburgers, Chinese and the English Breakfast, which according to recent surveys few people have nowadays in U.K. Buffets are now well known where it is possible to eat as much as you like/can at a fixed price.

One of the great successes of recent years has been the resurrection of the ubiquitous tapa by towns promoting Tapa Trails, rather like a bar crawl. The result has been a rise in the presentation of food, the introduction of fresh ideas and creativity. Along with this is the extension of tapeos where the diner chooses a selection of bite sized tapas, usually on a www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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raft of good bread with a toothpick holding it together and which acts as a clue for the waiter as to how many have been consumed (who keeps a note anyway). It is one way to taste a variety of different dishes.

Most towns now also hold gastronomy weeks in which select local restaurants offer traditional meals accompanied by a good wine at a fixed price. Sometimes this may be in a central kitchen but at other times in each restaurant's own premises, each one having a different day allotted. There is always a sense of competition in this - as there is in the tapas routes. Prizes are often awarded for best meal decided by the diners' commentaries and voting. Nowadays with so many television culinary shows everyone appears to be an expert.

Some of these culinary seminars will focus on a particular subject, such as Guardamar and the local prawns and peppers. One of the best is the cuchara idea, the theme being traditional dishes that only require a spoon for meals like lentejas or fabadas.

Torrevieja considers cocidos as the principal local dish, being a boiled dish of vegetables and chicken, lump of ham or shin bone, with chick peas added. It results in a separate consommĂŠ soup for starters and a tremendous serving of meat and veg. Torrevieja actually has a Cocido Club for aficionados. Another common gastronomical event is a Rice Week where participating restaurants offer marvelous rice concoctions in a variety of ways. In recent years the Training Centre fro the Hostelry has taken a bigger impact on the quality and variety of restaurants and whether have to offer..

Which brings us back to paella, which many consider to be Spain's national dish. But like so many other classic recipes from other countries, e.g. Lancashire Hot Pot, it was a poor man's meal using readily available ingredients; in Lancashire oysters were part of a poor man's diet. Paella comes in various forms and recipes, using different ingredients and even cooked in different ways and there are always discussions among Spaniards just what constitutes the best paella. Some swear it has to be cooked over a wood fire, others it has to be cooked in a slow oven. In many restaurants factory made rice or noodle dishes are available as portions, but most restaurants only make rice dishes for at least two persons.

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Fiesta Fun

The word fiesta should not be confused with siesta. The first is f for fun an the latter s for snooze.

When it comes to fiestas Spain has to come tops as every day somewhere some town is in fiesta and Torrevieja and the surrounding towns are high on the list. Elsewhere there is a section on fiestas.

There is no room to describe all the year’s fiestas so this is just a brief summary.

January - 5th is the Cabalgata or parade of the Three Kings, usually held in the evening with streets packed with children wanting to see the men who will be brining them gifts and chucking sweeties at them. The actual feast day is the 6th and a public holiday.

February/March is carnival season with lots of dressing up for parades, school parties, pensioners in their third age, a drag queen event. Torrevieja has several events including in the theatre with lots of funny sketches, the crowning of the two carnival queens for the adults and the children. Then there is a popular Drag Queen competition in the theatre. www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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An afternoon parade is held through the town full of colorful exotic costumes, daft individuals, the two Queens’ floats, lots of dancing and music. This is repeated on a smaller scale the following weekend at a later hour.

March/April - depending on the full moon and when Easter falls Torrevieja has spectacular nightly processions from Palm Sunday (with a midday day Palm one) as lines of brightly costumed hoodies wend their way through the central streets as they accompany their own float. Each float is either carried on the shoulders of men and women and depicts some particular part of the events in the last hours of Jesus’ life.

May - Torrevieja has an annual May Sevilliana Fair that features lots of typical dance, music, wine and food of Andalusia. Horses and carriages have an important role with parades and equestrian events.

June - Hogueras are bonfires and in this part of Spain they usually mean an often beautiful sculpture in wood and other easily inflammable material. For a week each hoguera set up in the streets are the focus of neighbors who have a feast of food, wine, dance and music with other competitions. Finally the whole lot is set on fire. Normally on the evening prior to this there is a spectacular fireworks display on the seafront.

Another week of frivolity surrounds the feast of the Sacred Heart in the district of that church.

July - This is the holiday season and coastal towns are full of visitors and ne of the feasts they enjoy is that of the fishermen and seamen as they celebrate their patron saint the Virgen del Carmen. There are severa events over the week until the main procession when the image is carried through the town, loaded on a boat and sails round the harbor www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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accompanied by other craft and the hooting of sirens. Many associations hold their own fiestas, especially those with roots in other towns.

Several districts have their own week long fiestas.

August - San Roque feast is held in Acequion district. But another rome that is sometimes held is around the 15th which is the Salt Queen parade, bringing together some of the various groups fem surrounding towns in a carnival atmosphere.

September - the district of La Mata has special fun events of their own this month.

October . Public holidays include a flag raising event for the Valencia region on one day and of the Viren del Carmen a couple of days later, celebrated by the Guardia Civil and other security forces.

November - Has a public holiday on the 1st in remembrance of their dead and cemeteries are overflowing with the color of flowers. Later coal bands hod parades and concerts in aid of their patron saint St. Cecilia. At the end of the month the annual patron fiestas begin lasting until 8th December.

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December - For the first week there are daily children’s parades including an evening Disney style cavalcade. Popular figures in the midday and early evening parades are the Bigheads who are accompanied by a band and a gaggle of children. This takes us into the Christmas fiestas including a huge Christmas Carol service in the main plaza, where a Christmas tree is lit up. Finally people gather in their houses as families end the old year and bring in the new year together.

Health

Torrevieja has both a public and a private hospital; the public one is managed by private businesses Ribera Salud, as is the Residence of the tunes for the elderly and the www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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Vinolopo Hospital in Elche meaning staff can work between the two hospitals. the private one is Quiron Hospital. The public one is due to return to public management int 2021.

The area from Pilar de la Horada to Guardamar, involving Rojales and San Minguel de las Salinas is known as Health District 22 of the Valencian Communidad, centred on Torrevieja Hospital. There are clinics with varying services from basic general practitioners and nurses to well equipped 24-hour clinics.

There is a large ambulance network, mostly used for taking patients to and from appointments, with only a driver with basic first aid skills at least. Top of the ambulance service are those vehicles classified as SAMU ones sent to life threatening situations.

These are well equipped and personnel including doctor, nurse and driver with paramedic experience. A second string used for lesser emergencies will have a two man paramedic team. Remember 112 is for real emergencies and central control will decide which ambulance available is required, dependent on the information supplied by the caller.

For visitors it is important to have a valid European Health Card for use in the public sector for emergencies only. It is advisable, as many Spanish families do, to purchase some health insurance in addition, one that will include some form of expatriation service. Department 22 is considered one of the best and innovative health areas in the whole of Spain. Torrevieja Hospital has a dialysis programme available for patients on holiday.

There are also numerous private clinics, physiotherapists, chiropractors, dentists etc. who normally accept health insurance..or cash.

Telephone nos.

ALL EMERGENCIES – 112

016

Torrevieja Hospital general – 965 721 200 Hospital & Clinics appointments – 965 721 400 Domestic violence San Jaime private hospital – 966 921 313 helpline SAMU Ambulance 965 144 000 Red Cross – 965 711 818 Radio Taxis – 965 711 026 / 965 712 277 Guardia Civil – 965 710 113 or 90 Local Police – 965 710 154 Town Hall – 965 710 250 Cleaning Services – 966 702 390 Agamed (Water Board) 902 222 306 Rubbish: if you have large household objects to throw away phone – 966 702 390 www.torreviejaoutlook.com

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