Until 1802 Torrevieja existed only as an ancient guard tower, which gave the town its name (old=vieja ; tower=torre).  In 1803, Charles VI authorized the movement of the salt mines from La Mata to the town itself and allowed the construction of dwellings there. In 1829, the town was totally decimated by an earthquake but the mines were soon reconstructed and re-opened. 

In the 19th Century, the salt was mainly shipped from the town by Swedish and Dutch ships.  At the time, there was only limited demand from other regions of Spain, mainly  Galacia and to a lesser extent, Valencia. Although by the dawn of the 20th Century, a quarter of all the salt mined in Torrevieja, was sold in Spain.

Torrevieja now boasts a lovely promenade along the sea front.  Here you will be able to see the manmade waterfall that appears on many post cards, or stop for a coffee or may be lunch at one of the many bars and restaurants where all tastes are catered for.

Although Torrevieja does not boast many sandy beaches, the area has been well designed enabling access to the sea through rock pools or the man made terraces.

Looking at photos of Torrevieja you may feel that the area seems quite built up. You may be surprised to hear that there are many parks to be found in the area like the Parque de las Nationes or Park of the Nations and the Paraje Natural Municipal Molino del Agua - a hidden gem of a natural park.

There are also many museums offering a wide range of information about Torrevieja.  For example, the Museo del Mar y de la Sal (Sea and Salt Museum) and the Submarine S61 Delfin.