Torrevieja...
This town is probably one of the most sought after by British people wishing to buy either a holiday or retirement home. Reasons for this are not apparent!
In Roman times, Torrevieja was well-known for its outstanding sea port, the remains of which can still be seen in La Mata, called the Embarcadero Romano, or Roman docks. Along the coast are the ancient watchtowers called El Moro and La Mata, which were used in the middle ages, to warn the coastal inhabitants of attacks by Barbary pirates.
Spain is
famous for its street markets and Torrevieja claims to have the biggest. Here you will find everything from fresh
produce, clothing and shoes, watches, binoculars and just about everything you could imagine. However, if you are
looking for a real bargain, be prepared to haggle for everything.
Torrevieja is famous for its salt, being the largest salt producing area in Europe. Vast lakes are used to evaporate sea water so the salt may be reclaimed. The most characteristic feature of local craftsmanship are the models of the boats used to transport salt in the marshes. Boat builders take their creations to the edge of the salt flats, where they are left to collect the bright glaze of the local salt, before being offered for sale as souvenirs. It is claimed that visitors can take a tour of this fascinating process but that might be easier said than done! Still, you can bathe in the waters of the lagoon, which it is claimed have curative properties and are especially recommended for heart troubles, rheumatism, flatulence and respiratory ailments!
One thing which does endear Torrevieja
and its surrounding areas to many is the lack of hotels which ensures that it
suffers none of the problems associated with the package holiday market so the town remains
safe and orderly throughout the year, making it a much sought after favourite for families and their children. Although
there have been reports of increased crime in the area attributed mainly to illegal
immigrants arriving from North Africa and other parts of the world.
Such are the facilities in Torrevieja that
many Spaniards choose the town for their own holidays. With its very own special atmosphere and everything you
need right
on the doorstep, Torrevieja continues to grow rapidly in popularity as the place to be among property
owning foreigners. Spaniards claim that Torrevieja is a holiday town for foreign residents! For those who choose
to live in Torrevieja there is good news. The town enjoys an excellent municipal bus service, the quality of which
really does mean that you can leave your car at home and not have to worry about parking problems. Operating regularly
from most, if not all urbanisation's, there are regular bus services running to and from town, all the man beaches and
of course the many markets. Further, for the Torrevieja resident, the service is absolutely free but only if he has
registered his presence at the town hall.
Torrevieja has several areas where the properties are mainly owned by expatriates. Many people like living among their fellow countrymen and find comfort and security in doing so. For others, nothing could be worse and they believe that expats are creatures best avoided at all cost. Yet others wish to live near enough to an expatriate community to be able to benefit from the services available to it but be far enough away so as never to be involved. Such is the way in which Torrevieja has developed; it is possible to position yourself virtually wherever you want to in regard to your own countrymen. It is possible to live among them, away from them or not know of their existence. You simply need to decide what it is that you want and where it is that you wish to live.
Another point which no doubt has bearing on Torrevieja's popularity is the presence of a brand new international private hospital. In 2003 the State built a 265 individual bedroom state hospital which it claims will co-operate fully with the private hospital for the benefits of both sets of patients. With so many foreigners moving into the Torrevieja area, schools have become quite adept at dealing with foreign school children - the importance of which is not lost on many parents looking to move to Spain. Not really a favourite of the writer, Torrevieja is nonetheless popular with thousands of foreigners from various countries. However, there are many areas surrounding the town which have a lot to offer and are worth considering for the holiday home buyer or potential resident alike.
Learn the Language...
Learning to speak Spanish will give you tremendous advantages...
It will also give you pride and confidence so even before you get here try to
learn the basics. There are several methods, some claim to be fast but
that all depends on you, not the course, so choose what's best for you.
Our useful links page carries a couple you might consider as a starting
point.
Spanish PDQ is from Linguaphone and is a fun, holiday-style course aimed at beginners wanting to
learn basic Spanish. It uses proven teaching methods and has a strong focus on
essential vocabulary, so you will quickly be able to handle a wide variety of
everyday situations. At less than £30 it's a bargain.
Learn to speak, read and write Spanish to an elementary level.
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