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Torrevieja is one of the most important summer holiday spots in the province of Alicante, about 50 kilometres from the city of Alicante and making up what is known as the Costa Blanca in Spain. Torrevieja and the town of Pilar de la Horadada are in the southern tip, the last towns before you head into the province of Murcia.
When making holiday plans, if you are to arrive there by plane, the closest airport would be the one in Alicante called the Altet. It has great flight combinations with the rest of Europe, especially when flying in from England. It would only take you about half an hour at the most to get safely to your hotel if you have thought about a car hire. Look for the highway marked N-332 heading south and you are set.
There are some bus companies connecting Torrevieja with Alicante, Elche, Murcia and other towns and cities. There are even hotels which have the convenient service of picking up its guests. And if you are in a hurry or do not want to be bothered driving and wish to take in the lovely scenery, then a taxi would do you well.
In order to give directions, everyone referred to this town as where the old tower is and therefore in Spanish - Torrevieja, which when translated to English means ‘ an old tower’.
This swampy marsh area has been known for its high quality production of salt and one of the places frequently used to store the dried salt was in towers. There was one particular tower which was knocked down when this area was hit by an earthquake in 1829. Even nowadays, this whole area is constantly being shaken by earthquakes, one of the last ones was just a few months ago.
Although it is popular with visitors thanks to its beautiful beaches such as the Cura, the Locos or the Mata, it is also visited because it has become popular for its habaneras, Cuban music. One might think that it is quite strange that such faraway music has planted its roots so strongly in a little salt mining town in Spain. But there is a very reasonable explanation. Torrevieja carried on a constant flow of salt trading with Cuba and the sailors who did this route were spellbound by this lively music and wanted to share it with their home folks and brought it back here. As we can well see, it has been happily transmitted from one generation to another.
There is a fantastic international music festival of habaneras held annually at the end of July or the beginning of August. If you are in the area at this time of the year and wish further details, the Patronizer of the Competition ( Patronato Municipal del Certamen International de Habaneras ) can help you or look in the web.
When you leave Torrevieja on the highway marked C-332, you will be heading for the Natural park of the Lagoons of the Mata. To be sure you will be able to visit this paradise, it would be a good idea to get information and book a date because there is a maximum of 35 people allowed in at aany one time. The most interesting fauna are the birds like the stone curlew and in the winter there is a great concentration of the diving birds and important nucleus of storks, eagles and and avocets. On the other hand, the salt swamps export salt all over the world. But the best part of this excursion is when the sun reflects in these salt mountains. And if that was not enough, salt baths are also recommended for some types of illnesses such as arthritis and skin diseases having become quite popular in the 19th century.
If you still have time after sampling the activities described, it is easy and fun to make day excursions travelling up the Costa Blanca to visit Santa Pola on the outskirts of Alicante, then on to Benidorm with its fantastic theme parks of all kinds, Altea and Javea. Get the most out of your stay and travel.
| ©2005 Robert Carlton. All rights reserved. |
Can't wait to shop in Shanghai? Well then, which are the best places to shop in this consumption-crazy city in China?
Shanghai is well known for some of the best shopping experiences you'll find among major cities in China. When visiting Shanghai you'll surely pass through the city's two major commercial streets - upscale Nanjing Xi Lu (Nanjing West Road) and bustling Huaihai Lu (Huaihai Road).
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The West Country Carnival has its origin in a bonfire at the Cornhill in Bridgwater. This was built from a large wooden boat, filled with about 100 tar barrels and whatever other flammable rubbish was available. It is said that this tradition ceased because of a lack of suitable old boats - and the revellers' determination to maintain the custom by turning to good boats as a source of fuel!
There is still a bonfire at the Cornhill each year - but using more sustainable fuel sources. Effigies of the conspirators were traditionally paraded through the streets before being cast onto
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Although Carnival has almost universal appeal wherever the Roman Catholic Church has a substantial presence, the level and extent of celebration varies enormously, ranging from hugely popular, highly developed, commercially supported, tourist-inspired events down to small celebrations within a locality which may only involve a few small villages or a small town.
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The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event which takes place in Notting Hill, West London, England – commencing on a Saturday and ending on the night of the August Bank Holiday Monday. In 2007, it takes place from 25th to 27th August.
The Notting Hill Carnival has attracted up to 1.5 million people in some years, placing it amongst the largest street festivals in the world and probably the largest in Europe.
The format for the Carnival takes the following pattern:
Saturday – the “Panorama” takes place, a competition between steel bands mainly from the London area, but increasingly from around the
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The annual Edinburgh Festivals are regarded world wide as some of the best Europe has to offer in terms of film, literature and music. Every year it is estimated that the population of Edinburgh doubles as the city becomes one of the most vibrant places to be in all of Europe. However, despite this worldwide recognition, only a third of the visitors are locals which means many Britons are failing to take advantage of this fantastic short break opportunity available to them right on their doorstep.
Starting in 1947, the Edinburgh Festival has grown into the largest festival in the
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