If you live in Torrevieja or plan to visit, I imagine that you would want to know what gave the place its name.
Torrevieja translates into Old Tower and, indeed, an ancient Moorish tower is still left overlooking the coast. The tower as you see it today isn’t ancient, but at least the foundations are. Gardens, a kid`s playground and one or two pretty chiringuitos make up the area known as Cabo del Moro, right opposite the Hotel Masia.
One of my favourite Sunday morning activities is to walk to the Tower, starting from Playa de Los Locos because I live only steps away. I like that beach best, because sandy stretches alternate with rocky parts which are quite spectacular and much more interesting than just miles and miles of sand.
Come the 15th of March, my first stop is at a stand which makes and sells the best churros con chocolate. Sadly, only on weekends and they are closed during the winter. Not for nothing is there always a long queue.
Bag with churros in hand, although I prefer them with sugar instead of chocolate which is also less messy when eaten on the go, I walk through a long established restaurant, the 222. Not because I need more food, but because of the lovely tropical garden.
After that, there is no pavement on the beach side of the road. Watch your back as traffic is whizzing past, which, in summer, can be a bit stressful. It’s also not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. If you need to, use the opposite side, but then you miss what makes the walk so nice, the many paths which lead to one cala after another. Veer to your right and take one or the other leading to the cliffs and gaze down at the churning sea. Just don’t fall off. I haven’t tried yet to walk all the way to the tower along the cliffs, thus avoiding the main road altogether. I doubt that it’s possible though, because there are hotels and fenced off private homes along the way.
Churros finshed, passing the rather grandly named but run down Hotel Eden Roc, I reached the tower, looked over the wall, had a little walk through the playground and was on my way back.
This route is popular with dog walkers, joggers and serious runners, so it’s not only cars that are whizzing past you. Unless of course, you opt to jog too, but in that case you can’t munch churros. The choice is yours!