# Torrevieja



## rke.golfer

We are thinking that Torrevieja may be the place for us. Can anybody advise us as to which are the areas to look at, and which to avoid. Our idea is to live in the centre so that there are facilities available during the winter.

Any help welcome.

rke.golfer


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## DunWorkin

Be sure to visit there for a while before you commit to living there.

Torrevieja is like Marmite you either love it or hate it.

Why do you think Torrevieja is the place for you? What sort of area are you looking for? Have you thought of looking at areas north of Alicante?


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## JoCatalunya

Ahhh Torrevieja, where you can walk in Carrefour and meet up with people you know from 5000 miles away. I know it well.


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## rke.golfer

*Housing costs*



DunWorkin said:


> Be sure to visit there for a while before you commit to living there.
> 
> Torrevieja is like Marmite you either love it or hate it.
> 
> Why do you think Torrevieja is the place for you? What sort of area are you looking for? Have you thought of looking at areas north of Alicante?


From the web it looks like we get more for our money than elsewhere. We need to be coastal and in a flat pert of town. We don't want to be deserted in the winter, and we don't want to have a car. Hence Torrevieja as a possible site. Any other suggestions welcome.


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## Pesky Wesky

DunWorkin said:


> Be sure to visit there for a while before you commit to living there.
> 
> Torrevieja is like Marmite you either love it or hate it.


Never a truer word spoken.
Good advice here


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## gus-lopez

We need a 'shudder ' smiley !


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## xabiaxica

gus-lopez said:


> We need a 'shudder ' smiley !


not quite a shudder - but will this do?


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## MaidenScotland

Stop being so snobbish.. one mans meat is anothers poison.


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## DunWorkin

MaidenScotland said:


> Stop being so snobbish.. one mans meat is anothers poison.


I think that is what I said when I said you either love it or hate it.

Torrevieja suits some people. Property is much cheaper there. There is no problem with the language as most things are in English - even the hospital. You can have a very nice social life with bingo and quiz nights in the English bars and social clubs.

A Spanish friend of ours was turned away from a bar in Torrevieja because he could not speak English 

If you want to live somewhere which is like England in the sun then Torrevieja is ideal.


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## rke.golfer

Don't want England in the sun. Want to find local cafes/bars where Spanish is spoken. Want to eat good food (especially fresh sea food). Normally find that three roads back from the front is where you need to go. Is Torrevieja like that?


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## DunWorkin

rke.golfer said:


> Don't want England in the sun. Want to find local cafes/bars where Spanish is spoken. Want to eat good food (especially fresh sea food). Normally find that three roads back from the front is where you need to go. Is Torrevieja like that?


It doesn't sound like Torrevieja is for you. The best way to find out is to take a holiday there and have a good look around.

As I said before, you might like to look just north of Alicante. The only problem might be that it is not flat. I think you said you wanted somewhere flat. The advantage is that there is a very good tram service along the coast from Alicante to Benidorm so you do not need a car to get around.

We live near El Campello. It is on the coast and is mainly a Spanish town. There are some British, some Dutch but it still maintains its Spanish feel. The property is a bit more expensive than Torrevieja area but there are some good deals to be had at the moment.


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## rke.golfer

Thanks DUNWORKIN. We are on holiday in Torrevieja in Sept. The intention is to looks around and find out if we think we could live there.

Thanks again


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## DunWorkin

rke.golfer said:


> Thanks DUNWORKIN. We are on holiday in Torrevieja in Sept. The intention is to looks around and find out if we think we could live there.
> 
> Thanks again


Let us know how you get on and what you decide to do


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## Joan14

Rent for a while before you think of buying. I quite liked Torrevieja but wouldn't want to live in the centre of it. I stayed in San Luis for 6 months which is just a short drive away from there and loved it. Great bus route and cycle paths lol if you're into that, few minutes walk to shops and bars and mixed nationalities. I would definitely go back but like most places there are pros and cons. It was so quiet in winter, I know I like a bit of peace and quiet but that was verging on deadly at times, the mosquitoes near the salt lakes had me for dinner lol and I'm never usually bothered with them. Generally everyone was friendly and welcoming, oh and don't rent or buy near any roundabouts.


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## rke.golfer

Thanks Joan14,

We will go see in Sept. If we think it's for us we will visit again in March to see the place in the off season.

Need to be in the centre for all sorts of reasons, and definitely don't want a car.

Good advice about roundabouts.

Thanks again.


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## Happyexpat

As has already been said you either love the place or hate it. Cards on the table I wouldn't live there if I was paid a fortune to do so but others love it. If you want a Spanish way of life, with winter facilities and a good transport system then you might like to consider Santa Pola or Gran Alicant. Gran Alicant is a bit like Torrevieja but more of a mixture and less brash / garish. Santa Pola has retained its Spanish charm, is well serviced and has some lovely beaches and a good range of shops, restaurants, bars etc. El Campello is also maybe worth looking at, much smaller, very Spanish but with excellent travel services tram and bus direct into Alicante.
Its all a matter of personal taste really, we live in the Campo away from it all thank goodness but its not everyones cup of tea.


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## emma wilson75

rke.golfer said:


> Don't want England in the sun. Want to find local cafes/bars where Spanish is spoken. Want to eat good food (especially fresh sea food). Normally find that three roads back from the front is where you need to go. Is Torrevieja like that?


You realy need to go out there and find out for your self what it's like and if its a life you want.
But i have herd that it's like "England in the sun " in some parts ??


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## elle79

hi all
i totally agree it is like marmite,i lived out there 4 years ago and really didnt like it but we are a young family wanting to start a business which didnt happen,torrevieja is very much an old peoples place and if you enjoy neighbourhood watch,bingo,and ignorant english who cant be bothered to intergrate then i think you may like it,personally id go further north x


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## rke.golfer

Thank you all for your comments. I guess it will all depend on what we feel when we visit, and on how Torrevieja meets our decision criteria. Wer have a very clear view on why we are planning to move, and what's impotant to us, so we look forward to seeing if Torrevieja fits our needs and requirements.

Unless anyone has any other thoughts, I guess that this thread could be closed.

Thanks,

Richard


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## emma wilson75

rke.golfer said:


> Thank you all for your comments. I guess it will all depend on what we feel when we visit, and on how Torrevieja meets our decision criteria. Wer have a very clear view on why we are planning to move, and what's impotant to us, so we look forward to seeing if Torrevieja fits our needs and requirements.
> 
> Unless anyone has any other thoughts, I guess that this thread could be closed.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Richard


Like you said your going out to visit and thats all you can to see if it's the place you want to start a new life, were hoping to do the same in a few yrs tho when my eldest has finished his exams, we like Benidorm, but quite like Altea or Villajoyosa but are going out end of June to take a look, a bit premature maybe but there is a lot to plan and think about !! :juggle:
Let us know how youi get on


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## Happyexpat

I agree about closing the thread but one thought might be worth reflecting on. While many Spanish like and enjoy Benidrom the majority of local Spanish people detest Torrevieja complaining that it has turned into an English Ghetto. Mind you I think they like making money there.
One thing I found interesting about this thread was not there was not much support for Torrevieja even from residents or ex residents, maybe a real indication of something not quite right.
I hope all works out well for you and it would be interesting to hear how you get on.


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## Alcalaina

Wrong time of year to post this I guess, but for all you guys thinking of relocating long term, do visit the place in JANUARY as well as June!


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## Zape

Torrevieja is ideal about you are looking for. It is a small town with an active life during the winter, with a lot of bars and restaurant, with fresh sea food, and places where you can find a lot of expats 
So, in your case, I think that is more than perfect.
If you need anything else about places,here we are!


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## donnados

i live in los altos and its not far from la zenia which is open all year round. playa flamenca is a lovely place and enough english people to get buy with langauge problems


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## Jennywren56

*Crime in Torrevieja?*



DunWorkin said:


> I think that is what I said when I said you either love it or hate it.
> 
> Torrevieja suits some people. Property is much cheaper there. There is no problem with the language as most things are in English - even the hospital. You can have a very nice social life with bingo and quiz nights in the English bars and social clubs.
> 
> A Spanish friend of ours was turned away from a bar in Torrevieja because he could not speak English
> 
> If you want to live somewhere which is like England in the sun then Torrevieja is ideal.


What is the crime rate like in Torrevieja? I read somewhere that Torrevieja is the crime capital of Spain. 
We are thinking of moving to Spain. We are both retired, so don't need to look for jobs. What is Villa Martin (hope I've got that right) like? What places would you suggest? We do plan to learn the language at least enough to get by. 😊


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## stevesainty

We love living in Torrevieja!!!

Posters on this, and other forums, who say that you do not need to speak Spanish here are very much ill informed.

Torrevieja is a very Spanish town populated by mainly Spanish people with lots of Spanish shops, bars and restaurants wherein, if you cannot speak Spanish you will be at a disadvantage.

On the southern coastal area of Torrevieja, which runs into Playa Flamenca (part of Orihuela Costa and not Torrevieja), there are a myriad of mainly British establishments. Day trippers from other parts of Spain will see this area and believe that it is Torrevieja and it is not.

Just under 50 % of the population are made up of nationalities other than Spanish and in the main live outside of the town proper on urbanizaciones.

Torrevieja coast boasts 7 blue flag beaches, it has two salt lakes, one a working lake where salt is extracted, surrounded by natural protected parkland. Lake La Mata, the blue lake, is home, year round, to many wading birds including flamingos. Lake Torrevieja, the pink lake and working salt lake, has a cordoned off area where one can enjoy, free of charge, the mineral mud.

Torrevieja has two theatres and an auditorium where there are regular performances of plays, entertainment and both pop and classical music concerts. It has its own philharmonic orchestra too. The town also has several museums.

We are sorry if this post bursts the bubble of people who are very happy to knock Torrevieja without really knowing much about it, but we have lived here for 5 years and enjoy it very much. We welcome newcomers who will embrace the town and all the knockers can stay away.

The crime here is, we believe, no worse than anywhere else. We never notice any, but we are vigilant against opportunists and have adequate security on our house and garden.

Villa Martin, not part of Torrevieja but part of Orihuela costa, is a self contained holiday village with shops bars and restaurants and a couple of golf courses; it also has a huge shopping mall, La Zenia Boulevard, on its doorstep. Although lots of the properties are owned by Spanish people they are mainly occupied in July and August, and a few weekends during the year, by Spaniards from big inland cities such as Madrid and Orihuela. The majority of the permanent residents there are other nationalities and as such the bars and restaurants cater to their needs and languages. I believe that during the off season it is very quiet with a fair few of the establishments closing during this time.


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## stevec2x

Stevesainty is entirely correct, as are all men called Steve. I live just two kilometres south of Torrevieja, close to Playa Flamenca, and you can have the best of both worlds here, expat or Spanish. (Notice that I didn't say British, some of our best friends are Norwegian and German and Dutch etc).


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## DonnySpainOwl

I have a holiday home in La Siesta and we visit every month. We love the area, although we prefer La Mata to Torrevieja we just love the easy access to everything. 

It's great for walking with the nature reserve on our doorstep and generally it's all flat. Also well served with bike track if that's your thing. No doubt the bars have a very British feel but that's just because it's our national pass time.

I'm sure it is marmite but don't let people put you off, you'd struggle to get better value for money in Spain.


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## stevec2x

Blimey, I misspent my youth in Donny!


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## Pesky Wesky

DonnySpainOwl said:


> I have a holiday home in La Siesta and we visit every month. We love the area, although we prefer La Mata to Torrevieja we just love the easy access to everything.
> 
> It's great for walking with the nature reserve on our doorstep and generally it's all flat. Also well served with bike track if that's your thing. No doubt the bars have a very British feel but that's just because it's our national pass time.
> 
> I'm sure it is marmite but don't let people put you off, you'd struggle to get better value for money in Spain.


Uhmmm I think you'd get the same or more for your money in many other areas of Spain. Parts of Asurias, Galicia, Cantabria, Leon, Soria, maybe even Toledo, Albacete..,


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## Jennywren56

Stevesainty, thank you very much for your informative reply, it's all very helpful. I'm pleased with what you say about Torrevieja, as my husband & I both like what we've seen & heard about it, though we have never been there.
We are at the point of thinking of moving to Spain, so looking at properties online, joining this forum & generally trying to find out as much as we can about the process of moving & how to go about it. Quite honestly I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with how much is involved. We will plan to visit Spain, Torrevieja, to have a look at the area ourselves & see if that's the ares we want. I'm particularly worried about the legal process of buying a property abroad.
Any further info you & anyone else can offer, would be great. X


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## stevesainty

Yesterday, we, and a couple of friends, went for a weekly menu del día, we take in turns to choose a different restaurant, and ended up in a Spanish restaurant one block back from the seafront. 

The menu was only in Spanish and was 8€ for 3 courses including bread and glass of wine. Whilst we were eating our meals, a group of 4 English pensioners came in and sat down and were given the menus to peruse. 

I believe none of them spoke Spanish as there was a lot of whispering going on. One of their company was brave enough to ask the waitress, in English, for a toasted sandwich. 

The waitress did not understand and the Englishman did not try further. All 4 of the pensions flounced out saying "we are not eating here, they can´t even speak English".

Had they been seated closer to us we would have given assistance. It proves a point though, that only speaking English in Torrevieja is not always helpful.

BTW the meal was lovely, quality food, well cooked and presented with generous portions too.


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## kaipa

IEnglish folk have a very different perception of torrevieja than the Spanish. When the Spanish talk of torrevieja they mean the actual town. Playa flamenca etc are outlying areas very distinct from the town. These places are where the majority of foreigners live.

Prices are cheap for a reason. Torrevieja is one of the poorest areas of Spain. Unemployment is large here. Don't be shocked to see families rifling through the green street bins!!

The centre possesses many flats for sale. Many of the buildings near the main beaches are empty during the winter months. Owners rent them to immigrant workers until the summer months when the owners family return.

Don't consider living here unless you speak Spanish and maintain a Spanish timetable. It is nothing like the UK. People tend to be much noisier and go to bed very late at weekends. Loud parties can often go on at weekends when young people use their families flats.

Don't listen to anyone saying torrevieja is Britain in the sun. It is not. More Russians live here than Brits.

Having said that I like it but it has taken a lot of work and patience to adjust and to jettison UK cultural values.

Please don't buy a flat in the centre and walk around expecting your neighbours to speak English. They don't like it whatever the estate agent will tell you. 

If you want to retire and enjoy the sun etc look at Guardamar and these places they are probably better suited to your needs


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## kaipa

I should also add that there is considerably more tolerance to drug use here than in the UK. Expect to smell marijuana frequently in the centre and to witness open dealing in the streets. It isn't a big problem but does seem to cause some expat worries!


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## Jennywren56

Thank you for that Kaipa, I'll have a look at Guardamar online. xxx


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## mrypg9

Pesky Wesky said:


> Uhmmm I think you'd get the same or more for your money in many other areas of Spain. Parts of Asurias, Galicia, Cantabria, Leon, Soria, maybe even Toledo, Albacete..,


That's very true. But these places are as different from the Costa Blanca as chalk from cheese, as the saying goes.

Somewhere on the Costas like Torrevieja or Torremolinos is ideal for older people who may not have spent a lot of time outside the UK, come to Spain with little or no Spanish and just want somewhere they can easily fit into with all modern amenities and English immigrant support if needed until they get on their feet, as it were.

Some folk might rent for a year or so in Torremolinos or Torrevieja, learn enough 
Spanish to feel confident enough to venture further afield. Or they might find a bigger city with a larger immigrant population fits all they expected from life in Spain.
Horses for courses!!


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## Pesky Wesky

mrypg9 said:


> That's very true. But these places are as different from the Costa Blanca as chalk from cheese, as the saying goes.
> 
> Somewhere on the Costas like Torrevieja or Torremolinos is ideal for older people who may not have spent a lot of time outside the UK, come to Spain with little or no Spanish and just want somewhere they can easily fit into with all modern amenities and English immigrant support if needed until they get on their feet, as it were.
> 
> Some folk might rent for a year or so in Torremolinos or Torrevieja, learn enough
> Spanish to feel confident enough to venture further afield. Or they might find a bigger city with a larger immigrant population fits all they expected from life in Spain.
> Horses for courses!!


I quite agree, it's just that DonnySpainOwl said


> you'd struggle to get better value for money in Spain


DonnySpainOwl was probably talking about the south of Spain and not Spain in general, but it's just not accurate to say that Torrevieja is the cheapest area in Spain to settle


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## mrypg9

Pesky Wesky said:


> I quite agree, it's just that DonnySpainOwl said
> 
> DonnySpainOwl was probably talking about the south of Spain and not Spain in general, but it's just not accurate to say that Torrevieja is the cheapest area in Spain to settle


He didn't say 'cheapest', though, he said 'value for money'.

That's not really the same thing. Value and price are different.
I'm nitpicking because I'm reading about the comparatively new 'science' of economics in Victorian England (well, there's nothing much on tv) and I've just read a chapter on the idea of consumers putting value on goods and determining the price ( how much do I want this coat) rather than focusing on price as manufacturing cost ( materials and labour).

So if Torrevieja provides satisfaction for the cost of living there it gives value for money.

And we know that cheap things are not always value for money.


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## Megsmum

mrypg9 said:


> He didn't say 'cheapest', though, he said 'value for money'.
> 
> That's not really the same thing. Value and price are different.
> I'm nitpicking because I'm reading about the comparatively new 'science' of economics in Victorian England (well, there's nothing much on tv) and I've just read a chapter on the idea of consumers putting value on goods and determining the price ( how much do I want this coat) rather than focusing on price as manufacturing cost ( materials and labour).
> 
> So if Torrevieja provides satisfaction for the cost of living there it gives value for money.
> 
> And we know that cheap things are not always value for money.


Hello and hope all well with you and yoursX


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## mrypg9

Megsmum said:


> Hello and hope all well with you and yoursX




Yes, thanks, trip to UK for dil's funeral very sad but as so often when such things happen it brought family closer together.
My son and I actually confessed affection for each other
We have always been the stereotypical stiff upper lip English family, no hugging, expressions of love etc. although we care deeply.
I was quite touched as I can't claim to be the world's best mother..

So glad to be back home in Spain. Torrevieja, Benidorm, Marbella, Estepona...home is where your heart is, as the rather sentimental but true saying goes.


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## Pesky Wesky

mrypg9 said:


> .
> My son and I actually confessed affection for each other


Good to hear


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## mrypg9

Pesky Wesky said:


> Good to hear


It was late at night with a bottle of single malt on the table.....
We avoided eye contact the next morning.....

First sentence true, second not


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