Most lists of the best things to do in Torrevieja are written for a weekend. This one is for people who stay two weeks, a month or the whole winter, when what matters is not ticking off sights but building a good routine. These are the things we actually enjoy doing, with the practical details other guides leave out.
The short version: walk the Dique de Levante to the lighthouse, enjoy an evening at the port, shop at the Friday market, spend a morning at the salt lakes, play padel or golf, eat tapas or Italian, and take a boat out when the sea is calm.
1. Walk the Dique de Levante to the lighthouse
Our favourite walk is along the sea wall, the Dique de Levante, all the way to the lighthouse at the port. The promenade is more than a kilometre long, was renovated and reopened in March 2026, and has views of the coast and the town skyline, a sculpture dedicated to sailors' wives and a lower section with a cycle lane. From the apartment on Playa del Acequión it is an easy daily walk, and in winter, with average daytime highs of 16.7–17.4 °C and 165–184 hours of sunshine a month according to AEMET, it is comfortable all year. See our guide to Torrevieja weather by month.
2. Spend an evening at Paseo del Mar and the port bars
The port area is where Torrevieja comes out in the evening. Around the port there are plenty of cocktail bars, and next to it is Paseo del Mar, a new leisure area that opened in June 2026 with 27 venues, a mix of national and international brands, restaurants and bars, and, according to local press, a cinema and a bowling alley. It is a practical option for a rainy evening, and the seafront promenades around it make it a pleasant after-dinner stroll. Opening hours vary by venue, so check before you go.
3. Do your shopping at the Friday market
The weekly market is held every Friday from 8:00 to 14:00 on Avenida Delfina Viudes, next to the water park, with more than 500 stalls of fruit, vegetables, cheese, olives, clothes and street food. Go before 9:30 to avoid the busiest hours and bring cash, as most stallholders do not take cards. There is also a smaller market on Wednesdays in La Mata.
4. Browse the hippie market in the evening
The artisan market of leather, jewellery and handmade goods is open daily. Since 2025 it has been temporarily moved from the seafront to the Vía Verde on Avenida de la Estación, and opening hours vary between sources, so check before you go. It is good for an unhurried evening walk.
5. Spend a morning at the salt lakes
The Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja Natural Park covers about 3,700 hectares of salt lakes, with walking and cycling routes, bird-watching towers and a visitor centre at La Mata (see the official visitor website for visits and information). You can often see flamingos. Two honest notes: the famous pink colour is strongest in the warmer months, so do not expect it every day of the year, and swimming is not allowed in the lagoons.
6. Get on a bike
Cycling is very popular in the Vega Baja, the flat farmland area behind Torrevieja, which has marked cycle routes. For a gentle start, the lower level of the Dique de Levante has a cycle lane with sea views.
7. Play padel, golf or another sport
We like to play padel at different clubs around town, and it is an easy way to meet people during a long stay. One option is Marina Padel Torrevieja, where you can book courts online. Torrevieja also has a municipal sports centre with a wide range of sports activities (check its current timetable), and football is popular locally. For golf there are no courses within 10 km, but several are a short drive, roughly 15–25 minutes by car: Villamartín (about 13 km), La Marquesa (14 km), Real Club de Golf Campoamor (about 16 km), Las Ramblas (about 16 km) and Las Colinas Golf & Country Club (about 25 km).
8. Eat well, simply
For traditional Spanish food we like Las Cañas, a tapas restaurant on Calle San Policarpo with a terrace, known for paella, seafood and classic tapas. We also enjoy the Italian restaurants in town, which are a good change when you have been in Spain for a few weeks. As a rule, book ahead on weekends.
9. Get out on the water
You can see the bay differently from a boat. We have rented a recreational boat for four hours to cruise around the port bay, and you can also leave the port if the sea is calm. Always check what the rental company requires (some boats need no licence, others do) and what the weather forecast says. For a longer trip, boats leave from the fishing port to the island of Tabarca, about seven hours with underwater viewing windows on the crossing, depending on sea conditions. You will find tickets and information on the Torrevieja boat trips website.
10. Keep a rainy-day plan
October is the wettest month, with about 46 mm of rain on average. The floating museums at Marina Salinas, the Delfín submarine and the Albatros III patrol boat, cost only €2, but they close on rainy days and public holidays, and the submarine needs a minimum height of 1.15 m. Treat them as a calm-day visit. For genuinely wet days, the shopping centres La Zenia Boulevard and Habaneras are a short drive away.
11. Getting around and local information
You do not need a car for most of the plans above. Our location page has the practical details: the airport express bus from Alicante-Elche Airport, a 24-hour radio taxi you can book on WhatsApp, the bus station and the official tourist information office with its map location. For events and guides, the Visit Torrevieja official tourism portal is the best place to start.
A sample first month
- Week 1: settle in, walk to the lighthouse, do the Friday market.
- Week 2: salt lakes, a first game of padel or round of golf.
- Week 3: boat day, on a calm morning.
- Week 4: repeat your favourites, because by now they are routine.
If you want a base to try this, our three-bedroom beachfront apartment on Playa del Acequión is set up for stays of 15 nights or more, with discounts for monthly and longer stays. You can see the long-stay rates, read the winter guide, look at the photo gallery or check availability and book direct.