Why Torrevieja looks the way it does — a Tairix column

Why does Torrevieja have almost no old town, houses wall to wall and few parks? We look at the facts: the 1829 earthquake, a salt town between the sea and the lagoons, a 9.5-fold growth in fifty years driven by holiday homes — and what is changing now.

A new column by the Tairix editors in our guide. It tells the town’s story through its buildings: how Torrevieja was rebuilt on a rectangular grid after the 1829 earthquake, why it is so densely built between the sea and the salt lagoons, where all the townhouses come from (36.3% of the built-up area) and why parks were scarce for so long.

At the end: what is changing (the Los Locos promenade, the Torreta Florida redevelopment, new green areas) and practical tips on what to look for if you are choosing a home in Torrevieja. All facts link to their original sources.