La Mata & Torrevieja Natural Park

La Mata & Torrevieja Natural Park protects two salt lagoons around Torrevieja in the south of Alicante province — the pink Torrevieja lagoon and the greenish La Mata. Walking and cycling trails with birdwatching hides start from the information centre, and flamingos are among the birds on the lagoons.

La Mata & Torrevieja Natural Park covers two salt lagoons in the Vega Baja area, within the municipalities of Torrevieja, Guardamar del Segura, Los Montesinos and Rojales. The park was definitively declared in 1996 and covers about 3,700 ha, of which about 2,100 ha is water. The larger Torrevieja lagoon (about 1,400 ha) is known for its pink colour, while the smaller La Mata lagoon (about 700 ha) is emerald green. The reddish tint of the water is linked to Dunaliella, a microscopic alga that can live in salty environments. The two lagoons are separated by an anticline called El Chaparral and linked to the sea by artificial channels known as acequiones. The lagoons were already being worked in 1321, and from the 15th century La Mata was one of the main salt-producing and exporting centres in the Mediterranean. The 1802 earthquake damaged the installations at La Mata, which led to the salt works' administration moving to Torrevieja. The lagoons are an important habitat for waterbirds, with up to 2,000 flamingos and up to 3,000 black-necked grebes in the breeding season, as well as avocets, black-winged stilts, shelducks, terns and Kentish plovers. Together with the El Hondo and Santa Pola Salt Pans natural parks, they form a triangle of wetlands. Among the plants, the vulnerable Orchis collina orchid stands out, with its largest population in the Valencian Region growing here. Visits start at the interpretation centre by the park entrance, next to the car park, where four routes begin. The yellow route is about 5 km there and back, with around 25 m of ascent and very low difficulty; it follows a wooden boardwalk shaded by eucalyptus trees, past vineyards, to three bird hides, one of them on a small tower. The boardwalk and picnic area are wheelchair-accessible, and the route suits families with children. Reviews often mention the flamingos, the squirrels in the picnic area (one visitor describes them as almost tame) and the sunsets over the lagoon. One visitor writes that the far part of the park is harder going by bike because of poor tracks, and mosquitoes come up repeatedly in reviews. Another warns against wading barefoot into the salt lagoon, as the bottom cuts your feet.