When it comes to Spanish holiday destinations, it’s safe to say that the Costa Blanca is right up there with the most popular and the most beautiful. Families flock here every year to enjoy the clean, pure white sand beaches, the warm seas, the hospitable locals, delicious food and the culture, which is abundant, varied and unique. In fact, my experience of the region is that the main difficulty can be deciding which town to base yourself in – since they all have such a lot going for them.
One of the very best options, especially for those travelling with children, is Torrevieja. It’s got everything you’d want from a town on the Costa Blanca, and plenty more besides. It’s not overrun with tourists, but is very friendly and easily accessible for them.
Below I’ve outlined some of the best things to see and do in order to keep the kids entertained and give the parents a brilliant holiday as well.
The Beaches
As with any Costa Blanca town, the beaches are fantastic in Torrevieja. There are a few to choose from, including the delightful La Mata and El Cura. As well as the more traditional beaches, intrepid explorers might enjoy the coves that are dotted around and make for great snorkelling opportunities. Adventurous families will also enjoy mixing up their beach days with some water sports, which are readily available at multiple sandy spots.
Theme Parks
This town is home to not one but two water parks. Aqua Park Flamingo and Aquopolis both give children (and parents) the chance to take in some high adrenaline fun on the slides and rides. There is also a brilliant adventure park not too far away – Lo Rufete Multi-Adventure Park – which has some tremendous outdoorsy activities.
Family Friendly Options
The accommodation in Torrevieja is perfect for all different types of families. You’ll find rooms of all shapes and sizes, as well as pools with slides and other games to be played in the water. Restaurants in the hotels and resorts come stocked with family friendly cuisine, with plenty for the more adventurous children to try as well. Similarly, the town is home to some great authentic restaurants – many of which cater to fussy eaters just as happily as they will to those looking to try some local dishes.
Nature Reserves
Fancy a quieter day in nature, but still with lots for the kids to enjoy? La Mata-Torrevieja Nature Park might be the perfect day out in that case. There are lots of trails and landscapes to explore, and it’s the right place if you’ve got a mountain biker in the family. The region is home to some other really great nature reserves too, so if that’s your thing, you won’t be disappointed.
Where to Stay
There are some amazing, family-friendly hotels in Torrevieja with a range of facilities to suit a number of budgets. Three of my favourites are:
Hotel Madrid, where the rooms are spacious, clean and uncluttered. The pool is excellent for young and older children, and there is bike rental allowing you to get out and explore the town on two wheels.
LLoyds Beach Club is great for families looking for a relaxing time with the bonus of a great sea-view. The restaurant has a good menu for a range of appetites and there are good sized family rooms available.
Hotel Cano offers a central location, which is perfect for groups and families that want to enjoy a variety of the town’s authentic restaurants. There’s a good breakfast, and despite being in the centre of town, you’re still only a ten minute walk to the beach.
How to Get There:
Torrevieja is conveniently located around forty minutes from Alicante Airport, making this the best airport to fly into from the UK. With a travel time of around 2 hours and thirty minutes, it’s a nice short flight considering how good the weather is in this part of Spain! I highly recommend pre-booking an airport transfer to Torrevieja, as this makes the process of arrival that much easier – a key consideration when travelling with children. Pre-booking also means you can ensure your driver has a car-seat on hand if needed.
You can fly from most major UK airports, with Tui, Ryanair and EasyJet all serving Alicante with frequently scheduled flights. Each of these airlines provide good services for families – but remember to check seat reservations before you check in.
Types of Transfer
Not everybody knows that there are actually a few different types of airport transfer to choose from. Depending on your budget and a few other factors, you may want to consider some of the following options at the airport:
Taxi: Alicante to Torrevieja isn’t a difficult journey, but if you’ve got young children, then standing in the standard taxi queue at the airport can be a daunting and quite horrific prospect. Pre-booking a private taxi for your Alicante Airport transfer can be one way to ensure a swift transition from the airport to the resort.
Shuttle Bus: This is a great way to travel and one that’s very cost-effective, too. Taking a shuttle bus can be the perfect option for those travelling in a larger group to get from A-B.
Private Transfer: Alicante Airport to Torrevieja is a great journey to do in a relaxed way, and this is the option you should take if luxury, comfort and convenience are your main priorities. Although the price for the private driver is a little higher than other methods of transport, the experience and knowledge that the driver brings is worth every penny.
Minibus Transfer: A really fun idea for social and excitable kids is to turn the airport transfer into an enjoyable part of the trip. Taking a minibus transfer is one way of doing this – as sharing the journey with other groups can lead to some fun along the way.
Choosing the Right Transfer
Every traveller is different, and it will depend on who you’re travelling with that decides how you make that final journey from the Alicante Airport to Torrevieja. If you’re going with older children you might look at a different option than if you’re journeying with toddlers or a large group. The two main things to consider are cost and convenience.
Cost: Alicante Airport transfers come in all shapes and sizes, to suit a number of budgets. For families that want to spend a bit more money, then a private taxi or personal driver is possibly the right way to go. As long as there aren’t too many to fit into the car, this is a great way to arrive at your destination relaxed, if you’ve got children who’ve been comfortable the whole way. If you’re looking to save a bit of money, then the minibus option is the perfect fit – as the journey is shared with other groups, keeping the total cost down.
Convenience: Nothing is more convenient than having a private driver take you from A-B, but the taxi is a good middle ground if you have a bit of extra budget to put towards your transfer. It’s convenient because you can skip the queue and you and the family can be on the beach that much quicker.
About Shuttle Direct
At Shuttle Direct we pride ourselves on getting each of our passengers to their destination in comfort and style, with convenience a key part of our mission. You shouldn’t have to worry about getting to the resort once you arrive at the airport; you can leave that side of things to us and enjoy a smooth ride courtesy of one of our professional drivers.
