Lagunas de la Mata y Torrevieja Natural Park

The Mata-Torrevieja lagoons form, together with the El Fondo and the Santa Pola saltmines, a triange of wetlands of international relevance in the south of Alicante. The Ramsar Conventional declared it an area of international relevance in 1989, and it was included in the ZEPA special protection area for birds.

The two lagoons are separated by “El Chaparral” (the thicket). A canal unites the two depression that are artificially connected by a canal known as “El Acequion”, which is a part of a salt mining entity.

The Mata lagoon works as a heating deposit, while the salt mining

I found out about this place thanks to a good friend who’s a photographer. He showed it to me because it has a spectacular sunset during the summer. When the water begins to dry up is when this place really displays its charm, as everything is covered in salt, leaving spectacular shapes, colors, and textures. In addition to the pretty sunset, there’s also great reflections in the water. It’s a special place.

This park comprises the towns of Guardamar del Segura, Los Montesinos, Rojales and Torrevieja. With an area of ​​3,743 acres, the park includes sa Torrevieja side ponds as well as the de la Mata, separated both by the Chaparral, and connected to the sea by the Acequión. The flora is quite nice as it features copies of the salt marsh and steppe saladillas, and Mediterranean vegetation. There is a very rare species of wildlife, and be careful with the high salinity level of the water. The Park has a walking route, where most of the same ecosystems are present. There is also a bike route, which offers