Torrevieja is situated in south Spain and chances are if you were a tourist you would be hiring a car from Alicante airport, Murcia airport or driving south from France. The main road that serves all that area is the AP-7 and is linked to both airports, you can follow this road right up through Northeast Spain until you reach France. Alicante airport is the largest in the area and is a major hub for all of North Europe and the world. Most tourists who arrive here get on to holiday busses and are whisked away up to Benidorm a major tourist destination. Alicante airport lies 40 minutes or so North of Torrevieja and because many visitors either own holiday homes here or are renting one out, chances are they will hire a car. As you leave Alicante airport you will have 2 choices of which direction to go. Either follow the one way system around to meet the AP-7 or take the back road to meet up with the N-323. The AP-7 road is quicker in most cases, but if you are nervous driving in a foreign country you will be driving on a faster road. It is well signposted, but beware there is a dual carriageway that takes you to the AP-7, my first visit I actually though I already was on the AP-7. As you follow the AP-7 south look for the signs and turn left at the relevant slip road which will then take you straight into Torrevieja past Carrefore. The second option using the N-323 is not so obvious as the signs at the rear of the airport are very small. There are also limited street lighting and road markings at night and if you don't know where you re going can be a bit scary. Head for the coast to pick the N-332 and turn right. The benefits of using this road are that it will take you directly to Torrevieja without any detours. It is also ideal if you are going to a holiday home just south of Torrevieja, as this road continues straight on to these areas. But beware at night, lighting is poor and sometimes the Spanish drivers can't get by because of single lines in the middle of the road and sharp bends. Murcia Airport is situated 30 minutes or so south of Torrevieja and has a direct link to the AP-7. Because this is a small airport, it can be much easier getting out of the airport straight to the AP-7 and is my favourite option. Turn right on the AP-7 and follow this road north. However you will face tollbooths as you near the Torrevieja area. If you wish to avoid these, divert off the AP-7 on to the N323 going north this time, where the signs on the AP-7 say Campoamor beach. Again the N323 will take you straight to Torrevieja but going north. Torrevieja is pretty much made up of narrow Spanish streets, many of them one way. If you wish to park, follow the roads down to the harbour where there is a car park right there. Most locals however try to park in the narrow streets; if you look around long enough you should find a parking space but I never find it worth the extra time and hassle from the habour car park. The Spanish like to drive their cars fast, and hate to stop for anything. If driving past a slip road either speed up, slow down or move over, but find a place for that driver to fit in because he will not stop. Ironically though I find them far more polite with the horn and considerate to let you in when queuing. They don't mind slower drivers as long as they can get past and on with their business and seem less likely to judgeyour driving than in other countries. In the are area around Torrevieja however there is a hugh North European population who have bought holiday homes there, so that Spanish driver may not be Spanish after all. Safe driving! |
