Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time is ride the salt train in Torrevieja. Yes, it’s a touristy thing to do, but it was so interesting and well done that I highly recommend it! It’s hard to believe that it’s almost a decade since I wrote about the red lakes in the area. Back then it wasn’t that easy to get up close and personal with the salty waters but now you can do it and discover all about the history of the salt trade in the region, and all from the comfort of a tourist train.
The train was quite comfortable and the recorded commentary was in both Spanish and English as we went along. It’s a shame that the Spanish speakers don’t respect other nationalities though, and it was often hard to hear the English commentary through their chatter. The leaflets say it is available in other languages and there are holes for headphones to be plugged in, but if you really need that service, it’s best to ask if it is functioning. For less than €10, this was a wonderful way to pass an hour on a beautiful sunny day. It was absolutely perfect for photography on the day I went. Once you have actually arrived at the salt lakes, you get out and walk around a little where an actual guide, not a recording, will tell you all about what you are seeing. What a shame there wasn’t a real salt-encrusted model boat for us to see though. The salt really does look like snow, although I’m not sure of the merits of allowing your children to play in it as they would in the snow!! I’m not going to spoil the fun by telling you all about it, but I have no doubt that you will enjoy the experience whether young or old, and for those with limited mobility the distance you have to move outside the train really isn’t very far. On the website it suggests that you can also do the tour on foot or by bicycle.
Talking of bicycles, the Spanish cycling tour, La Vuelta, came to the salt lakes in 2019. Whilst you’d have to be a real cycling fan and not mind Spanish commentary to watch the full 2 hours of video on Youtube below, the casual observer can flick through until they see the cyclist departing from the salt mountains.
The tours run all year round (but not on Mondays) except for during February according to the website. Currently you can book until 19 January and there are several departure times every day. We were glad we booked in advance as it was surprisingly busy. A direct link to the bookings page can be found here. On the official website you would have to copy and paste it as they seem to have forgotten to make it a link!
So there you have it. A stunning way to spend part of your day. I really enjoyed it and so did my visitors. Have you been too? Please let us know how your day was in the comments below.
