Door opening in La Mata in Torrevieja

La Mata (Torrelamata): beach, dunes and lagoons north of Torrevieja

La Mata (also known as Torrelamata) is a district of the municipality of Torrevieja, in the south of the province of Alicante (Comunidad Valenciana), within the Vega Baja del Segura district. Located at the northern end of the municipal area, it is a charming old salt-working village, set between a long sandy beach, a pine wood over dunes and the Natural Park of the La Mata and Torrevieja Lagoons. In this guide we go over its most relevant facts: population, economy, festivals, tourism and gastronomy.

General information

Being a district —and not an independent municipality— La Mata is part of Torrevieja. Its urban core has a registered population of around 1,200 inhabitants, a figure that multiplies notably in summer because of its strong tourist character. It borders Guardamar del Segura to the north and the Natural Park of the Lagoons to the west. Since 2010 it has had a district office of Torrevieja Town Council and is very well connected by the N-332.

Demographics and nationalities

The character of La Mata is markedly international, with a considerable number of residents from various European countries; it functions to a large extent as a commuter town of Torrevieja. The split by sex is balanced, with an approximate percentage of 50% men and 50% women. Among the most present nationalities, the following stand out:

• Britons, one of the largest groups.
• Residents from Eastern Europe and northern Europe.
• Spanish population, both permanent and second-home.

Economy

The economy of La Mata revolves around several pillars:

• Tourism: the area's great driving force, thanks to its beach, its dunes and its natural surroundings.
• Residential tourism: numerous homes and second homes owned by Europeans.
• Hospitality and retail: bars, restaurants and services around the seafront promenade and the old core.
• Salt tradition: historically tied to the working of the salt from its lagoons, one of the most productive in the Mediterranean.

Emergency and home security services

La Mata concentrates numerous homes and second homes that stand empty for much of the year, as well as an old core with permanent housing. That is why reliable locksmith services are especially necessary in the area. It is very common for owners who arrive after months away to find the door jammed, or for incidents to arise with keys inside the house at the start of the holiday.

Our emergency door opening service covers La Mata and the whole of the Torrevieja municipal area, as well as the surroundings of Guardamar and the Vega Baja, with on-call locksmiths available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. By day or in the early hours, in high season or in winter, there is always a professional ready to act quickly on openings of homes, apartments, storerooms, lock changes and armoured doors, a service greatly valued by the large international community that lives in the area all year round.

Festivals and traditions

La Mata keeps its own festive calendar within Torrevieja. Among its most notable celebrations are:

• The patron saint festivals, with religious events, open-air dances and popular activities.
• The festivals of the Virgen del Carmen, patron of seafarers, linked to its fishing tradition.
• The open-air dances and summer events around the seafront promenade and the beach.

Tourism: what to visit

La Mata is one of the most beautiful and natural spots around Torrevieja:

• The Playa de La Mata, the municipality's most extensive stretch of sand, at some 2.3 km in length (and up to 4 km counting its continuation), of fine golden sand, with a gentle entry and ideal for families.
• The Natural Park of the La Mata and Torrevieja Lagoons, with its famous pink lagoon, its colony of flamingos and its visitor centre, next to the La Mata lagoon itself (of a greenish tone).
• The Torre de La Mata, a 14th-century watchtower that gives the village its name and protected the coast from pirate attacks.
• The wooden seafront promenade over the dunes and pine woods of the Molino del Agua Natural Area, which reaches the coves of Cabo Cervera.

Gastronomy

La Mata cuisine combines the produce of the sea with the tradition of Torrevieja and the Vega Baja. Among its typical dishes and products, the following stand out:

• The caldero and seafood rice dishes, the stars of the table.
• The fresh fish and shellfish of the Mediterranean.
• Salted fish and mojama, a legacy of the salt tradition.
• Arroz con costra and the traditional stews of the district.

Other points of interest

The name of La Mata has a twofold origin: on the one hand, the «mata» shrubs that once grew in the area; on the other, the Torre de La Mata, from the 14th century, around which the urban core grew. It was in its day an independent settlement and an important producer and exporter of salt in the Mediterranean —its lagoon has been worked since the 15th century—, until it became a district of Torrevieja. Between the sea, the dunes, the pine woods and the lagoons, La Mata brings together an exceptional natural setting and all the charm of an old salt-working village. A place where having trustworthy 24-hour locksmiths brings the peace of mind that residents and second-home owners deserve all year round.