Door opening in Los Balcones in Torrevieja

Los Balcones: nature and tranquillity beside the pink lagoon of Torrevieja

Los Balcones is a residential area located in the municipality of Torrevieja, in the south of the province of Alicante (Comunidad Valenciana), within the Vega Baja del Segura district. Located in the southern inland part of the city, about 3 km from the centre, it stands out for its leafy setting of pine trees and for overlooking one of the largest salt lakes in Europe, the famous pink lagoon of Torrevieja. It is one of the residential areas with the most tradition on the Costa Blanca. In this guide we go over its most relevant facts: population, economy, festivals, tourism and gastronomy.

General information

Being a residential area —and not an independent municipality— Los Balcones does not have its own official INE figures, but forms part of the municipal area of Torrevieja (which exceeds 113,000 registered inhabitants according to the municipal register). It is a consolidated and much sought-after area, with permanent residents and numerous second homes. It borders the rest of Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa, sits next to the Salinas de Torrevieja —responsible for the area's healthy microclimate— and very close to the University Hospital, with good access to the N-332.

Demographics and nationalities

The character of Los Balcones is markedly international, like Torrevieja as a whole. 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, Swedes and Irish, very numerous groups.
• Germans and Russians, alongside Eastern European residents.
• Spanish population, including residents from the north of Spain who choose the area to live or holiday in.

Its quiet, family-friendly and healthy atmosphere makes it especially attractive for those seeking nature without giving up services.

Economy

The economy of Los Balcones revolves around three great pillars:

• Residential tourism: the area's driving force, with villas, bungalows and apartments, both resale and new-build.
• Local retail and services: shops, bars and tapas restaurants, as well as the closeness to shopping centres.
• Leisure and health: the proximity to the Tennis Club, the Sports City and the hospitals generates notable service activity.

Emergency and home security services

Los Balcones is made up of numerous urbanisations —villas, terraced houses, bungalows and low-rise apartment blocks— with a mix of permanent residents and second homes. That is why reliable locksmith services are especially necessary in the area. It is very common for owners who spend periods away to return and find the door jammed, or for incidents to arise with keys inside the house after arriving on holiday.

Our emergency door opening service covers Los Balcones and the whole of the Torrevieja municipal area, as well as the neighbouring surroundings of Orihuela Costa, 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, villas, bungalows, 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

Los Balcones shares the intense festive calendar of Torrevieja. Among its most notable celebrations are:

• The patron saint festivals in honour of the Purísima Concepción, patron of Torrevieja, in December.
• The International Habaneras and Polyphony Competition, in summer, declared of International Tourist Interest.
• The festivals of the Virgen del Carmen, in July, and the city's summer open-air dances.

Tourism: what to visit

Los Balcones offers quiet tourism, closely tied to nature:

• The Natural Park of the La Mata and Torrevieja Lagoons, with its spectacular pink lagoon —one of the largest salt flats in Europe— and its colony of flamingos, practically at the doorstep of the area.
• The nearest blue-flag beaches: Punta Prima (about 2 km away) and the beaches of the centre of Torrevieja.
• The historic Club de Tenis Torrevieja, the Sports City and the nearby golf courses (Villamartín, Las Ramblas).
• The Zenia Boulevard shopping centre and the centre of Torrevieja, a few minutes away.

Gastronomy

Los Balcones cuisine shares the tradition of Torrevieja, which combines the produce of the sea with the market garden of the Vega Baja. Among its typical dishes and products, the following stand out:

• The caldero torrevejense, an emblematic dish, with rockfish and rice.
• Seafood rice dishes and fresh fish.
• Salted fish and mojama, a legacy of the salt tradition.
• Arroz con costra and the traditional stews of the district, alongside a varied offer of tapas.

Other points of interest

A curiosity of Los Balcones is the origin of its name: it comes from an old building with so many rooms and balconies that it became popularly known as «Villa Balcones», which ended up giving its name to the whole area. Its urban development began in the early 1970s, tied to the birth of the Club de Tenis Torrevieja, which makes it one of the residential areas with the most tradition in the province. Its great privilege is the setting: living beside one of the largest salt lakes in Europe, with a microclimate that the World Health Organization has highlighted as one of the healthiest. A place where having trustworthy 24-hour locksmiths brings the peace of mind that residents and second-home owners deserve all year round.