Lagunas de la Mata y Torrevieja Natural Park

This protected natural area is located in the vicinity of the town of Torrevieja, in the south of the province of Alicante, in a highly urbanised environment very close to the Mediterranean Sea.

The two lagoons, which occupy almost two-thirds of the protected area, are separated from each other by a narrow strip of land called El Chaparral, but connected by a canal. Both are located below sea level and salty, but the different shades and hues are striking: The one in La Mata usually remains classic green, but the largest one, the one in Torrevieja, is pink, a colour that in the warmer months can even turn bright pink. This is due to a phenomenon that is almost unique in Spain: The waters are inhabited by bacteria that survive in high concentrations of salt and release the pigment.The fauna of the Natural Park is characterised by the presence of invertebrates such as the crustacean Artemia salina. As far as vertebrates are concerned, the bird life is particularly noteworthy, especially the flamingo.