Torre Ferrer

Torre Ferrer in Alicante is a 16th-century defensive watchtower, built as part of a chain of towers that once guarded the fertile farmland of Alicante's huerta against Barbary corsair raids. It stands in the Condomina district, close to Albufereta beach and the Tossal de Manises archaeological site — an ancient Ibero-Roman settlement that makes this stretch of the city one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the region.

How do you get there?

The tower sits on Calle Licia Calderón, a few hundred metres inland from Albufereta beach, not far from another historic watchtower, Torre de Don García, which stands to its west. The easiest way in is by car or by a city bus heading toward Albufereta/Condomina; from central Alicante the trip usually takes no more than fifteen to twenty minutes. The surrounding area is residential, so street parking can be tight. Check the current state of access before you go, since the tower has stood abandoned for years, hemmed in by housing developments, and the immediate grounds are sometimes fenced off.

What will you see?

Torre Ferrer has a rectangular footprint of roughly 5 by 7 metres and rises through a basement level, a ground floor, two small upper floors, and a rooftop terrace. Built from rough and dressed stone, it follows the design typical of Costa Blanca's coastal watchtowers from an era when Barbary piracy was a genuine threat to farms along the shore. The tower is unoccupied today, and its condition reflects years of neglect: in 1997 the city council sold the plot along with the tower to a construction company despite its protected heritage status; the company later returned the land to the municipality, but the tower has never received a full restoration. Torre Ferrer appears on Spain's "red list" of endangered heritage sites (Lista Roja del Patrimonio, maintained by Hispania Nostra), underlining its uncertain preservation status. At one point local authorities earmarked roughly 170,000 euros for conservation work — it's worth checking locally or with the city council how far that project has actually progressed before visiting.

When should you visit?

Given the setting — a solitary historic tower surrounded by housing, with no tourist infrastructure — daytime visits during quieter hours work best, giving you room to view the exterior and take photos without disruption. Spring and autumn bring comfortable temperatures for walking the surrounding streets, and the short distance to Albufereta beach makes it easy to pair a look at the tower with time by the sea. In summer, avoid the midday hours, since the area around the tower offers little shade.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Torre Ferrer? No — the tower is abandoned and has no regular visitor access; viewing is generally limited to the exterior.

What was Torre Ferrer used for? It is a 16th-century watchtower, part of a defensive network that protected Alicante's huerta from Barbary corsair attacks.

Where exactly is the tower located? In Alicante's Condomina district, on Calle Licia Calderón, near Albufereta beach and the Tossal de Manises archaeological site.

Are there other similar towers nearby? Yes — Torre de Don García stands close by, and the historic Alicante huerta once held a wider network of similar defensive towers built around the same period.