Cementerio de los Barcos (Shipwreck Cemetery)
Half-submerged in the shallows of the Laguna de Torrevieja, a cluster of abandoned wooden and iron salt barges slowly rust and decompose into the pink water — creating an otherworldly, hauntingly beautiful scene that most visitors drive straight past without ever knowing it exists.
Finding the wrecks
The barges were used to transport salt from the lagoon to cargo ships anchored offshore until the mid-20th century, when industrial conveyor systems made them redundant. Rather than being scrapped, they were simply beached and left. Over decades the salt water, sun and wind have reduced them to skeletal, photogenic forms.
The easiest viewpoint is from the road that runs along the northern shore of Laguna de Torrevieja — pull off the CV-905 approximately 2 km west of the city centre and look towards the water. The wrecks are most dramatic at golden hour when the pink lagoon reflects warm light onto the corroded hulls.
Photography and access
This is one of the most photographed hidden corners of the Costa Blanca among landscape photographers, yet it remains almost entirely absent from mainstream tourist itineraries. A telephoto lens brings the detail of the corroded ironwork and encrusted salt crystals to life.
The shoreline here is protected within the natural park boundary, so wading out to the wrecks is not permitted. The view from the road is entirely sufficient for dramatic images and the flat, open terrain means you can shoot from multiple angles without obstruction.
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