Playa El Cura is the beach that most people picture when they think of Torrevieja: central, accessible, broad, and reliably busy from June through September. It sits more or less in front of the town centre, easily walkable from the main shopping streets and the paseo marítimo, which means that on a summer weekend it gets crowded early and stays that way. The sand is fine and golden, the water is shallow and calm enough for families with young children, and the infrastructure — showers, sunlounger hire, beach bars — is well maintained. Blue Flag status is standard here.
Outside peak summer, El Cura is one of the more pleasant town beaches in this part of the coast: wide enough that a few dozen people spread out across it without crowding, with good views back to the Casino del Mar and the Submarino Delfín nearby. The promenade directly behind the beach has a concentration of fish restaurants and ice cream kiosks. If you want Torrevieja's beach experience without driving anywhere, this is the obvious choice — just arrive early in July and August if you want a patch of sand to yourself.