Useful information about the Costa Blanca

Costa Blanca has a reputation as being paradise! Coupled with the mildest of winter climates and excellent sporting and leisure facilities the Costa Blanca is a prime location to purchase. In the Southern Costa Blanca, Torrevieja is the main town where the vast majority of beaches have been awarded the EEC Blue Flag Award for cleanliness and rightly so, an ideal place to settle in retirement or for that 2nd Home. From the shallow lagoons and extensive sand dunes of the south to the deeply indented rocky coves and bays of the north, this privileged corner of Spain offers everything that has made this country so highly favoured amongst property purchasers.

The clear blue waters and stunning underwater scenery make it a diver's paradise, while the setting of the sun, as it bathes sea, sky and land in a rich golden glow, is an experience not easily forgotten. Further south, the cliffs are a creamy white tint from which the Costa Blanca (white coast) derives its name. Covered with Mediterranean scrub and coastal pine, this is an area whose romantic lighthouses and ancient ruins encapsulate the history and soul of the Mediterranean. While the coast boasts excellent transport facilities of motorways, railways, ferry ports and 3 international airports, Costa Blanca is one of the most stunning and unspoilt areas in Europe. With average temperatures between 18 & 28 degrees the climate is not only healthy-rated one of the best by the World Health Organisation- but also made just for you, with Hotels, health and fitness spas, 19 golf courses and every water sport imaginable.

Alicante

Alicante is a busy, bustling seaside city, with the backdrop of the marvellous castle of Santa Barbara perched on a mountain looming over and protecting the city and its bay. Its old narrow streets are full of charm and history making it an extremely popular place to buy property in Spain. The port of Alicante is home to fisherman and a large nautical fraternity, often the stop-over point for cruise liners. It is within fifteen minutes of the international airport of El Altet and offers ferry services to the Balearic Islands and North Africa.

Torrevieja

Nestling between two large salt lakes and the Mediterranean, the fishing village of Torrevieja in Spain has grown to be the most important town in the area with impressive plans for further development of the infrastructure. It is ideally placed within 30/40 minutes of both Alicante and Murcia airports and in recent years new motorways have made access to the town much easier.

Because of its location it has its own micro-climate, considered by the World Health Organisation to be one of the healthiest in the world which has attracted people from all over Spain to buy property and enjoy the sun. It has a cosmopolitan flavour that can be seen in the array of shops and services. Torrevieja has had many awards such as being among the top environmentally minded municipalities in Spain.

Murcia

Set in what is known as the “breadbasket of Europe” in a fertile plain watered by the River Segura, is the historical city of Murcia in Spain. A city rich in cultural achievements, full of magnificent architectural pearls such as the baroque-rococo cathedral.

Murcia straddles the river and is a prime example of good city planning with many gardens and plaza full of restaurants where one can enjoy a quick snack or a good leisurely meal making it a great place to buy a house or villa. A university city, it is full of libraries and museums that describe the city’s long past.

La Manga

La Manga is a strip of land that enfolds the shallow waters of the Mar Menor teeming with all types of fish and shellfish. This is a privileged spot with a healthy climate and many small typical Spanish villages.

Because it is between two seas – the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean – La Manga is ideal for every type of nautical sport in its marinas, with classes given to beginners and advanced levels – swimming, sailing, wind surfing, etc.

If you are looking to buy a property in Spain and love golf then La Manga is the place for you. There is a first class championship golf course, the haunt of many famous celebrities. Here there is a green haven where it is possible to play tennis or bowls, even horse-riding, in fact there is an opportunity to develop your skills in many sports. Many international entertainers have performed in the five star hotels or in the casino.

Orihuela

The inland town of Orihuela has been a settlement of several civilisations that have left their mark on this city, whose lands are fruitful because of the River Segura that flows through it. The centre is full of truly beautiful works of architecture, not just churches and public buildings, but houses of past nobility making it a wonderful Spanish town to buy a property.

The city has its own historical sense and unforgettable legends that can be seen in the flamboyant annual processions of the Moors and Christians and the richness of other fiestas. The surrounding fertile lands and the closeness of the sea mean that the gastronomy of Orihuela offers the pleasures of the healthy Mediterranean diet. Many patisseries combine fiestas with gastronomy by providing traditional pastries and sweets that add a special flavour to life.

Moraira

A small coastal town, Moraira is situated in the beautiful mountainous area of the Costa Blanca. The resort is conveniently placed between the airports of Alicante and Valencia (about 90km from each). However, the surrounding area has a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, with beautiful and.unspoilt scenery and many small villages to explore. There are also some larger resorts nearby that are easily reached by car that are well worth visiting: Javea, Calpe, Denia and Altea are all within 15km, while Benidorm is about 30km away.

Moraira lies in a bay, on the South Eastern coast of Spain, between the larger resorts of Javea and Calpe, 80 kms (1 hr) from Alicante and 110 kms (1.5 hrs) from Valencia airports with excellent motorway and coastal roads from both. The town has pleasantly grown from a small fishing village to an attractive holiday and retirement resort retaining its considerable charm that attracts visitors from all over Europe and is particularly popular with Spanish from Madrid and Valencia. It has an impressive marina, excellent variety of local shops, weekly open markets, harbour-side fish restaurants and bars still retaining their Spanish character.

Moraira enjoys a typical subtropical Mediterranean climate, with cool sea breezes in summer and protection by surrounding mountains against the cold North winds in winter. The area averages nearly 3,000 hours of sunshine each year and the average temperature easily exceeds 20 degrees. In 1986 the World Health Organisation recommended the climate of the area as one of the most equitable in the world - neither too hot in the summer nor too cold in the winter. On average it can boast 325 sunny days each year making it an ideal all year round destination.