For many years now Spain has been regarded as on of the best European countries to live in. Orihuela Costa is a coastal region situated on the south of Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante. It sits close to the border with Murcia, near La Manga and the beautiful Mar Menor. Its coastline stretches for over 16km and it is fast becoming one of the hotspots of the Costa Blanca being popular with both Spanish and Europeans alike.
What attracts most buyers here is the choice of affordable property combined with close proximity to its amenities including Alicante and Murcia International Airports, to the clean and well maintained beaches along Orihuela Costa, multitude of sporting activities, nature, the lively nightlife and a shopper’s paradise in Zenia Boulevard Shopping Mall. You can understand why so many people want to live here and DEMAND is big for this region!
Golf galore! If you are a golf enthusiast then Orihuela Costa is definitely the right choice for you. There is no better climate in Europe for year round golfing than in the Southern Costa Blanca and surrounding areas.
There is an array of lush golf courses and some of which have been designed by golf legends such as Seve Ballesteros, Dave Thomas and Jack Nicklaus and designed with all golfer’s handicaps being considered.
Accessibility to Orihuela Costa
Serviced by Alicante and Murcia International (Corvera) Airports, the drive time from both airports to the Orihuela Costa takes approximately 40-45 minutes. Flight time from UK, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia takes between 2½ to 3½ hours to arrive at your own piece of paradise. There is an abundance of reputable and budget airlines also who fly here regularly all year round.
Spain’s Fabulous Climate
The Southern Costa Blanca and Murcia regions tend to have less rainfall than the Northern Costa Blanca region. Orihuela Costa enjoys a typical 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 can exceed 30° in the summer months and during the winter months the temperature averages around 15°. On Christmas Day 2019 the temperature reached a balmy 20°.
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.
Health
Living in this region, the World Health Organisation suggests, is one of the healthiest places in the world to live being surrounded by two of Europe’s largest salt lakes. The high concentration of salt, together with the temperature forms what experts call a “micro-climate” unique to this area and only a few others around the world.
The sunny climate guarantees better wellbeing which is ideal for people suffering from asthma, arthritis, heart related problems and skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.
The area also offers the largest open air therapeutic mud bath in Europe which is located in Lo Pagán in the Mar Menor region. The natural mud that is produced here is well known for its many minerals which help improve the skin, joints and general wellbeing.
In addition to this, if you consider the weather, the Mediterranean diet and an excellent healthcare system it is not surprising to learn that the average life expectancy in Spain is 78 years for men and 84 years for women.
House Prices
House prices in Orihuela Costa are very competitive compared to other coastal regions in Spain. One of the few destinations that consistently offers the complete, second home or new permanent home package is Costa Blanca and has spearheaded the recovery of Spain’s property market. It is one of Spain’s busiest provinces in terms of sales. Tourism levels are hitting new highs too, which is ideal if you are looking to invest in a rental property here.
Typically you can still find properties in the following price ranges:
• A two bedroom apartment for €80,000- €90,000
• A three bedroom house for €150,000 or less
• Detached villas with private pool from €170,000
Food
Food lovers won’t be disappointed as the Southern Costa Blanca has become a cosmopolitan area of many nationalities meaning no matter what your taste in food is, you are sure to be happy. From Spanish, English, Irish, German, Scandinavian, Italian, Indian, Lebanese, Chinese, Thai restaurants abound, you will not be short on dining options throughout the region.
Not forgetting that the Mediterranean diet is said to be one of the world’s healthiest. Typical meals consist either of fish, meat, salad and fresh vegetables. Paella is one of Spain’s most famous dishes and can consist of different foods such as rice with a variety of vegetables, meats (including chicken, rabbit, chorizo) and shellfish (including prawns, mussels, lobster, squid).
Spain is also the world’s largest producer of olive oil in the world and also has the largest vineyards in the world.
Lifestyle – Viviendo La Buena Vida
Viviendo La Buena Vida, meaning “Living the Good Life” here in Spain and where the Spanish lifestyle is envied by many.
An all year round warm climate means spending more time outdoors, whether it be by relaxing on a beautiful beach, playing golf, walking or visiting many of the local attractions.
You will certainly be spoiled for choice and the sun will be shining on most days helping you to enjoy this amazing lifestyle. In addition to the lively Spanish celebrations and important festivals such as Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) and the Christian v Moors festivals, you can also indulge in the many other celebrations of our multi-national cultures.
With more of our European neighbours introducing their cultures into our communities we now celebrate together such popular events as St Patrick’s Day, St George’s Day, St David’s Day, St Andrew’s Day, Norway Day, Oktoberfest, Gay Pride, Halloween and of course the biggest event of them all, the Christmas Day Party held on Zenia Beach then ending the year off with New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The Christmas Day festivities on Zenia Beach has become an established international annual event attracting visitors form over 100 nationalities, with people travelling from Northern Europe and diverse parts of the world to take part in the celebrations. It is estimated 5,000 partygoers attended 2019’s Christmas Day family-friendly event, enjoying the brilliant blue sky, the fine white sands, BBQ’s cooking galore and a daytime temperature reaching 20°, with Santa and even a human Christmas Tree daring to take a swim in the sea.
This is why so many Europeans come and live in our lovely region of Orihuela Costa, if offers something for everyone to enjoy!
