The Costa Blanca

We assume you are reading this site because you want to be informed about the COSTA BLANCA, with a view to buying a property there. Excellent idea! Although this is not a site about buying property we can tell you that right now and for several years to come, property ownership in this and certain other parts of Spain represents one of the best investments anywhere in the world.

This information site deals specifically with the town of Torrevieja and its immediate outskirts, so if you want to live on the Costa del Sol, the Costa Brava, or elsewhere in Spain, we are unable to help you at this time (maybe later). At the time of writing Torrevieja is definitely the place to go, be it for residence or investment, for the reasons listed on the page headed WHY TORREVIEJA? The reasons are a mixture of subjective and objective, but if you want to feel at home in Spain, relaxed, comfortable, and welcomed by the locals, Torrevieja has no equal.

Torrevieja promenade, a 1km-long traffic-free zone.

Because coming to our town to live - be it for all or part of the year - usually entails buying property, part of this information site covers this subject and suggests where to go for the best combination of price, quality, service, and in particular after-sales service. Completing the sale is only the start of it. You need a whole raft of support services to help you along the path to ownership and, if this be your desire, residence. Hardly any companies, despite their boasts, provide a comprehensive support service for the expatriate buyer.

The precautions a prospective buyer needs to take are summarised on our BUYER BEWARE? page. To look for other obstacles is to complicate your life and bring needless worry and stress down upon your head and ultimately discourage you from joining those million expatriates from northern and eastern Europe who have already settled in Spain.

What a buyer MUST do is ask him/herself this question: Do I really, really want to live in Spain (and why)? If you can satisfy yourself and your spouse that you do really, really want to live in Spain and are determined to realise that ambition at all costs, the next and only other important question is where in Spain.

This site has been put together by an association of independent business people of several different nationalities in the retail, insurance, and hospitality industries with a view to promoting the TORREVIEJA area where we all live and work. Many of us are expatriates who have gone through the house-buying process. Yes, we do have a vested interest in encouraging people to come here. Even so, we have tried to be objective and realistic about the attractions of the town and surrounding area and, as you will see, we don’t even advertise our businesses on this site.

The ‘Old Tower,’ newly-renovated, after which Torrevieja is named

WHY TORREVIEJA?

Well, for a start it’s an all-year town, unlike many along the Costa Blanca. In fact it’s the only all-year town on the coast between the major cities of Alicante and Cartagena. It’s not too big to be impersonal but big enough to cater for all your needs. The other communities along the same stretch of coast - Santa Pola, La Marina, Los Alcazares, La Manga, Mazzarone, etc - are strictly holiday towns. In the winter they hibernate.

The ‘Vista Alegre’ promenade, on Torrevieja’s sea front

Secondly, it’s an expatriate community. In addition to the official population of about 20,000 another estimated 20,000 expatriates live here with or without a residence permit. Torrevieja is not geared to the foreign tourist market and has few hotels. In particular it does not court the fish-and-chip brigade the way Benidorm does. Many of those who holiday here are Spanish, owners of a large proportion of the apartments in the town itself. This dependency on Spanish holidaymakers has a beneficial effect in keeping prices low. They wouldn’t stand for paying the sort of prices foreign residents have to pay in places like Marbella and Fuengirola.

Part of Torrevieja’s International Marina with ‘watering hole’

Thirdly, did you know that COSTA BLANCA enjoys the best climate in Spain, with over 300 days sunshine per year and less than 30 days rain, yet thanks to the efficient water distribution system in Spain, water shortages are an extremely rare occurrence? For instance, in 2000, there was no rain at all between May and September, yet the consumption of water was not restricted at any time - not so much as a hosepipe ban! Moreover, the Torrevieja region is rated by the World Health Organisation as one of the healthiest places to live in the world. Partly because of the sunshine, but also because of the two huge salt lakes within 2km of the town centre. These salt lakes draw moisture from the air resulting in an extremely low humidity level. It compares favourably with the costas to the south - del Sol, which has a higher rainfall, and Calida, which is windy.

The Plaza at Villamartin

For those with health concerns there are 3 excellent hospitals in Torrevieja, the newest and biggest of which is the San Jaime, completed this year. No waiting lists here! Spain has two-and-a-half times as many doctors per head as the UK and the difference shows. Patient care is among the highest in Europe. The climate is of course beneficial, permitting an outdoor life for much of the year. The benefits to sufferers of arthritis, rheumatism, allergies and skin complaints have been well documented over the years.

The local people, despite coming close to being outnumbered by the expats, are friendly and have learned to live side-by-side in harmony with them. Indeed, from a business and employment aspect they benefit from the influx and, being pragmatic, they know it. Especially the market traders.

A typical day at the promenade market

Yet for those of the British who prefer to stay with their countrymen entire independent infrastructures have grown up. Businesses of all kinds - electricians, plumbers, bars, builders, motor dealers, are owned by Brits. There are many British doctors, dentist, and lawyers. And virtually every type of business, whatever its ownership has English, German or French-speaking personnel. If you really want to, you can get along without learning any Spanish at all. But who wants to? Learning the lingo is part of the fun.

All the leading UK daily and Sunday newspapers are available from early morning on the day of publication. In addition, a number of English-language newspapers are published locally, the weekly Costa Blanca News being the most prominent (visit their Website www.costablanca-news.com ). Even Torrevieja itself has its own newssheet. Called The Guide, it is published on the first of every month.

Plaza de la Constitucion with Torrevieja church

Plaza de la Constitucion - church and outdoor café

If you need help in a hurry you can always go to the Foreigners’ Office, which is next door to the Town Hall in the heart of Torrevieja. This office, managed by an Englishman, provides all manner of impartial advice and assistance at no charge. As for leisure activities, if you’re a golfer, Torrevieja is definitely the place to be. Three magnificent 18-hole courses, and the smaller 9-hole at Greenlands, cater for all levels of skill and means. Most importantly, they are open to all, as are their club house bars and restaurants and, at Campoamor, the newest and most exclusive, the superb swimming pool. The club house restaurants and bars are as fine as any you will find anywhere in the world.

Club House at Campoamor Golf

Pool at Campoamor Golf

Other facilities of particular appeal to the expatriate community include health and fitness centres, bowls clubs, theatre groups, and social clubs.

A great deal of upgrading has been going on in Torrevieja itself in the past year or two, notably the conversion of the road along the sea front to a pedestrian area, a kilometre in length. This stretch is dotted with cafés, bars and restaurants, where even in December and January it is still possible to take refreshment al fresco.

La Mata Beach

The start of 14 miles of uninterrupted sandA brief mention of the beaches is not out of place. Most of Torrevieja’s beaches have been awarded the coveted Blue Flag for cleanliness and freedom from pollution. Other beaches, to the north and south of the town are similarly approved. So if swimming in the clear blue Mediterranean is your cup of tea, you won’t find a better and safer place to do it.

Playa del Cura

One of Torrevieja’s 5 superb beaches A final word about the climate. What can we say that has not already been said. You can expect around 300 days of sunshine per year and less than 30 days rain. Put another way, 25 days in every month are sunny.

Perhaps of more interest to North Europeans is what happens during the so-called wet months and the winter months. The wettest months are October, November and December. Rain falls on about 12 days during this period, though often it is not much more than a shower. Sun shines on 50-60 days. Need we say more about the wet months?

Crevillente Mountains

The coldest months are December and January. Even during these months temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius from mid-day are common. Eating al fresco at lunchtime is widely practiced. You can expect about 6 days rain and 35-40 days of sun. And these are the least sunny months of the year. At night temperatures do plummet. The average would be about 10 degrees.

The remaining 12 or so days of rain are spread over the remaining 7 months, which works out at less than 2 days of rain per month.

CUIDAD QUESADA

For those who prefer a smaller, less frenetic community, away from the tourist zones, Quesada is probably the answer. Built on a hill about 10km west of Torrevieja it boasts spectacular views of sea and lakes in one direction and mountains in the other. It also has a tournament-class golf course, which is open to the public.

The Cuidad Quesada arches

Quesada is a cosmopolitan place. The British predominate, but Germans and Scandinavians are numerous, while the Spanish seem to be in a minority. The compact town centre boasts a dozen bar/restaurants, including Chinese, Indian, French, and German, several mini-supermarkets, a chemists, five banks, a hardware store, an insurance broker, news agency, a computer shop and even an English butcher. Though much smaller than Torrevieja it too is an all-year round town and almost no businesses shut down in the winter. The ‘Don Carlos’ pub-restaurant, the hub of the community’s social life, remains open until well after midnight, every day of the year.

The Sunday market at La Rafaela near Quesada

You don’t have to believe what we say - come and see for yourself! It’s the only way.

Sunset over Crevillente

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