Costa Blanca Sur
Coves, golf and one of the most established international communities on the Spanish coast.
Living on the Costa Blanca Sur, from Torrevieja to Pilar de la Horadada
Here you go down for bread, stroll by the harbour and, in the evening, dine out without getting on the motorway. The Costa Blanca Sur —Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Pilar de la Horadada and surroundings— has shops, doctors, lawyers and a social life in English, and is about 45–50 minutes from Alicante-Elche airport.
It is the area where local Spanish culture and European culture have blended best, which is why it is one of the most sought-after on the whole Mediterranean coast. On the same street live the neighbourhood bar, the bakery that opens early and the terrace where you hear English, German or Dutch: everyone keeps their own and no one feels foreign.
It is also a sunny area: among those with the fewest rainy days and the most sunny days on the Mediterranean coast, with clear-water coves, seafront promenades and developments with pools where life is lived almost entirely outdoors. And for shopping days, La Zenia Boulevard: a shopping centre with the best open-air shops, with the blue Mediterranean sky for a roof.
Areas within Costa Blanca Sur
Each has its own character, its own prices and its own kind of buyer. If one of them interests you, ask us about it.
Torrevieja town
You go down for bread, stroll by the marina and have market, doctor and shops ten minutes on foot. A town that does not switch off in winter: there is still music and people in the street.
La Zenia and Playa Flamenca
A wide sandy beach in the morning, a terrace at lunch and open-air shopping in the afternoon. An easy, light life designed for enjoyment, without taking the motorway.
Cabo Roig
Clear-water coves, a marina with boats and, as evening falls, the Strip fills with tables and music. You live outwards: meeting friends, dining out and walking home.
Campoamor and Dehesa
A pine forest that smells of summer, small coves among the rocks and a golf course a few minutes away. The calmest, best-kept part of the coast, for those who want nature without giving up services. Campoamor, Las Colinas and Villamartín.
Pilar and Torre de la Horadada
A promenade you walk without hurry, wide beaches and a 16th-century watchtower facing the sea. Families, locals and a village rhythm with every service.
Ciudad Quesada and Rojales
An international community with shops, doctors and bars where English is spoken, golf next door and the coast about fifteen minutes away. Like arriving in a neighbourhood where you already have friends.
Why people fall in love with the Costa Blanca Sur
Coves, not just beaches.
Between Cabo Roig and Campoamor there are rocky coves of clear water, quieter than the big beaches of La Zenia or Torrevieja. Life is lived from the outside in: you meet friends, dine out and walk home.
A community that is already here.
Anyone arriving from another country doesn't arrive alone: there are shops, doctors, lawyers and bars where English is spoken, and a social life that already works. It is like arriving in a neighbourhood where you already have friends.
Sun and unexpected landscapes.
It is an area with few rainy days and many sunny ones. And what surprises our clients most is not a beach: it is the sunset light over the lagoons, with their pinkish waters and the Mediterranean beyond. A few minutes from the developments, the La Mata and Torrevieja lagoons are a natural park, with working salt pans and flamingos.
What people ask us most about the Costa Blanca Sur
Where is the Costa Blanca Sur?
It is the southern end of the province of Alicante, next to the border with Murcia: Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa (La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig, Campoamor), Pilar de la Horadada and San Miguel de Salinas. Alicante-Elche airport is about 45–50 minutes by car.
Why choose the Costa Blanca Sur?
For its established international community, its services in English, its proximity to the airport and a range of homes for every taste. Each corner has its own character: Torrevieja, with its city life and seafront promenade; Orihuela Costa, with its coves, golf and developments with pools.
What types of property are there?
Apartments, townhouses and villas, mostly in developments with pools and communal areas, as well as new builds. In each development, what makes the difference is the orientation, the views and the atmosphere of the community: that is why we help you find the one that fits the way you live.
How much does it cost to buy a property here?
There is a home here for almost every dream: from very accessible apartments in developments with pools to luxury, highly exclusive villas that exceed a million euros. Torrevieja city, the first line of Orihuela Costa and the inland developments each offer a different kind of life: tell us how you want to live and we will show you what suits you.
Is it a good area to invest in?
The closer to the sea, the better. There are specific areas where a home can be made profitable with holiday rental, and that is where we recommend looking if the purchase is an investment. Many of our clients buy as an investment: they enjoy their home when they come and, when they are away, leave it in our hands to earn from holiday rental. It is a way to own a piece of the Mediterranean that also works for you.
What lifestyle can you expect?
Plenty of outdoor life: beaches, coves, walks, golf and terraces, with services nearby. An ordinary day starts with breakfast on the terrace, continues with a stroll along the coast or a round of golf, an unhurried lunch and, when the sun goes down, dinner by the sea. Almost everything is close, and weekends are shared with neighbours from half of Europe.
What is life like in winter?
In winter everything is calmer, but there is still atmosphere, energy and movement. Some developments empty out of season, such as Cabo Roig and Campoamor, and others are lively all year round, such as Villamartín: there is a place for every way of living the winter. In January the average temperature is around 12 °C, with highs of about 17 °C and lows of about 7–8 °C. City life in Torrevieja carries on all year.
Is it suitable for families moving to Spain?
Yes. There are international schools in Villamartín and San Miguel de Salinas and a private hospital in Torrevieja with an international patients section. Schools and healthcare below.
How far are the beaches and services?
In this area, the beach is never more than 15 minutes by car. And for shopping and leisure, La Zenia Boulevard brings together the best open-air shops, with restaurants and terraces.
Is it a good place to live long term?
For those seeking community, climate and services, it is a place to put down roots: people come for the sun and stay for the life they build here.
First purchase in Spain? We answer the NIE, the regional purchase taxes and getting a mortgage as a non-resident.
Where to eat in Costa Blanca Sur
The places we recommend by name: where we have breakfast, where we have lunch and where we end the day. A personal selection by CALA, not a directory.
Orihuela Costa, Torrevieja and surroundings
Healthcare and hospitals
The area is covered by Valencian public healthcare and by private services with English-speaking staff.
Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa
Private hospital with an English website and an international patients section.
Consultations and diagnostics, linked to the Torrevieja hospital.
Public hospital serving Torrevieja and its surroundings.
The main public hospital of the Vega Baja region, also for Orihuela Costa.
Private, bilingual and international schools
Each municipality has state and state-subsidised schools. For the British or international curriculum, private provision is concentrated in Villamartín and San Miguel de Salinas.
Near Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa
Cognita Group. British curriculum with IGCSE and A-Level and Spanish qualifications (ESO and Bachillerato). Multilingual school.
English national curriculum with IGCSE and A-Level. Small school with a family atmosphere.
Further afield
Includes IB Diploma.
British and Spanish curriculum.
Others
Besides the private schools, every municipality has state and state-subsidised schools, and many of them offer bilingual teaching. They are a good option for those settling permanently who want their children to mix with local children and learn Spanish naturally. To choose well, the best thing is to visit the school and ask about available places in the specific municipality where you will live.
Ten reasons to choose the Costa Blanca Sur
- Clear-water coves between Cabo Roig and Campoamor.
- An established international community, with services in English.
- Alicante-Elche airport about 45–50 minutes away.
- Few rainy days and many sunny ones: among the brightest areas of the Mediterranean.
- Seafront promenades and long beaches in Torrevieja and La Zenia.
- The sunset light over the pink lagoons of La Mata and Torrevieja, with the Mediterranean beyond.
- Developments with pools and outdoor living.
- Private hospital in Torrevieja with care for international patients.
- International schools in Villamartín and San Miguel de Salinas.
- Food, leisure and shopping: La Zenia Boulevard, with the best open-air shops.
Properties in Costa Blanca Sur
Tell us what you are looking for and we will send you what fits, including properties not yet published.
Download the complete guide
The PDF guide gathers taxes, purchase costs, neighbourhoods and local tips for the Costa Blanca Sur.
Speak directly with John Lomax
One person from start to finish. No switchboards, no sales teams: I answer you myself, in English or Spanish, usually within two hours during working hours.