Costa Blanca North

Rocky coast and mountain backdrops, with Altea's white old town.

191 homesFrom €179,000

Costa Blanca North is the stretch of Alicante province above Alicante city, where the mountains come down to the sea and the coast turns rocky around Cabo de la Nao. It feels more established and more upmarket than the south, with older villa areas around Javea and Moraira and a slower pace in towns such as Altea. Benidorm, further down the coast, is a vertical holiday town with its own character and is not typical of the rest.

Living here

Outside July and August the pace here is slow. Denia, Javea and Altea are proper towns with people living in them all year, although some beach streets and smaller resorts go quiet in winter. Benidorm stays busy in every season because its hotels and bars rarely close.

Javea and Moraira have long-standing British and Dutch communities, and you will also meet Belgian, German, Swiss and Scandinavian owners, many of them retired or here for part of the year. The larger towns have supermarkets, health centres and private clinics, and English is common around Javea. Inland villages feel more Spanish, and a car makes life there much simpler.

Towns to know

Denia
A port town below the Montgó mountain with ferries to Ibiza, chosen by people who want a proper town that stays open all year.
Javea
Set between Montgó and the cliffs of Cabo de la Nao, with an old town, a port and a long-settled British and Dutch community.
Moraira
A small, low-rise seaside town ringed by hillside villas, favoured by retired northern Europeans and second-home owners.
Calpe
A seaside town known for the huge rock of Ifach rising off its beaches, with seafront flats for people who want to walk to the sand.
Altea
A white old town climbing to a blue-domed church, with a strong arts community that draws buyers who value character over nightlife.
Albir
A small resort beside the Serra Gelada headland with a pebble beach and a promenade, liked by northern European owners.
Benidorm
Tall towers, package holidays and nightlife all year, which suits people who want everything on the doorstep and a high-rise sea view.
Finestrat
A hilltop village behind Benidorm whose newer developments run down to a small beach, popular with new-build buyers.

Climate

Winters are mild, with daytime temperatures of around 13 to 18°C, and summers reach about 28 to 32°C. It is drier than the coast further north, although Denia and Javea see more rain than the far south of the province, which keeps the hills greener. Storms known as gota fría or DANA can bring flash flooding in late summer and autumn.

Getting here

Alicante airport is the main gateway, about 45 minutes by car from Benidorm and around an hour and a quarter from Javea or Denia. Valencia airport is a similar drive from the northern towns, which widens your choice of flights. The AP-7 motorway and the slower N-332 run along the coast, and a tram line links Alicante with Benidorm, with a connection on to Denia. Ferries sail from Denia to Ibiza.

What you can buy

Villas on hillside plots are the classic purchase here, along with flats in Calpe, Altea and Benidorm and townhouses in newer developments. Denia tends to cost a little less than Javea and Moraira. Around Finestrat, Polop and La Nucia you find more new builds and inland homes, often with mountain views, a drive away from the beach.

Older villas deserve a proper survey, since houses from before 2000 may have dated wiring and plumbing. Check that any added pool, terrace or extension appears in both the Land Registry and the Cadastre. If a house is within 100 metres of the sea or on rustic land inland, ask your lawyer to confirm in writing what the rules allow.

Work out the buying costs here

Who it suits

Couples who want a settled town with an established international community around them.
Retired buyers who want a villa with a garden and do not mind using a car for most errands.
Walkers and sailors who value mountains and a rocky shoreline more than long sandy beaches.

Questions buyers ask

Do I need a car here?

In most cases, yes. The tram and buses link the main towns, but hillside villas usually sit well away from shops and stops.

What tax applies to a purchase here?

Alicante province is in the Valencia Community, where ITP on a resale is 10% as a guide, or 8% for some buyers, and a new build carries 10% IVA plus 1.5% stamp duty. Your lawyer will confirm the current rates.

Is Benidorm typical of this coast?

No. It is a high-rise holiday town with its own character, and Altea, Javea and Moraira are far quieter and lower-rise.