Considered as Spain's fastest-growing golfing destination offering premier golf courses, blue flag beaches, healthy lifestyle, and conveniently accessible. Costa Blanca has been a favorite among golf enthusiasts and those seeking a new home in Spain. Find out what attracts people to this Mediterranean paradise.

1. Location

With over 200 km of pure white beaches and coastline running along the Mediterranean Sea from the towns of Denia up north to Pilar de la Horadada down south, this prime real estate is referred to as the white coast of Spain or Costa Blanca for short. It comprises 170 beaches (132 of which are rated as Blue Flag beaches) and coves distinguishing it from the rest of the Spanish coastline.

Costa Blanca lies within the Autonomous Region of Valencia and is composed of the regions of Alicante, Castellon, and Valencia. It covers a total of 18 towns along the coastline with the largest tourist destinations being Denia, Javea, Calpe, Altea, Benidorm, and Alicante. Most if not all are interconnected together by an excellent motorway.

Costa Blanca is accessible by air using the Alicante International Airport. An alternative is to use the Murcia San Javier Airport if the destination is in the southern part of Costa Blanca. Murcia is the adjacent Region south of Alicante and forms part of the Costa Calida area, another famous destination.

Trains are another form of transportation that ply the region. Altaria trains come from Madrid while Euromed rail comes from Barcelona and Valencia. Or enjoy the sights using a slow train or TRAM system plying Denia to Alicante via the coastline.

Buses are another mode of transportation to travel through the region with access to almost every big city in Spain. Using a private vehicle, the AP-7 highway is the most convenient motorway that passes through the coast. This also interconnects with other highways going to Europe.

2. Security

Costa Blanca has a lower crime rate compared to the European average but a bit higher than the Spanish average. Most crimes though tend to be petty theft and street hustling incidents. The majority of these crimes are in bigger cities or municipalities catering to tourists but are almost negligible in smaller municipalities.

Areas, where golf communities are located, are perfectly safe. But some communities do adopt certain security measures like installing CCTVs, a security alarm system, and patrol. While premium golf communities are usually gated with 24-hour security and patrol.

3. Homes

With the numerous golf courses in Costa Blanca, golf properties form part of the development. A few of these developments are gated golf communities found within a number of premium golf courses. In the northern part of Costa Blanca, you have golf communities like Melia Villaitana, and Font Del Llop while in the southern part you have the likes of Las Colinas, La Finca, and Lo Romero. The rest are neighborhood golf community development, sprouting around these beautiful golf courses like La Marquesa, Las Ramblas, and Villamartin. In the case of La Marquesa, a whole new town came about with the development, the Ciudad Quesada. The town has around 30,000 properties attributed to the development around the La Marquesa golf course which expanded to the neighboring areas.

Golf properties for sale and available in the region range from apartments, penthouses, townhouses, bungalows, semi-detached golf villas to sprawling golf villas. Prices may also range anywhere from as low as 38,000 euros for a 2 bedroom apartment to the more expensive 3.35M euro golf villa. The price varies depending on the location, exclusivity of the golf community, and type of golf home. Check out our separate “10 Things You Should Know...” articles about selected golf communities found within the Costa Blanca area for more details. You can find them in the same place on the same page as this article.

4. Weather

In 1986, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Costa Blanca as having the best and healthiest climate in the world.

Costa Blanca located in the Valencia Region of Spain has a semi-arid cool climate. It has good weather with a pleasant average temperature of 18°C (64.4°F) and very minimal rainfall all year long. In Costa Blanca, the average annual high temperature is 29°C (84°F) and the average low is a cool 11°C (52°F). The warmest month of the year is August with a maximum temperature reading of 32°C (90°F). The coldest month is January with a low-temperature reading of 5°C (41°F). The annual rainfall is around 279mm (10.98 inches). The driest month are July and August with 6mm (0.236 inches) of rainfall. In November, the precipitation reaches its peak with an average of 42mm (1.65 inches). On average, the sun shines 320 days a year in Costa Blanca.

5. Golf Courses

Costa Blanca is a golfers' paradise with over 30 golf courses found within the region alone. 17 of those are concentrated in Alicante with its southern part hosting a majority of those courses. Some of these courses host professional tournaments. The quality of the golf courses is also suitable for all levels of players.

The golf courses are located in gorgeous settings with lush greenery, scenic mountains, and panoramic views of the Mediterranean. The blue beaches are less than 20 min drive from most of these courses.

The southern part of Alicante hosts several notable golf courses.  Among them is “Spain's Best Golf Course 2020” awardee, Las Colinas Golf & Country Club. In the Leading Courses 2019 survey on “Top 10: Best Golf Courses in Spain (That People Play Often)” Las Colinas was mentioned again along with Lo Romero Golf, Golf La Finca, and Las Ramblas Golf. All these notable golf courses are in a cluster, within 22 min to 37 min away from each other.

6. Membership

Most of the clubs are open to non-members. Visitors are welcome to play but booking is essential. Bookings may be done online.

Some clubs offer an option for an annual membership or subscription based on different lengths like the 3, 6, or 9 months option. This entitles the member to an unlimited game of golf. Check the club for the exact details.

Another option is to join a Golf Society. This allows you to play a variety of courses within the Valencia region. Price varies depending on the society. You only pay for the services you use.

7. Clubhouse & Amenities

All the clubhouses in the different golf courses normally have the standard amenities offered like a restaurant with a commanding view of the course, a locker room, a pro shop, and a rental shop where one can hire clubs, trolleys, electro-trolleys, buggies, etc.

8. Home Owners Association and Fees

Living in a golf community may come with an added cost. A community fee may be imposed in residential complexes to pay for common services such as pool cleaning and repairs, garden maintenance, cleaning of communal areas in the blocks, building maintenance, communal water for the gardens and pool, plus electricity for block lighting, and gardens. Other expenses may be charged for the security and general upkeep of the resort excluding the golf course. The fees are based on the property size or square meter contribution and the services that need to be funded. The fees may also vary depending on the specific golf community and the size of that community. Community fees may be as low as 150 euros a year to as high as 4,200 euros a year for a luxurious location.

Other fees to consider are:

Entidad Fees (collected in some luxury resort) is for security, bins and trash collection, street lighting, communal gardens around the perimeter of the resort plus water and electricity for the resort.

IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) Tax also called Suma Fees or commonly known as the property tax. This is payable annually. The amount will depend on the size of the property and the municipality where the golf home is located. The local authorities can set their tax rate anywhere from 0.400% to 1.300% as mandated by the central government.

The Resident or Non-Resident Tax or IRNR is payable yearly per person.

9. Other Sports Facilities

Costa Blanca is known not only for golf but also for nautical sports because of its extensive coastline. Sports like sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet-skiing, water skiing, etc. are also popular. Other sports facilities found in the region are swimming pools, tennis and paddle courts, football fields (soccer). With its nature trails and mountains, sports such as running, cycling, trekking, wall climbing, etc. can also be enjoyed.

Further affirming the popularity of sports in the region, international and national events are hosted like the Volvo Ocean Race, a yachting race that starts in Alicante, the Davis Cup, and Federation Cup for tennis, Costa Blanca Cup, an international football tournament, and Santa Pola Half Marathon race.

10. Dining Option

A wide variety of Mediterranean flavors abounds in the region. This is a combination of both new and traditional dishes and is complemented by quality local wines. Dishes like paella, tapas, pincho, gazpacho, etc. Composed of rice dishes, seafood along with plenty of fruits and vegetables makes the Mediterranean dish a gastronomic delight. To date, there are 15 Michelin stars awarded to 11 restaurants found in the province.

With over 30 prime golf courses along with beaches, caves, cliffs, mountain ranges, castles, and ancient villages, it's hard to imagine how an area can be so blessed. Add in the best climate found in Europe with 320 days of sunshine, excellent healthcare, a competitive education system, and a lower cost of living compared with other provinces in Spain - this is indeed paradise! It's no wonder many have opted to settle in this region to enjoy their sunset years or to start a new life in this part of the world.

Images courtesy of: A World Apart, Lo Romero Property, Love Holidays, El Mundo, Info Costa Blanca, Car Hire