9 areas of Alicante, Spain — where to buy a property and how much does it cost

Alicante is the mоst popular province of Spain among foreigners: last year 51.35% of local purchases of housing were made by foreigners. The city of the same name is considered the strategic capital of the Cоsta Blanca, where most English-speaking tourists and immigrants spend a vacation and buy a second home. Besides, Aeropuerto de Alicante is one of the largest airports in Spain, receiving up to 13 milliоn passengers each year.

We decided to discover the secret behind the popularity of this place, and broke down the city by zones. Officially, Alicante is divided into nine administrative "pieces" inside which there is a division into districts, sub-districts and various zones. In this article, we have described not only the beach and central part of Alicante, known to tourists but also looked into the farthest corners of the city to understand where and for how much you can buy housing and how you can benefit from it.

Welcome to our virtual tour!

So, first, we visit Centro, which is located in the south of Alicante. Despite the name, the area does not occupy the central part of the city in terms of geography. But from a historical, tourist and business point of view, it plays a crucial role.

Casco Historico concentrates most of the architectural monuments of Alicante. It comes close to Mount Benacantil, on top of which is located the Castle of Santa Barbara, the main attraction of Alicante. Casco Historico houses the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Church of St. Mary, medieval Moorish white houses and other places of the cultural route.

From here you can access Playa Postiguet, the main beach of the city. It is a sandy beach of seven hundred meters long and about forty meters wide. This makes the area extremely popular with tourists. In summer, Casco Historico offers a bright nightlife full of bars and cafes with drinks and fun.

Many of Casco historico's houses are over a hundred years old, and some boast an appealing layout with narrow staircases and high ceilings. Almost all of the buildings are secondary properties of two or three floors. The cost of a 2-bedroom apartment of 70-80 square meters starts at €150,000. Casco Historico can be recommended to investors who are planning to earn on renting out.

On July 9, 2018 came into force a new law on tourism. Now each municipality is free to establish its own rules for homes and apartments that can obtain a tourist license, which means the right to lease a property legally. In Alicante tourist licenses are now issued only to properties located on the ground floor. Exceptions are Casco Historico and another zone, which we discuss later. Here you can officially rent out an apartment on any floor, and in high season it will get you €100-€150 per day.

Centro Tradicional is a mixed area of new and resale properties. During the Civil War, Alicante remained the last stronghold of General Francisco Franco's opponents. Because of this, the city was bombed a lot. That's why new houses, including multi-storey ones, are appearing here today. The price of housing in new buildings ranges from 250,000 to 300,000 EUR. And a 2-bedroom apartment built in the 70s, not on the first line of the sea costs around €120,000.

The area overlooks the yacht marina. The picturesque promenade is lined with clay tiles and planted with palms. Every two years, Alicante port is Volvo's Ocean Race starting point.

Centro Tradicional is a place full of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Many of them are right on the pier, where you can also find a casino. This is a place where the young people "hang out" the most.

Ensanche Diputación is a business part of the city. Maisonnave Avenue stretches between two El Corte Ingles malls: one offers home appliances and household goods, the other sells clothes, shoes and accessories. Other famous Inditex brands (and not only) can be found between the two shopping centres along this avenue. Here you will also see various offices of insurance and travel agencies, notaries, law firms and municipal organizations. The Palais des Diputación holds meetings of the province's elected officials.

Property in this subdistrict is represented by a secondary housing aged between 20 and 50 years. Prices are similar to those of Casco Historico and Centro Tradicional. Buildings are quite high, and most houses have elevators. As you move to the sea, you will see an amusement park and the ficus alley. There is also a 25-storey Estudiotel, which is fully equipped with studios for sale (from 70,000 and 100,000 euros, depending on the repair and window views). The management company helps to rent them out.

Another piece of Centro is called Mercado Central. These are quarters around the central market of Alicante. However, it looks more like a train station or a church. Here you can buy fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. The market works every day from early morning until two o'clock in the day (except Sunday).

In the remote part, there is a bullfighting arena and the Bulls Square. Toreador games and evil horned bulls are there every summer and are timed to the "San Juan" holiday.

Several streets in Mercado Central, along with Casco Historico, have no restrictions on tourist licenses. So investors can take a closer look at the area. Also, prices are slightly lower than in the rest of Centro (as it is not so close to the beach). A 2-bedroom apartment on the fifth floor without an elevator, requiring repairs, can be purchased here for €70,000.

Mercado Central is adjoined by the San Anton quarter, which belongs to the next administrative unit. The part of San Anton reminds an old part of the city with its narrow streets and low-rise houses. The properties located closer to Jaime II Avenue are partially inhabited by gipsies. However, it does not mean that this is a criminal zone. Still, many avoid this place.

In general, you can find gipsies in almost any part of the city. During the day, you can't always tell the difference between the regular and gipsy neighbourhoods. The picture becomes clear at night, when you can meet people in robes, see houses with free entrances. So make sure you drive through an area at night before you buy an apartment.

Well, San Anton is a little cheaper in terms of pricing than the central part. It has less infrastructure, few shops and pharmacies. Still, windows of some houses overlook Mount Benacantil, which is impressive.

Pla del Bon Repos is considered one of the best areas of Alicante for permanent residence and the best value for money. Residents of this area are close to both the sea and the centre. Both can be reached on foot in 20 minutes. In Pla del Bon Repos you will meet mostly Spaniards, although in recent years there are also many emigrants. There you will find a wide selection of supermarkets, restaurants, private schools, sports facilities and the Archaeological Museum – in short, everything you need for a permanent living.

What is more, Pla del Bon Repos has a direct bus from the airport. The area is also surrounded by a tram that runs along the picturesque green boulevard of Rodolfo de Salazar. In general, public transport in Alicante is very well developed. With a Bonobus card, you can transfer to any other bus or tram route within one hour. Thus, the ticket covers the transfer to any part of the city in just one trip. It costs €11 for ten bus or tram trips. You can then top it up at the following rate: 10 trips costs €8,70. It turns out that one trip will cost the cardholder €0.87, while one ticket without the card costs €1.45 without a transfer option.

Back to Pla del Bon Repos: part of this area is represented by the block buildings (part of the windows overlook a tiny patio). The average 2-bedroom apartment in these houses will cost you about €65,000. Some residential complexes have not such a dense development; they are larger, and the windows overlook streets on both sides.

Raval Roig is located at the foot of the castle mountain and very close to Postiguet beach. The price corresponds to its excellent location: apartments on the first line with sea view cost from €150 000, on the second line – from €110 000.

Within this administrative unit, there is an area called La Goteta. It consists of about a dozen houses near the Plaza Mar 2 shopping centre. The proximity of shops, as well as ample parking and convenient way to the beach, make the quarter a nice place in terms of geographical location. As for the neighbours, it can be different here, so it is better to pay extra attention.

As we move inland, we get to Campoamor-Carolinas-Altozano area. Carolinas Bajas is located near the Bull square. The area consists of low-rise secondary housing. There are quite a few Moroccan citizens and refugees, some of whom have illegal status or live on welfare. The Plaça de Castello, a lovely chillout area with a fountain and playground, sometimes transforms into a place for noisy companies at night. There is less infrastructure and greenery; the quarter is a so-called "stone jungle".

Nearby you will find the Philharmonic Hall; the central market can be reached in five to ten minutes. The cheapest apartment of 70 m² will cost about €50,000. Still, it will be either the fifth floor without an elevator or an apartment that requires renovation.

Carolinas Altas is a residential area popular among Spanish families. There are several schools, Mercadona and other supermarkets. Along Carolinas Altas runs a tram to the University of Alicante, which is very convenient for students. Because of this, the cost of living here is slightly higher than in the Carolinas Bajas.

Campoamor looks just like its neighbours: block building, narrow streets, houses up to four floors. One of the pros of this subdistrict is the Castle of St. Ferdinand, the second most important historical landmark of the city.

The castle is surrounded by a large green park, which makes Campoamor attractive for hikers. On the other side of the castle, there are sport facilities: football fields, swimming pool, riding halls and jogging tracks.

Altozano is a privileged area; the property here is new and rather expensive. In Altozano you will find gated residences with swimming pools. Apartments there cost from €100,000. There are also several houses of lower class and therefore more affordable (50,000-70,000 EUR). In this area, you will find the General Hospital of Alicante.

On the other side of Gran Via avenue is Benisaudet area. Here you can also come across gated residential complexes with tennis courts and other sports facilities for its residents. Prices are the same as in Altozano. Lo Morant park is located nearby, where you can have a good time with your family. Lidl supermarket is situated in a walking distance.

Beyond Campoamor-Carolinas-Altozano begins the Gypsy districts: Cuatrocientas Viviendas, Virgen del Remedio, Colonia Requena and Juan XXIII. The latter is the largest, so its name is used to refer to the whole administrative zone.

To be honest, some places of Juan XXIII reminds us of a real ghetto. Accordingly, the accommodation here is the cheapest: you can find options even for €15,000. Some non-Gypsies also live here, but they are either people who have been deceived by realtors or have bought housing from despair or ignorance.

While Colonia Requena is full of similar houses with ugly facades, the Virgen del Remedio subdistrict is more or less acceptable. There are more European immigrants and Morrocans living there. Not so far is the Lo Morant park, which we already mentioned. Apartments here cost from €30,000.

There is, however, an exception. A small part of Juan XXIII can be recommended for buying and living. These are several houses within a gated community with pools. They stand apart from the rest of the area between Via Pinto Pedro Camacho and Via Diputado Antonio García Mirales. You can reach the city centre by bus, which is quick and convenient. Major supermarkets and two schools are within walking distance: Colegio Público Pedro Duque and Colegio San Agustín.

As this "island" is administratively part of the Gypsy area (although it has nothing to do with it), the prices for apartments here are great. Apartments requiring cosmetic repairs can be purchased for €50,000. For this money, you will get an apartment with 3-4 bedrooms, from 75 m². This place is popular among young Spanish families with children and pensioners.

Moving west, we will get to the Los Angeles-Tombola-San Nicolas area, which is home to a mixed contingent of Spanish immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. In the south, Los Angeles has the city's second most important market, Mercadillo Teulada. It is a market in the parking lot, where farmers bring their products from neighbouring villages.

In terms of real estate, the area consists of typical Alicante apartment buildings. Prices for standard apartments start from 40,000 EUR.

San Blas zone bounds Centro and has an appropriate price tag: if you are looking for an apartment in a house with an elevator and decent repairs, you won't find anything cheaper than €100,000.

Pau and Pau 2 (which is currently under construction) overlook Gran Via Avenue. It won't take long to get to the centre. The block is not yet so densely built-up, with a park, several green areas and gated communities with lawns and swimming pools. The price of the property is similar to that of San Blas. It is expected that in the coming years there will be a lot of new properties in Pau, which will increase in price when ready.

Benalua is a perfect place for those who do not mind living a bit far from the beach, but close to the centre. This is a quiet Spanish area with excellent infrastructure and prices here start at €60,000. There is a railway and bus station nearby.

The neighbourhoods of Princesa Mercedes and La Florida have similar environments. Still, the public is more diverse, so if you're planning a purchase, it's better to check this area out at night. Babel is considered an industrial zone that stretches to the commercial port. San Gabriel, on the contrary, is "pushed" towards the outskirts.

San Gabriel has its access to the sea, but it is difficult to call it a beach – in any case, you can swim here. From San Gabriel, you can easily reach the airport of Alicante, which is located ten kilometres southwest of the city. Parque el Palmeral is a palm park at the exit of Alicante, a large green area for a quiet rest in the shade of trees. There are not so many options for housing. Tourists rarely visit these places so that we can recommend this area for emigrants.

Unlike other areas of Alicante, Parque Avenidas-Vistahermosa is full of blue pools of various sizes and shapes, if you look at it from a satellite. This is a prestigious part of the city.

A 2-bedroom apartment in the Garbinet and Parque de las Avenidas districts costs around €150,000 plus a garage space in the underground parking. IES Jaime II and Collegi Públic Azorín are considered the best schools, so many immigrants with children tend to settle here. There are also large stores such as Media Markt, Leroy Merlin, Al Campo and others.

An exception is the Nou Alacant subdistrict in the west. There, the houses are almost entirely populated by gipsies. The buildings are painted with graffiti, and you will notice a lot of rubbish in the streets. That is why here you can find many cheap options for 35,000-40,000 EUR.

If you drive to the east, you'll get to Vistahermosa. In this area, you won't see any multi-storey buildings, only private villas and townhouses. Prices for chalets and small villas start from €300,000. For this money you get a house of about 150 m² with a small lawn and a barbecue area, plus a parking space. This zone is perfect for a quiet life away from the city bustle. There is not much infrastructure here, and the centre is far enough, so if you are planning to live in Vistahermosa, it is necessary to buy a car.

Finally, we get to the easternmost part of the city. The area of Playa de San Juan-El Cabo, although located far from the centre, is a self-sufficient zone and is a point of attraction for many tourists. The main reason for this is the beach of Playa de San Juan, which is about 70 meters wide and several kilometres long. Unlike Playa Postiguet, it is not crowded even on the hottest days of summer.

This is a tourist part of the city, which empties in winter. Most people buy properties here for seasonal holidays, both foreigners and Spaniards (mostly from Madrid). By the sea you will mostly see old buildings, while moving a little inland, after the 10th line of the beach, you can find some new construction. The area is so popular that most apartments are sold out before the construction even starts.

The price of the new studio is from €150,000; a 2-bedroom apartment costs no less than €220,000. The northern part of the beach, which administratively no longer belongs to Alicante, will be under active construction in the coming years, which guarantees excellent opportunities for investors.

Just behind Playa de San Juan is Alicante Golf. As you can guess from the name – it is a golf course area. Alicante Golf is popular among tourists all year round. The fact is in summer it is too hot to play on the open green field, and winters in Alicante are mild and pleasant: about +15°C during the day. Brits and Scandinavians love this place. Among properties, they usually buy townhouses for about €250,000.

The Cabo de las Huertas area is located on a cape and goes into the sea. The subdistrict is full with two-storey townhouses with the area from 90 to 120 sq.m. and cost from €200,000. The houses, built on a hill, offer a sea view and are more expensive. The coastline in these areas is represented by stone cliffs, so the residents of the area also prefer going to San Juan Beach. However, some people love to hide in small stone coves.

Others prеfеr to sunbathe on Playa de la Albufereta and Playa Almadraba. Especially those who live in neighbouring areas in a gated urbanization. The cheapest apartments in this area cost around €100,000.

In conclusion, we give you a table which summarizes what we have discussed.

Watch the full catalogue of properties in Alicante

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