Altea is a small town (about 25,000 inhabitants) beautifully situated on the Costa Blanca coast in the province of Alicante . The city is above all a holiday resort and there are many who have "secretly" enjoyed the city's pleasant climate and taken part in the picturesque character over the years. The city is nowhere near as famous as, for example, Torrevieja, which attracts more tourists and home buyers (more about homes for sale in Altea at the bottom of the article).
Entertainment Altea
Altea has a rather quiet character and the entertainment scene is relaxed, that is, the complete opposite of what applies to other orders on the Costa Blanca (Benidorm for example). Most of the city's restaurants and bars are located adjacent to the beach in the central parts of the city, but there is also a range of entertainment further into the city centre. If you are looking for roughly the same calm and charm as Altea, but a little more pulse, we recommend Calpe.
Sights Altea
Altea's old town is one of the coziest and most well-preserved on the Costa Blanca. The area, which goes by the name of El Fornet, is exactly as cozy as you can imagine an old city center in southern Spain. The alleys are very narrow and on the winding paths up the hills north of the city are many beautiful old chapels.
A specific landmark worth a visit is the church La Mare de Déu del Consol which is adorned with blue and white domes.
The long strip of beach can also be seen as an attraction. Cypresses and palm trees line the promenade and in the background the mountains tower like a lovely backdrop.
Altea history
Altea's history goes back to a few hundred years BC. It was the Iberians who were the first to arrive. However, they did not establish any larger settlements and it was only when the Greeks arrived to establish a trading post that Altea (then under the name Althaia) became a smaller town.
During the end of the 7th century, the Moors came to Altea, but they did not make any major impression apart from building a fortification. Today, however, nothing remains of the walls.
Over the centuries, Altea has since been more or less forgotten. The renaissance came in the 1950s when tourists began to discover the Costa Blanca. Today, almost the entire economy of Altea is based on tourism.
Communications and accommodation
Altea is served by Alicante airport. It is easy and quick to travel to Altea from the airport by bus, tram and car. Once you arrive in Altea, you can park the car. It is walking distance to everything the city has to offer.
- Tips on rental car.
- Read our article with the cheapest operators for hotels in Spain, including Altea.
- Article with tips on cheap flights to all of Spain.
The weather in Altea
Thanks to the proximity to the sea and the relatively high mountains inland, it does not get as hot in Altea as in many other places in southern Spain. The temperatures are relatively pleasant even during the summer months. The hours of sunshine are many, but the rainfall is a little more abundant than in, for example, Benidorm and Alicante.
The housing market in Altea - houses and apartments for sale
The Costa Blanca is overall one of the cheapest coastal areas in Spain. However, the northern Costa Blanca (Altea, Benidorm, Denia etc) is more established and exclusive compared to the southern part (Torrevieja, Guardamar) which is in an expansion phase. Another reason why the prices of houses and apartments are relatively high in the area is because there is limited space to build on.
Bank objects are an option…when there is something for sale
There are very few bank properties in the area, but at the time of writing we have two properties, one of which is a 2 bedroom apartment in central Altea for 118,000. As with other places in Spain, these attractive bank repos sell out quickly when they do come out. If you want to make a good investment in or around Altea, you must be well prepared and have financing etc. ready (you can apply online in advance at a Spanish bank and get more or less a loan promise). Write to info@spanskafastigheter.se for more information.