COSTA VALENCIANA / DEL AZAHAR
The Valencian province, centred on Valencia, Spain’s third largest city. The Valencian coast or Costa Valenciana, also known as the Costa del Azahar, is an excellent option for those seeking coastal, traditional Spanish towns which are yet to be discovered. Many locations represent great value for money despite the price increases of the last few years.
Our experience is that international expatriates have often continued south from Alicante towards Murcia and the Mar Menor. As a consequence, many have missed the undiscovered gem that is the region north of the Montgó. Importantly, the Alicante – Valencia axis offers the possibility of both urban and suburban, as well as coastal living. Culture, transport and connectivity is much better in and around the two hubs and Valencia, as Spain’s third-largest city, gets 5 stars for accessibility while not giving its residents or visitors that oppressive large-city feel. In 2019, we forecast that this area, long-term, will be recognised for what it is: a region with superb quality coastal living, and this has been proved by the extraordinary increase in real estate prices in Valencia, as well as the increase in people of all nationalities, including many Spanish, moving to the capital. The exciting prospect is that because Valencia real estate prices grew from a very low base, and because other large European cities have also seen price growth (even if more modest in some cases) in 2024 the city remains the best value real estate proposition among all major European cities.
This coast has most of its interest concentrated in two “clusters”: one is the city of Valencia itself, which is an absolute winner in terms of accessibility, connectivity and city living with historical centre and beach access; and the Gandia-Denia stretch of coastline, because of affordable prices (even though they have increased over recent years). Although the coast offers some stunning destinations such as the picturesque Peñiscola, for reasons of accessibility, we think that most other options do not offer the requisite conditions for year-round retirement living.
