Living in Altea
An honest guide to living or buying in Altea, northern Costa Blanca: the white old town and its blue dome, the areas, the pebble beaches, the artistic scene, healthcare, getting around and cost of living.
By the team at Team Picou · RE/MAX Inmomás II, Costa Blanca.
For many people, Altea is the prettiest town on the Costa Blanca. Its whitewashed old town climbs a hill to the church with its blue-and-white dome, with Mediterranean views that form one of the province’s most repeated postcards. But beyond the photo, Altea has something uncommon on the coast: a real cultural and artistic life, with galleries, the Fine Arts faculty and the Palau Altea as a concert hall.
It sits in the Marina Baja, right next to Benidorm — with all its services ten minutes away — but with a completely opposite character: calm, well-kept and full of personality.
Who Altea suits
Altea fits if you value charm, calm and culture over a sandy beach and nightlife. It draws artists, active retirees, couples and a notable Nordic and central-European community. If your priority is a wide sandy beach for children, Calpe or Jávea’s Arenal will suit you better; if you want nightlife, Benidorm is next door.
The areas of Altea
- Old town (the upper village). The whitewashed streets, the church square and the views. Maximum charm, difficult parking.
- La Roda and the seafront. The waterfront with its promenade of restaurants, apartments and atmosphere.
- Altea Hills. The luxury hillside urbanisation, with villas, security and panoramic views — the most premium product.
- Marina Greenwich (Campomanes) and the marina. The nautical area to the north, near the Calpe border.
Beaches and coves
Worth knowing upfront: Altea’s beaches are pebble and rock, not fine sand. In return, the water tends to be very clean and the La Roda promenade is among the most pleasant on the Costa Blanca, lined with terraces. There are quiet coves to the north, toward Calpe.
Schools
The area has Valencian state schools and access to several international schools in the Marina, plus Altea’s own cultural and fine-arts scene. If education is decisive, we’ll help you compare options and availability by your children’s ages.
Healthcare
Altea has a health centre, and the district hospital (Marina Baixa, in Villajoyosa) is a few minutes away, plus private clinics with multilingual care. Its proximity to Benidorm widens the private healthcare options.
Getting around
TRAM Line 9 (tram) stops in Altea and connects it to Benidorm, Calpe and Dénia, which makes car-free life along the coast much easier. For hillside urbanisations like Altea Hills, a car is still strongly recommended.
- Alicante Airport (ALC): around 50 minutes.
- Valencia Airport (VLC): around 1 h 30.
- Benidorm (services, hospital, shopping) about 10 minutes away.
International community and social life
Altea has a distinct international community, with a strong Nordic presence (Norwegian especially), German and British, and a cultural atmosphere that sets it apart. It lives all year, with concerts, art markets and an active social life beyond summer.
Cost of living
Daily life is reasonable, with markets and restaurants for every budget. On property, Altea is a premium market: the villas with views in the upper town and Altea Hills command high prices, though there are more affordable apartments in town and by the beach.
The Altea property market
Altea is, above all, a villa-with-views market, with apartments in town and on the seafront as the alternative. Prices vary enormously by elevation, view and condition, so the overall average says little — what matters is the street-by-street figure.
So you can decide with real numbers, we publish up-to-date median prices and €/m² for Altea as open data, and you can browse the live inventory any time. If you’re thinking of buying or selling here, talk to someone who walks Altea every week: we’ll tell you plainly what’s moving, at what price, and why.
