The region and city of Valencia borders the east coast of Spain, just south of Barcelona and Catalonia. To its south are the popular seaside resorts of the Costa Blanca, most famously Benidorm and Alicante, and to the west is the emerging market garden region of Murcia, with its beautiful eponymous city at its heart. Mountains and rock formations integrated into the Iberian mountain range and the Subbetica range dominate the landscape inland and sweep west towards the Sierra Nevada. Along the coastal areas, golden sands nestle from one end of the region to the other, lapped by the mild waters of the Mediterranean.
Year round good weather makes the region popular with north Europeans although inland temperatures soar in July and August. The elegant Valencia is a city in renaissance with commerce, culture, cinema, theatre, museums, music, business and history sitting side by side in a place famed for international and avant-garde design.
The port areas are going through massive change as the economic uplift of hosting next year’s America’s Cup regenerates this working area into a mix of smart homes, new restaurants and hotels. Such an eclectic mix has made it one of the fastest developing regions in Spain, although insensitive developments in the region are threatening its charm to such an extent that the European Union has slammed widespread planning abuses.
Valencia is also an important gateway to the Mediterranean, with one foot in fine sand and crystal waters, the other in its neighbouring coastal mountain ranges. To the south is the Costa Blanca, with traditional resort Benidorm – like its Andalucían brother Torremolinos – recently spruced up and still a huge tourist destination thanks to its excellent beaches, as well as the wide range of accommodation, restaurants and recreational activities.
Its historic quarter, which sits on a promontory, is in stark contrast with the newer wide avenues lined with buildings, shops and terraces along the coastline. Further south harbour city Alicante is one most important regional tourist destinations and also attracts golfers in search of sunny playing conditions to its numerous golf courses.
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Heading further south still the coastline of Murcia is characterised by its sandy beaches and the spectacular Mar Menor, a huge, shallow lagoon that is both very salty and maintains a hot 5ºC above the average Mediterranean temperature.
The eponymous, Arab-influenced city sits on a plain surrounded by mountains and its historic buildings and cathedral tower make this once sleepy town a beautiful destination, only recently rediscovered thanks largely to the low cost airline carriers. Murcia is known as the market garden of Spain but the world’s appetite for year round fruit and vegetables means that unfortunately swathes of the countryside are covered in plastic as an economic pragmatism.
The main dish of Valencia is the Spanish classic paella – a delicious rice based mix of meats, fish and vegetables - and further down the coast arroz a banda (rice with fish), arroz negro (black rice, with cuttlefish) and arroz al horno (baked rice) are all local specialities, as are fish dishes.
The Moorish influence is prevalent in the dried fruits and nuts that feature in the food while Alicante is one of major wine growing regions of Spain. Like the rest of Spain, property price increases are slowing in the region, fuelled by a ceaseless supply of new homes. Valencia itself and the coastal resorts have all suffered from poor development standards so investors need to do their homework.
For those with a longer term view, the port area of Valencia has developed rapidly as a residential district and restaurants and bars seem certain to follow, especially to meet the tourist demand as the America’s Cup hits town. To the north of Valencia is the Costa Del Azahar or orange blossom coast. While Alicante has the most UK residents anywhere in Spain, this area has been discovered by the Germans but is almost untouched by the Brits and local buyers dominate the property market. Prices are lower than on many of the more developed Costas and while not cheap represent good value in an economically prosperous area.
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Need to know: Valencia, Murcia and Alicante
Transport: High speed trains and motorways link Alicante and Valencia with Madrid and Barcelona.
Accessibility: Valencia and Alicante are served by a plethora of airlines while Ryanair, EasyJet and Monarch all fly into Murcia.
Accommodation: Plenty of coastal apartments and villas, with Murcia the cheapest area.
Property prices – The southern coast offers some real bargains around the €100,000 mark and even cheaper inland. However, track north to the nicer coastal regions above Alicante and prices start nearer €180,000.
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Regulations: Appoint a local agent to advise on taxes for buying and selling property and legal advice on issues such as inheritance tax, which differ sharply to the UK.
Healthcare: British citizens with a free EHIC card get reciprocal healthcare. Expect fees to add about 10% to the buying price.
Golf: A popular golf destination, courses around Alicante have proliferated.