The Orihuela Costa is a popular coastal region of the Costa Blanca and part of the province of Alicante. Formed of many seaside resorts, suburbs and some of the best beaches in Europe. The Orihuela Costa is one of the leading tourism destinations on the eastern coast of Spain.
The main attraction of the Orihuela Costa is without doubt the 15 km of sandy beaches. Most of the beaches here have received Blue Flag Certification for excellence. The Mediterranean Sea is another main attraction which keeps the tourists returning.
The top beaches here are at Campoamor, La Zenia, Mil Palmeras and Cabo Roig. We have some concerns about the undercurrent of one of the beaches at La Zenia. There is no doubting the beach itself is one of the best here though.
Population & Orihuela Municipality
It’s difficult to know exactly how many people call the Orihuela Costa their home all year round. Currently it’s believed to be somewhere between 30,000 – 40,000 inhabitants. Many currently living here have not completed the necessary paperwork. The figures are sketchy at best with so many not being taken into account.
Orihuela Costa belongs to the municipality of Orihuela which covers an area of 365 km2. Orihuela stretches from the Sierra de Orihuela mountain range to the Mediterranean Sea.
The population of the areas that form the municipality of Orihuela is 90,000 inhabitants. This swells to well over 150,000 during the summer months. This is due to those that own holiday homes and second properties here.
Top Resorts On The Orihuela Costa
Most of the best resorts on the Orihuela Costa are close to the Sea. There are several that are a few minutes inland that also attract their share of tourism.
Wherever you find yourself here, you will never be much more than a 10 minute drive to the coastal areas. Below we give an insight into some of the best known resorts and suburbs on the Orihuela Costa.
Dehesa de Campoamor
Dehesa de Campoamor has been increasing in popularity over the past few years. This resort lies to the south of the Orihuela Costa, north of Mil Palmeras. Campoamor has several popular beaches to choose from and a par 72 golf course.
La Fuente Commercial Centre is where much of the nightlife happens in Campoamor. La Fuente houses many bars, restaurants and a few places to enjoy late night music and dancing.ç
Cabo Roig
Cabo Roig is another tourist area which lies north of Campoamor and south of La Zenia. Like all the coastal areas, Cabo Roig has several excellent beaches. These golden sand beaches include Cala Capitan and Cala Caleta.
The nightlife in Cabo Roig is particularly good during the summer months. There are many great bars and restaurants along Cabo Roig strip (pictured above). There is large Irish, British and Scandinavian presence here.
The Irish put on a super show for St Patricks day each year as the area is transformed to green.
La Zenia
Further north of Cabo Roig and to the south of Playa Flamenca we arrive at the busy area of La Zenia. Two popular sandy beaches are lie either side of the Servigroup Hotel. This hotel dominates the skyline around the beach areas.
The popular La Zenia is a vibrant area all year round with lot’s of bars, restaurants and several shopping centres. This resort is also the home of the super Zenia Boulevard shopping centre.
La Zenia Boulevard houses 150 shops, bars and restaurants and is the biggest of it’s kind in the province. There is also underground parking for over 5000 cars.
Playa Flamenca
North of La Zenia is Playa Flamenca which is one of the most populated areas on the Orihuela Costa. There is a good beach here with a beautiful promenade (pictured) and several smaller coves.
Playa Flamenca has more commercial centres than anywhere on the Orihuela Costa. Some of the best known are Flamenca Beach, La Mosca and the Citrus Centre.
The notable bars in this area include Legends, Celtic Isle, and Rocky’s. There is a market every Saturday which attracts people from the surrounding suburbs.
Punta Prima
Punta Prima is another popular area located south of Torrevieja. There is narrow sandy beach here that is popular during summer. There are also several rocky areas, coves and chiringuitos (Beach Bars).
The restaurants here are particularly good on the strip, as are the bars and cafes that always seem to be busy. Opposite the strip is the Punta Marina Commercial Centre. This houses a drive-thru Mcdonalds and many more shops, bars and restaurants.
Los Altos
Los Altos is the location for the Via Park III Commercial Centre. This centre houses many bars and restaurants. The Lime Bar and the Bar Next Door are on the upper level with an Indian and a Chinese Restaurant.
The lower level houses several other bars and places to grab some food. Doolans is in the western corner, this bar always has excellent entertainment.
Villamartin
Villamartin is a popular area located inland to the west of the seaside resorts. A few kilometres from La Zenia. The main attractions here are Villamartin golf course and Villamartin Plaza which is one of the liveliest commercial centres in the area.
Golf is popular here and ensures that the plaza remains busy during some of the off season periods. The golf course here shot to fame after hosting the Mediterranean open back on 1994.
The plaza is always kept clean, on show are beautiful plants and palms trees. The plaza houses a good selection of bars, restaurants, shops and various businesses. A few of the places worth checking out here includes The Winchester, Che & Fairways. The Hub (pictured above) is the best option for sports on the plaza. This bar also plays great music in the evenings.
La Florida
La Florida has always been a popular area for tourists and locals. Here there is several excellent bars and restaurants. La Torre Bar (Tower Bar) has been around for some 30 years and still represents excellent value for money. The Abbey Tavern (pictured above) is open later than most placed in the Orihuela Costa.
The family have done an excellent job on this place and it’s usually packed during the summer months. There are too many great places to mention here but the Emerald Isle and the Local are a few worth checking out.