Alicante, with its 337,482 inhabitants in 2021, officially numbers officially 41 neighborhood. This is several times more than in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and many other large cities of Spain. Of course, a full listing and detailed description of all these areas would take too much time and space – especially since only some of them may be of interest to foreigners who are choosing a neighborhood of Alicante to buy property as a long-term investment. Also not so many of them are suitable for using as holiday homes, not to mention living for a long time.
In our article, we will consider the neighborhoods where best to buy property, taking into account such a parameter as Price-Quality, also we will list the best districts and mention the worst ones.
However, before starting to evaluate all the pros and cons, all the variety of requirements that those wishing to buy real estate in Alicante present to their «second home» that over time may be the first one should be taken into consideration.
The following recommendations are intended for every taste, however, it should be borne in mind that they are unlikely to suit upper-middle-class buyers due to the proximity of the so-called «social housing», and «omnivorous» buyers who prepared to overlook the presence of illegal immigrants from African countries, South America and the vast gypsy diaspora will not be satisfied with the local price level.
So what neighborhoods of Alicante possess optimum ratio Price-Quality?
District of Alicante Diputación-Ensanche Neighborhood
The Diputación-Ensanche area is perfect for those who cannot imagine life far from the blessings of civilization, large supermarkets, shopping centers, numerous cafes and restaurants, as well as bustling streets. Within a touching distance, there are not only the city’s main beach El Postiguet (Platja del Postiguet), but also the main entertainment places – casinos, bars, restaurants, the sports port of Alicante, and the city’s main retail outlets.
At the same time, despite the presence of a number of historical monuments including the fortress of Santa Barbara – this neighborhood of Alicante for living cannot be called a «tourist reservation», since it has all the necessary infrastructure, but is not «fenced off» from the surroundings. It should be taken in account that there are not so many new buildings here, and the prices for such apartments exceed 400,000 euro for a three-bedroom apartment, or if we are talking about the first line of the beach, they will fluctuate between 200,000 – 300,000 euro depending on the floor, area, number of bedrooms, finishes, the presence of an elevator and other amenities.
District of Alicante Benalua Neighborhood
The Benalua area is located some distance from the center of Alicante, where life is in full swing day and night, especially during the holiday season. Nevertheless, the price level for modern houses here is almost as much as in the center, however, the local development is more dense. Houses in Benalua often have terraces and balconies which are nothing but the name (in the best case, they will fit a couple of flower pots), and therefore prices for such property, as a rule, vary from 75,000 to 100,000 for an apartment with three bedrooms – these rooms are as tiny as the «balconies». On the other hand, this neighborhood has a very well-developed infrastructure, it has its own market and there are no problems with public transport.
District of Alicante San Blas-Pau Neighborhood
This area of Alicante for year-round living was conceived as a continuation of San Blas and Florida Alta neighborhoods, and as a result, it turned out to be populated mainly by young families with children. Accordingly, it is here that the number of schools and preschool institutions per square meter of area is one of the highest in the city. Quite often, various holidays are held here, but they do not give particular cause for concern for the local residents.
Back in 2008, San Blas was one of the main contenders for the title of the best residential area in Europe, but the financial and economic crisis slowed down its further development. Nevertheless, in recent years, it has begun to change for the better again, which, among other things, is reflected in a notable increase in the number of stores where you can buy everything you need. At the same time, the prices for apartments are very, very affordable, clean and spacious housing can be purchased within 100,000 euros with subsequent renting out. Thus, our list of best neighborhoods to live in Alicante will be added by San Blas-Pau.
District of Alicante Vistahermosa Neighborhood
Vistahermosa is considered one of the newest and, perhaps, most unusual districts of Alicante, whose fundamental difference from the other ones lies in the almost complete absence of multi-storey buildings. According to the adopted urban development plan, the height of houses here should not exceed two floors, but then some changes were made to it, and a zone with several ten-story buildings has emerged. Although Vistahermosa is commonly referred to as a «worker’s quarter», in fact, it can be said that it has a model look. And the prices are clearly not intended for the working class: about 150,000 euros for an apartment with two bedrooms and at least 200,000 euros for a chalet or detached house.
There are many green areas in this neighborhood where vegetation is irrigated with purified water, as well as pedestrian zones and playgrounds for children, whose safety is not threatened. There are bike lanes along the main streets, and traffic jams are extremely rare here – mainly during the morning rush hours, when locals go to work in other districts. The two most famous Vistahermosa establishments are the clinic of the same name, and the shopping center of the large commercial center Alcampo City, which, in addition to the Alcampo supermarket, includes Media Markt, Leroy Merlín stores and the DreamFit fitness center. The biggest downside of the Vistahermosa neighborhood, which could be supposed as «one of the best neighborhoods of Alicante to live», is the relative proximity (about 3 km) of the most deprived areas of the city – Virgen del Remedio-Juan Xxiii and Virgen del Carmen.
Other neighborhoods of Alicante, which are not among the elite or dangerous ones (for example, Carolinas Altas and Carolinas Bajas, San Gabriel, Polygono de Babel), have approximately equal advantages and disadvantages, which some buyers will not pay attention to, while for others they will be of decisive importance.
Also, the city authorities cherish hopes for a new district of Alicante called Pau 3, which is being built using modern technologies in the area between Vistahermosa and La Albufereta, and at the moment it is in the final stage of urban improvement.
The main plan of Pau 3 is designed for 26,000 meters including a park area as well as a public garden area; 17,000 meters of an educational and cultural area; 239,000 meters of residential area; and 10,000 meters of tertiary areas. The construction of the houses is arranged in blocks of up to 6 floors, in total there are 1,006 houses and another 636 single-family houses.
What are the Best districts of Alicante to buy Elite Property?
District of Alicante Playa de San Juan – El Cabo
Playa de San Juan – El Cabo belongs, perhaps, to the best areas of Alicante to purchase high-class property. In turn, it is divided into four neighborhoods: Playa de San Juan, Cabo de las Huertas, La Albufereta and Alicante Golf. The area is built up with modern residential complexes, each of which has its own territory with swimming pools, sports grounds, children’s and park areas, open and underground parking.
The average cost of property (apartments and houses) on the secondary market in these neighborhoods is 2,140 €/m²
District of Alicante Centro Tradicional
Another of the best neighborhoods of Alicante is the historic center area – Centro Tradicional. Unlike Playa de San Juan – El Cabo, the centre is represented by old housing stock. Some buildings are up to 100 years old! However, there is no basis for fears, because these houses are regularly renovated, well-maintained, and in terms of layouts and apartment areas, they often compare favorably with new buildings. With a little luck and the assistance of a professional realtor, an apartment in perfect condition can be found, which does not require serious investments in repairs.
Residents of the central district of Alicante choose the city beach of El Postiguet for recreation, located at the foot of the Santa Barbara fortress. One can walk to the beach, there is no need to take a car and then look for parking. In addition, all the main shops and boutiques of the city are concentrated in this area, the railway station is also available
The average cost of housing in the secondary market is 2,002 €/m².
District of Alicante Ensanche-Diputación
We also recommend paying attention to the neighboring Ensanche-Diputación business district. Here you can find great apartment options at a reasonable price. This area is closely adjacent to the center and therefore is no less convenient in terms of infrastructure, transport and other necessary services. The city beach, sports port, railway and bus stations are just a stone’s throw away.
As in the case of the central district, by choosing an apartment, you will have to limit yourself to only the secondary market due to the lack of new buildings here.
The property average cost is 2,154€/m².
And what neighborhood would you prefer?
