A month in Orihuela Costa looks like…
If you are here for the sun and slower days
Morning walk along the coastal path, coffee by the sea, the Saturday market, a long Spanish lunch. Afternoons by the pool or on the terrace. Evenings in a different restaurant area each week.
If you work remotely
Your working day runs on the same clock as home: Spain is on the same time as Sweden and Norway, and one hour behind Finland and Estonia. Work in the morning, then padel, a run or the beach before sunset.
If you come for sport
Golf four or five times a week in winter, padel most evenings, road cycling inland and runs on the seafront promenade. October to April is the best season for it.
Beaches & sea swimming
Orihuela Costa's coastline is a chain of sandy beaches and small rocky coves, from Punta Prima in the north to Mil Palmeras in the south. Several of them fly the Blue Flag. Even in winter the beaches are a big part of daily life — for walks, sunbathing out of the wind and, for the brave, a swim.
Good to know
- Sea temperature runs from around 14 °C in February to about 27–28 °C in August.
- Beaches are lively in July–August and calm from October to May.
- Many apartment complexes have a pool, and some keep it open well beyond the summer.
Golf
Golf is one of the main reasons people spend the winter here. Four well-known 18-hole courses lie within about 15 minutes of the coast, so you can play a different course every day of the week.
- Villamartín Golf(opens in a new tab) A classic since 1972, close to the coast in Villamartín.
- Las Ramblas Golf(opens in a new tab) A hilly, scenic course with views, set among Mediterranean pines.
- Real Club de Golf Campoamor A sheltered valley course a few minutes inland from Campoamor.
- Las Colinas Golf & Country Club(opens in a new tab) A premium course in a quiet valley, ranked among Europe's best.
Good to know
- October to April is high season — book tee times ahead, especially in January–March.
- Many courses offer cheaper afternoon ("twilight") rates and multi-round packages.
- More courses (Lo Romero, Vistabella, La Finca) are within 20–30 minutes.
Padel
Padel is huge in Spain and Orihuela Costa is no exception — there are courts in clubs, sports centres and many residential complexes. It is also one of the easiest ways to meet people during a longer stay: most clubs run open games, group training and social tournaments.
- Orange Padel(opens in a new tab) Modern centre with 8 outdoor courts on the Orihuela Costa / Torrevieja border, open daily 08:00–23:00, with lessons, group training and events. Booking via MATCHi.
- Orihuela Costa Municipal Sports Centre, Playa Flamenca Municipal courts at affordable prices, plus tennis and a heated indoor pool.
- Tenis Pádel Cap Roig & Lomas Padel Court Two clubs around Lomas de Cabo Roig, both bookable on Playtomic.
Good to know
- Courts are booked in apps: most clubs use Playtomic, some (e.g. Orange Padel) use MATCHi. The apps also let you join open matches at your level — the quickest way to find playing partners.
- Rackets and balls can usually be rented at the club.
- Evenings are the busiest time; mornings are easier to book.
Walking, running & cycling
A paved seafront promenade and coastal path follows much of the coast — from Punta Prima past La Zenia and Cabo Roig towards Campoamor. It is flat, has the sea on one side all the way and is busy with walkers and runners every morning.
Good to know
- Running and walking: the stretch from Punta Prima to La Zenia is a wide promenade; south of La Zenia it continues as a scenic cliff-top path past Cabo Roig. A full out-and-back is easily 10–15 km.
- Cycling: quiet roads inland offer good road-cycling loops in winter; the Torrevieja Vía Verde and the pink salt lakes (Las Salinas) make an easy, flat 20–30 km ride. Bikes and e-bikes can be rented in the area.
- Start early in summer — from October to May you can be out at any time of day.
Hiking & orienteering
For bigger outdoor days, Orihuela Costa is a good base: lagoon paths, pine forests, coastal cliffs and mountain viewpoints are all within an hour's drive. Orienteers will find coastal dunes, pine forest and permanent courses in the region.
Food & drink
The choice is enormous. Orihuela Costa has hundreds of restaurants, cafés, tapas bars and pubs — enough to eat somewhere different practically every evening of a month-long stay. You will find traditional Spanish cooking and seafood next to Italian, Asian, Indian, British and Scandinavian places.
Where to go
- La Zenia & Zenia Boulevard Modern terraces, international chains and tapas bars around the shopping centre.
- Cabo Roig "strip" A long row of restaurants and bars along the main road, from casual to more upmarket, often with live music. Seafood restaurants down by the Cabo Roig coves.
- Punta Prima At the northern end of Orihuela Costa, with restaurants, cafés and bars on both sides of the N-332 coastal road.
- Playa Flamenca Plenty of everyday restaurants and cafés within walking distance of most apartments.
- Around Orange Padel (inland Playa Flamenca) A small, practical hub where several restaurants, a mini golf course, the Orange Padel centre and a Scandinavian school sit close together. Handy if you play padel in the evening and want to eat straight after.
- Villamartín Plaza A Spanish-style courtyard with palm trees, surrounded by restaurants and bars; lively in the evenings.
- La Florida (Playa Flamenca) A relaxed neighbourhood with pubs and restaurants popular with long-stay residents.
Good to know
- Look for the menú del día: a weekday lunch with starter, main course, dessert and a drink at a fixed price, served at many Spanish restaurants.
- Spanish meal times are later: lunch from about 13:30, dinner from about 20:30. Places aimed at international visitors often open earlier.
Markets & shopping
Weekly street markets are a ritual for many long-stay residents: fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, olives, bread, flowers, clothing and handicrafts.
| Day | Market | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | La Mata market | La Mata, Torrevieja |
| Thursday | Campoamor market | Dehesa de Campoamor (Calle Fuego), 08:00–14:00 |
| Friday | Torrevieja market — one of the largest in the region | Torrevieja, Av. Delfina Viudes, 08:00–14:00 |
| Saturday | Playa Flamenca market | Behind Zenia Boulevard (Calle Nicolás de Bussi), 08:00–14:00 |
| Sunday | Guardamar "Lemon Tree" market | Guardamar del Segura, ~20 min |
Shopping
- Zenia Boulevard(opens in a new tab) One of the largest open-air shopping centres in the region, with fashion, electronics, restaurants and cafés in one place.
- Supermarkets Everyday supermarkets (Spanish and international chains) are spread across all neighbourhoods, so in most areas a car is not needed for daily groceries.
Fun & family
- Go-karting Go-Karts Orihuela Costa on the N-332 has a large track for adults and a smaller one for children, plus a bar and restaurant.
- Mini golf There are several mini golf courses around Orihuela Costa, some of them open well into the evening.
- Zenia Boulevard Shops, restaurants and entertainment for a rainy (rare) afternoon.
- Torrevieja Marina, seafront promenade, the pink salt lake and a daily crafts market, 15–20 minutes away.
Day trips
| Destination | By car | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Torrevieja(opens in a new tab) | 15–20 min | Marina, promenade, pink salt lakes, Friday market |
| Elche | ~40 min | UNESCO-listed palm grove and old town |
| Cartagena(opens in a new tab) | 45–60 min | Roman theatre, harbour and modernist architecture |
| Alicante | ~50 min | Castle of Santa Bárbara, old town, long city beach |
| Murcia(opens in a new tab) | 50–60 min | Cathedral, plazas and tapas culture |
What's best when
| Activity | Oct–Nov | Dec–Feb | Mar–Apr | May–Jun | Jul–Aug | Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf | Great | Great | Great | Good | Too hot or too cold for most people | Good |
| Padel & tennis | Great | Great | Great | Great | Good | Great |
| Walking & running | Great | Great | Great | Good | Too hot or too cold for most people | Good |
| Cycling & hiking | Great | Great | Great | Good | Too hot or too cold for most people | Good |
| Sea swimming | Good | Too hot or too cold for most people | Too hot or too cold for most people | Great | Great | Great |
| Beach days | Great | Good | Good | Great | Great | Great |
Key: Great Good Too hot or too cold for most people
Winter is the best season for sport
From November to March, daytime temperatures typically sit at 16–18 °C, and sunny afternoons often reach 20 °C or more. It never gets truly hot — but it is warm enough for a walk on the beach in a T-shirt. That makes winter ideal for golf, padel, tennis, running, cycling and hiking: you can be active all day without the summer heat.
| Month | Typical daytime high | Typical night low | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | ~20 °C | ~10 °C | ~19 °C |
| December | ~17 °C | ~7 °C | ~16 °C |
| January | ~16–17 °C | ~6–7 °C | ~15 °C |
| February | ~17 °C | ~6–7 °C | ~14 °C |
| March | ~18 °C | ~8 °C | ~15 °C |
Warmest winter days: sunny days above 18 °C are common, and January highs of 20–22 °C have been recorded.
Mornings and evenings are cool, so bring a jumper — and Spanish apartments are heated with air-conditioning/heat pumps rather than central heating.
Living here for a month or longer
Time zone
Spain uses CET: the same time as Sweden and Norway, one hour behind Finland and Estonia. Easy for remote work and calls home.
Internet & working
Fibre broadband is common in apartments. For a desk away from home, Sharespace runs a coworking space in Orihuela Costa (Edificio Orihuela, Calle Pablo Picasso 1), and Torrevieja has several more.
Sharespace coworking(opens in a new tab)Getting around
A car makes life much easier (golf courses, markets, day trips). Local buses connect the urbanisations with Torrevieja, but there is no direct airport bus to Orihuela Costa.
Airports
Alicante (ALC) about 50 minutes, Región de Murcia (RMU) about 35 minutes by car.
Health
There is a health centre with an out-of-hours emergency service between Cabo Roig and Campoamor, and hospitals in Torrevieja and San Javier. Bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and travel insurance.
Nordic community
There is a large Scandinavian community in the area: the Swedish Church (Svenska kyrkan Costa Blanca) and the Norwegian Seamen's Church (Sjømannskirken) both have churches in Torrevieja, there are Nordic clubs, and a Scandinavian school in Playa Flamenca.