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• The weather is wonderful. With an average annual temperature of 18 degrees C (64.5 degrees F), over three hundred days of sunshine and low humidity, year round outdoor activities become a reality. No more miserable damp days that seem to last from autumn to spring and bring on ‘seasonal affective disorder’ (SAD). 

• The 170 miles of coastline is one of the most beautiful and diverse regions bordering the entire Mediterranean Sea. With a host of clean sandy beaches and many small bays backed in the North of the Costa Blanca by attractive and rugged mountains the scenery is magnificent. Orange and olive groves, vineyards, almond trees and stately palms abound and everywhere, virtually all year round, wild and cultivated flowers can be seen in all their glory.

• The numerous towns and villages offer an enormous variety of quality of living options. Benidorm with its great nightlife, casino, spectacular beach, theme and amusement parks and a multitude of attractions, not forgetting the Benidorm Palace, rated by many as the best floorshow outside Las Vegas, would be hard to beat for all round family entertainment. Alicante, in the middle of the Costa, is a vibrant industrial and tourist city with excellent shopping. All along the coast you can find towns and villages that vary from quiet backwaters to busy vibrant communities.

• For those yearning for the peace and quiet of the rural life there are plenty of opportunities inland from the coast. Many of the villages and towns in the ‘campo’ are rich in architectural history and enjoy the slow pace of life that has endured for centuries. Contrary to popular perceptions the main roads are comparable to the best in Europe and rarely do you encounter a traffic jam except occasionally passing through Alicante.

• There are good local train services and the rail travel to and from major Spanish cities is exceptional and great value. Just remember to book on these main line services in advance. Air travel to other European cities is well catered for and access to Valencia Airport in the north, Alicante Airport at the centre and Murcia airport in the South means that wherever you are on the Costa Blanca you are never more than about an hours drive away. There are also bus connections throughout the region but these are not too easy for a foreigner who is not a Spanish speaker to access. 

• It is hard to think of any social or sporting activity that is not catered for whatever the nationality of residents. Every conceivable water sport from the world famous Admirals Cup sailing event to simple snorkelling via wind surfing, canoeing, you name it, its here. There are numerous golf, tennis, football, rugby, bowls, and badminton, even cricket clubs open to all nationalities. Even skiing and winter sports are only a few hours drive away. Amateur theatrical companies, some of whom boast well-known retired thespians keeping their hand in, bridge, computer the list goes on and on. Nobody need ever be bored or lonely on the Costa Blanca. 

• The Costa Blanca is undoubtedly the most cosmopolitan region in the whole of Europe. The majority of foreigners who have made their home here are Germans and British with many Dutch, Belgians, French, Argentineans (fantastic steaks), Russians, and others from the former Eastern bloc. Consequently for the gourmets amongst the residents there are an extraordinarily wide variety of culinary delights to be enjoyed without having to travel far. Apart from the many local Spanish and other restaurants featuring their national dishes, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese and others are never far away. There are several major supermarket chains operating in the region and never too far away will be one or more that stock your favourite home brands. 

• The Costa Blanca is considered to be one of the healthiest regions in the world to live in according to the World Health Organisation. Because of the benign climate many people suffering from arthritis, a disease that can cripple, gain relief after living here for a while. The typical Mediterranean diet, consisting of a large proportion of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish accompanied by olive oil contributes to the longevity of the inhabitants. Medical services are, on the whole, much better than in the UK with much lower waiting times on average and the standard of medical care and hygiene is high. One problem that takes time to accept is that in hospital it is expected that general care of in-patients is either performed or paid for by relatives. However by UK standards private medical insurance is cheaper and, in the main, considerably less hassle to get the treatment required. 

• For prospective residents with children, education is an important consideration. Reasonably priced private education to acceptable standards for British children is available in most areas on the Costa Blanca. Spanish state education is a different matter and is dependant on the age of the child. Younger children can quickly pick up the language when they are in the school environment and most reports we have are that the teachers are patient and helpful in getting a foreign child settled in. Prospective residents will have to make further enquiries to the suitability of state schools for older children wherever they are proposing to live.

• Work prospects for foreign nationals is a complicated subject. Detailed steps to take to obtain regular employment, becoming self employed or owning and running a business will appear on this comprehensive site. However there are opportunities for casual work tending to the needs of holiday home owners and similar that can provide either some cash or be built up into a regular Spanish registered business. Despite the credit crisis and growing unemployment in Spain in common with the rest of the EU there is no apparent evidence yet of resentment by local Spanish employees of foreign workers with the exception of illegal immigrants.

To summarise, coming to live on the Costa Blanca has a tremendous amount to offer expats, whatever their age, who have had enough of, or want a change from the lifestyle and politics of their country of birth. Northern European countries, not excepting the North of France, can expect 7-8 months of cold, damp weather – not so on the Costa Blanca.

Healthwise the environment is one of the worlds best. Irrespective of your age there is always some interesting activity easily available to get involved in. There are still work and business opportunities open to those with initiative despite the current economic difficulties. Like all European Latin countries children and their well being are a priority.

Care for the elderly and sick is of an acceptable to very good standard. Access to all parts of Europe whether by road rail or air is convenient so family member need never be out of touch. Importantly there seems no sign of resentment or ill feeling by the local Spanish population against the very large numbers of foreigners that now populate the Costa Blanca.

Last but not least, most things are either less expensive or on a par with prices elsewhere in the EU and UK so you can save on every day cost of living.