Zona l'Olla
370.000 - 880.000 €Indicative guide pricesThe coastal strip north-east of town facing the Illot de l'Olla, with the pebble beaches of L'Olla and Cap Negret below the road. It is priced above the municipal asking figure.
CoastalViews
24.592
Population
31° / 17°
Summer peak / Winter day
39.1%
Foreign residents
€3,518
Avg €/m²
Updated 19 Sept 2026How we source our data →
Living in Altea
Altea's reputation on the Costa Blanca is artistic, and for once that is more than marketing: the Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche keeps a full campus here, home to the Facultad de Bellas Artes, teaching a degree in fine arts and a master's in art research. Above the seafront, whitewashed stepped streets climb to the Plaça de l'Església and the blue and white tiled dome of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo. Around twenty-five thousand people live in the municipality, and at the 2024 count, close to two in five residents were foreign nationals.
The geography explains the rest. The Sierra de Bernia rises behind the town, giving the hillside urbanisations of Altea Hills their long views and their gradients, and sheltering Altea la Vella, an inland village at its foot with the Don Cayo golf course. More than six kilometres of coast run to the Mascarat cliffs at the Calpe boundary, all of it pebble rather than sand. For climate, the nearest published normals are from Alicante, about fifty kilometres south: January days around seventeen degrees, August peaking near thirty-one.
Altea is not for everyone. If you want sand, look to Benidorm or Calpe. If you want nightlife and year-round services, that is Benidorm too. And if a search for Altea returns Albir, you are looking at l'Alfàs del Pi, a different municipality.
The verdict
Honestly considered, both sides.
The upside is real. So is the downside. Both matter more than any brochure will admit.
The case for
A fine arts faculty, not a marketing line
The Universidad Miguel Hernández teaches a fine arts degree and a master's in art research on its Altea campus, which keeps galleries, studios and a working creative community in town year round.
An old town that is still intact
Whitewashed stepped streets climb to the Plaça de l'Església and the blue and white tiled dome of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, with the seafront directly below rather than a drive away.
A walkable tram station, rare on this coast
FGV TRAM Line 9 stops a few minutes' walk from the old town, and central Benidorm is a short, convenient hop south without touching the N-332.
A real range of districts and price levels
Within one municipality you can choose the seafront and old town, the gated villas of Altea Hills, coves at the Mascarat, or cheaper inland plots around Altea la Vella and the Don Cayo golf course.
Steady rather than speculative price growth overall
Asking prices for the municipality rose moderately in the year to July 2026, a measured climb rather than a boom, with Altea Hills at its all-time high.
The case against
Every beach is pebble, without exception
The tourism office itself says the coast is rounded pebble rather than sand, from fine gravel to large rock, across L'Olla, Cap Negret, La Roda and the rest. Buyers who book on photographs are routinely surprised.
No hospital anywhere in the municipality
Altea sits in the Marina Baixa health department and the reference hospital, Hospital Marina Baixa, is in Villajoyosa about 20 km away, a real consideration for retirees planning long-term care.
Hillside gradients that punish cars and knees
The Sierra de Bernia gives Altea Hills and the other urbanisations their views, but also steep terraced plots, private roads and daily driving for almost every errand.
Altea la Vella prices drifting downward
The inland village is the cheapest district and the only one that fell year on year to July 2026, flat month on month, so the softness looks like a genuine twelve-month drift rather than a blip.
Albir confusion costs buyers real time
Portals and agents routinely show Albir property under Altea searches, but Albir belongs to l'Alfàs del Pi, a separate municipality with its own town hall, padrón and price series.
Editor's note
Where you might be better off elsewhere
Our honest read: Altea is a keeper for the right buyer and a mistake for the wrong one. The fine arts faculty gives the arts scene real roots, the old town is worth living beside, and the walkable tram station is a rare convenience here. Against that, every beach is pebble, the hillsides demand a car, and the hospital is in Villajoyosa. On the numbers to July 2026, we would not chase Zona l'Olla, whose sharp rise looks the most fragile, and we would watch Altea la Vella, whose slow drift could favour a patient buyer who wants golf and quiet over coastline.
If Altea is not quite right, consider the alternatives. Benidorm, to the south, is the honest pick for sandy beaches, towers and a town that works all year. Calpe, to the north, pairs sandy beaches with beach-tower living. Moraira and Jávea, further north, are low-rise and dearer, for buyers whose budget can stretch. Villajoyosa is cheaper, has the area's hospital, and its painted seafront houses deserve a look.
Altea on the map
Lifestyle data
Climate
31° / 17°
Summer peak / Winter day
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Low 12°CHigh 26°C
- Annual mean
- 18°C
- Rain days
- 35/yr
Elche municipality, station: Alicante-Elche Aeropuerto (8019), 57 km south west
Average 1981-2010 · AEMET
Property market
€3,518
/m²
+4.8% year on year
Updated 1 Jul 2026
Access
ALICANTE AIRPORT
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández · ALC
65 km
Community
39.1%
Foreign residents
INE Annual Population Census, nationality basis, 1 January 2025
Amenities
1
Int. schools
0
Hospitals
Altea neighborhoods
Where to live and what to expect at each price point.
Altea Hills
330.000 - 780.000 €Indicative guide pricesA gated hillside urbanisation on the lower slopes below the Sierra de Bernia, above the Mascarat. Terraced plots, private roads, its own conservation entity, and a car for every journey you make.
GatedVillasSea views
Zona de Mascarat
330.000 - 770.000 €Indicative guide pricesThe ravine and cliff zone at the Calpe boundary, where the coast road and the motorway pass through tunnels. It holds the Mascarat marina and the coves beneath the cliffs, and little else.
CliffsMarinaCoves
Altea Pueblo
280.000 - 660.000 €Indicative guide pricesThe whitewashed old town on the hill, stepped streets climbing to the blue and white tiled dome of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, with the seafront and the pebble beaches of La Roda and El Bol below.
HistoricWalkableRail
Altea la Vella
270.000 - 630.000 €Indicative guide pricesA separate inland village a few kilometres north-west, at the foot of the Sierra de Bernia, with the Don Cayo golf course and villa plots around it. It is priced below the municipal asking figure.
InlandGolf
Altea FAQ
Honest answers to the questions buyers actually ask.
What does property in Altea cost, and which districts are rising or falling?+
Idealista's asking-price series to July 2026 shows the municipality up moderately year on year. The spread between districts matters more than the average. Zona l'Olla is the dearest and rose fastest, but it is a small coastal district and that pace is the figure most likely to reverse. Altea Hills stands at its all-time high. Altea la Vella is the cheapest district and the only one that fell over the twelve months, and it was flat month on month, so that is a real drift, not a sample wobble.
Which part of Altea should I buy in?+
It depends on how you will live. Altea Pueblo, the old town and the seafront below it, suits buyers who want to walk to everything, including the TRAM station. Altea Hills offers gated, terraced villa living below the Sierra de Bernia, with private roads and long views, but you drive everywhere. Zona de Mascarat has the marina and the coves at the Calpe boundary. Altea la Vella, inland with the Don Cayo golf course, is the value play, but it has no coastline and its prices have been drifting.
Are Altea's beaches sandy?+
No, and this surprises more buyers than anything else in Altea. The town's own tourism office states that the beaches are made of rounded pebble rather than sand, ranging from fine gravel to large rock, along more than 6 km of coast. The named beaches and coves include L'Olla, Solsida, Cap Negret, Mascarat, El Bol, La Roda and Playa de Piedras; L'Olla is the dog-friendly one. Pack water shoes, and if you are picturing sand between your toes, look at Benidorm or Calpe instead.
Is Albir part of Altea?+
No, and this is the confusion most worth clearing up. Albir is the coastal district of l'Alfàs del Pi, a separate municipality that lies between Altea and Benidorm with its own town hall, its own padrón and its own property price series. Portals and agents regularly serve Albir listings to people searching for Altea, so check the municipality on every listing before you view. If the draw is sand, note that Albir's beach is pebble too. Nothing in this guide's price data covers Albir.
Who does Altea suit, and who should avoid it?+
Altea suits buyers who value an intact old town, a working arts scene around the fine arts faculty, and a quieter coast, and who do not mind pebble beaches or driving for hills and hospitals. Close to two in five residents were foreign nationals at the 2024 count, so international life is normal here. Avoid it if you want sandy beaches and nightlife (Benidorm), a big flat promenade town (Albir, which is l'Alfàs del Pi anyway), or low-rise villages further north such as Moraira and Jávea, which are dearer.
Can you live in Altea without a car?+
In Altea Pueblo, plausibly. The TRAM Line 9 station is a few minutes' walk from the old town, a rarity on this coast, and central Benidorm is a short, convenient hop. But the line only runs between Benidorm and Dénia; for Alicante you change at Benidorm onto Line 1, and the full journey takes about 100 minutes, so it is not a realistic airport link. Alicante-Elche airport is about 65 km, Valencia about 140 km. In Altea Hills, the Mascarat or Altea la Vella, a car is essential.
How does the purchase process work for a foreign buyer?+
The sequence is standard across Spain. First obtain an NIE, the foreigner's identification number, which you need for any property transaction, and open the process with an independent lawyer who acts for you alone, not for the agent or developer. Your lawyer checks title, charges and planning status at the Land Registry. You then typically pay a reservation fee to take the property off the market, sign a private purchase contract with a deposit, and complete before a notary, after which the deed is registered in your name.
What are the costs of buying property in Altea?+
When buying property in Altea, budget for property transfer tax (ITP) of 9% up to €1,000,000 (11% above that, applied to the full taxable value, not marginal bands) [ATV: https://atv.gva.es/va/he-comprat-un-inmoble], plus roughly 3-4% in notary, land registry and legal fees. Agency commission is usually paid by the seller. On the mainland and the Balearics, new builds pay VAT (IVA) of 10% plus AJD stamp duty instead of ITP. Transfer tax is set by Comunitat Valenciana rather than nationally, and reduced rates can apply for main homes and younger buyers.
What are the ongoing costs of owning property in Altea?+
Annual property ownership costs in Altea include IBI (property tax) of 0.4-1.1% of cadastral value, community fees (for apartments), rubbish collection tax (basura), utility bills, and property insurance. Budget approximately 2-4% of property value per year for all running costs. IBI is set by the town hall of Altea within a national band, so it is municipal rather than regional.
What taxes do I pay when selling property in Altea?+
When selling property in Altea, you pay capital gains tax (plusvalía) on the profit at rates of 19-26% depending on the gain amount. Non-residents have 3% of the sale price withheld at completion. You may also pay municipal capital gains tax. Main residence exemptions may apply for residents over 65. Capital gains tax is national, so it is the same in Comunitat Valenciana as anywhere in Spain. Plusvalia municipal is set by the town hall of Altea and has had two calculation methods since the 2021 reform, so ask your lawyer which one is cheaper for you.
Can I still get a Golden Visa by buying property in Spain?+
No. Spain withdrew the Golden Visa property investment route in April 2025, so buying in Altea no longer leads to residency. Non-EU buyers who want to live in Spain apply for a separate permit instead, most often the non-lucrative visa (proof of income and private health insurance) or the digital nomad visa (remote work for non-Spanish clients). Ask an immigration lawyer which route fits your situation before you buy.
Transfer tax rates as of August 2026. Rates are set per autonomous community and do change. Confirm the current figures with a Spanish lawyer or tax adviser before you budget.
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