SandraSP

I'm thinking of relocating to Altea, Spain. Have been researching this town and it seems to fit the bill for this retiree (I presently live in Manhattan). My outdoor interests are tennis and golf. I would also like to live in a town large enough to provide various social events for a retired single person. Can anyone who has in-depth knowledge of Altea let me know their thoughts on this town/area?

Many thanks.

dougal03

Hi,sending you a PM

cermignano

Don't have in depth knowledge but been there. Lovely coastal town, but if memory serves me fight, the old town is high up

Culebronchris

We have friends that live in Altea Hills which is a development just outside Altea. Altea Hills is full of people of every nationality with everything from quite modest homes to enormous mansions. You need a car or to be willing to pay for taxis if you live there though.

Altea village has two or maybe three parts. There's a bit by the side of the Med with lots of bars and cafes. The main road runs just a few metres back. The road is often jam packed with cars and getting through the stretch of buildings that line the road in altea can be a long and laborious process. There has been talk for years of a bypass but it has never quite happened.

More inland from the main road, but only a few metres back, is the commercial part of the town. bars, phone shops, ironmongers - the ordinary town where finding a parking space is a bit of a sport. Just like any other number of small Spanish towns.

Then there's the old part radiating out from the square by the church. Cobbled streets, white buildings, steep flights of steps. Full of souveneir shops, craft and art galleries, restaurants and nice looking bars. Prices in the old part are high but the chances are that you will be willing to pay the surcharge for the ambience.

I think Altea is nice but I've been a bit surprised how little it seems to organise - the places I've lived in Spain always seem to have a Zombie night, the tapas trail, the fun run, the Easter parades etc, etc and whilst Altea obviously has some of those things it seems to do less than other similar sized places. Our friends for instance, with the place in Altea Hills, usually go a few kilometres the other way to Calpe in preference to Altea.

SandraSP

Many thanks for your in-depth response; it was extremely helpful. Given that I will not have a car and that Altea - compared to other similar towns - doesn't organize many events,perhaps Altea isn't for me. The important aspects are the availability of either tennis courts or tennis club, golf and not least, living in a really beautiful coastal town.

Longlegpete

You really need a car in most of these places due to the very hilly nature of the terrain , it's also not really the place for Golf as there are limited courses around, having said that it's a gorgeous part of the world