We’re retiring to Spain so not looking for somewhere to work. We’re not planning to return to the UK except for brief visits so where we choose must suit both our current needs and when we’re too old to be able to drive ourselves. We fancy the coastal areas within 1.5 hours drive of Alicante airport. We are busy learning Spanish now with the aim of being able to integrate into the Spanish way of life as far as possible.

Wish list – obviously we realise we may have to compromise on some of these.

• Access to public transport or at least only short taxi journey away.

• Within 2 miles fairly flat walking distance to the coast (a beach not a cliff edge in the middle of nowhere).

• Within 10 mins fairly flat walk of chemist, doctor/health centre, ATM, bakery/small supermarket, bar, restaurant (preferably several of the last two!).

• Within 10/15 minutes drive of large supermarket, commercial centre, more choice of bars and restaurants – preferably accessible by public transport as well.

• Access to normal (for Spain) mains utilities – broadband essential.

• Somewhere scenic, although we want flat walking for our old age we would like to be able to see hills/mountains.

• Not the centre of a large town. We’re looking for somewhere with some greenery and the chance of seeing a wide mix of birds from our windows and terraces.

• Mix of nationalities.

Does anyone know of any places that may suit our needs please?

right where I live

Jávea/Xà bia

I'm in the port & can tick every one of those boxes

La Nucia, just inland from Benidorm/Altea.

One of many villages in and around Comillas (Santander coast)?



Plenty of towns with shops within that 15minute drive, and bakery and fruit/veg vans come around the villages. Main drawback from your pov is it's not so multi-national (French, Germans in the summer, almost 99% Spanish in the winter), plus the climate is milder. It does tend to be hilly in several directions, although the main road down to Comillas is fairly flat. One plus point is you don't get the Mediterranean crime here though.

There are hundreds of towns and villages along the coast which would meet your requirements. Within 1.5 hours of Alicante airport, gives you a wide choice from Caretagena in the south to Denia in the North.

Transport is not an issue, buses are frequent and cheap.
Within walking distance of the coast = expensive.
There are far more local shops, chemist, cafes than UK.
In general utilities are good in Costa Blanca
If you have a telephone, broadband is great. Mine is quicker here than in the UK.
Scenery is better North of Alicante.
What do you call a large town?
Most towns have a mix of nationalities. You might want to avoid the tourist traps, which will fill up with Brits and spanish holiday makers.

What suits one will not necessarily suit another and you really need to visit. To make a short list I would suggest, google maps and zoom in.

There are several towns between Denia and Valencia that might fit the bill and that stretch of the coast is much greener. There are even paddy fields.

One of the downsides is that flights to and from the UK are very limited and expensive, and that is a big disadvantage.

Paddy fields are good if you like mosquitoes....

actually you have cheap flights into Santander, Bilbao and Asturias, but not so many in winter I believe. Very convenient for the ferry though!

Torrevieja ticks all the boxes, or Orihuela Costa next door. You will find negative posts all over the place, mostly from people who have never visited, but from what you say you want, those are the places – the 70,000 expats who already live here can’t be that far wrong, and I’m one of them.

Little England in the sun, that’s what you’ll get, with all the accoutrements. A British Legion on your doorstep, English speaking doctors and dentists, authentic Fish and Chips, and you’re only a few miles away from ‘real’ Spain, whatever that means.

Go for it, you won’t regret it.

They do say that on your deathbed, the only things you regret are those you didn't do.

Spain's a wonderful place, whether you want an Englich enclave, or campo life. The weather is great, as long as you like sun, and you are more likely to be healthy here as a lot of joint and mobility problems are supposed to be better here.

You would be ****ed with your scooter if the doctor was 10 miles away down a winding mountain pass.

Nice place here in Zaragoza, not many Brits mind, not many full stop!
http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/.../1021935.shtml

It does indeed! Everything anyone could ever want! He'll never regret it.

****.