Orihuela Costa

Orihuela Costa is the 16-kilometre coastal district of Orihuela municipality, stretching from Punta Prima in the north to Campoamor in the south. Although administratively part of Orihuela (whose historic centre is 25 km inland), the coast functions as an independent set of resort urbanisations — Punta Prima, Playa Flamenca, La Zenia, Cabo Roig and Campoamor — with around 35,000 mostly international residents, six Blue Flag beaches and four championship golf courses.

Mostly undeveloped farmland and dunes until the 1980s; the coastal master-plan and the AP-7 motorway turned Orihuela Costa into one of Spain's fastest-growing foreign-buyer markets through the 1990s and 2000s.

Year-round international resort living: beach mornings, golf afternoons, Zenia Boulevard shopping, lively dining on the Cabo Roig Strip and a calendar of expat-organised community events.

• 1.Walk the 7-km coastal cliff path from Punta Prima to Campoamor
• 2.Shop at Zenia Boulevard (Costa Blanca's largest mall)
• 3.Play 18 holes at Villamartín, Las Ramblas, Las Colinas or Campoamor
• 4.Dine and party along the Cabo Roig Strip
• 5.Day-trip to historic Orihuela city, Cartagena or the Mar Menor

Overwhelmingly international — British, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Argentine, Scandinavian and a smaller share of Spanish restaurants concentrated at the marinas and golf clubs.

Several 4-star hotels (Servigroup La Zenia, Hotel Montepiedra) and a very large stock of holiday villas and apartments.

Continue exploring the South Costa Blanca.