Sunny beaches lure Europeans and North Americans here each winter.
By Lazelle Jones
August 2019
For decades, RVing Europeans and North Americans have embraced the sunny winter lifestyle along Spain’s Costa Blanca. This seaside region flanks the Mediterranean midway between Barcelona and Gibraltar. The town of Altea is an enclave that has an RV park open from late September to mid-May.
At the San Antonio Camper Park in Altea, RVers take living the good life very seriously. With the Mediterranean Sea creating a temperate climate year-round, and a low cost of living (the Euro, pound, and dollar go further here), “expats” have made enjoying fall, winter, and spring a science.
Excellent RV campgrounds right on the beach; superb dining (so many bistros); shopping; artisan studios and galleries; and a farmer’s market are but a five- to 10-minute stroll from the San Antonio Camper Park.
RVing tourists in Altea, Spain, can view the town’s blue-domed cathedral, seen here from the cobblestone streets.
Altea is beautiful. On the hillside above the blue-green water of the Mediterranean is Old Town, a quarter that dates back hundreds of years and today hosts whitewashed bungalows, stores, and eateries. Take a short stroll along cobblestone streets that lace Old Town and you reach the top of the hill, where the cathedral La Mare de Deu del Consol — Our Lady Of Solace — sits waiting. The blue-and-white domed structure shares a plaza that beckons those below to visit.
Each of the restaurants, shops, boutiques, and tapas (hors d’oeuvre) bars here has a distinct character. Possibilities include a pub called AlteArte, where expats gather; they attend writers’ and artists’ retreats and cooking workshops, as well as dine on excellent tapas and enjoy a wide selection of mojitos.
Amazing as it may sound, English is the language spoken along Spain’s Costa Blanca, a fact that makes it even more inviting for English-speakers from Europe and North America.
The closest big city is Alicante, another seaside town. Its many features include Mercado Central, a large open-air market, along with charter fishing trips and bistros of every persuasion. Alicante is famous for its 9th-century Spanish fortress, Santa Barbara Castle, which is perched on a bluff overlooking the blue water below. Tour its museum and travel back to a time when Spanish knights and nobles reigned.
Near Altea is Enrique Mendoza Winery, where a dozen different red and white wines can be tasted with platters of cheeses, prosciutto, and artisan breads.
Spending your winter on Spain’s Mediterranean coast is definitely living the high life!
Planning Your Trip
*Motorhome rentals average $1,500 or so per week, depending on the vehicle size. Search the website www.motorhomerepublic.com and enter your desired dates and accessing airport.
*The time zone along the Mediterranean coast of Spain is 6 hours ahead of North America’s Eastern Time; add an hour for each time zone west of ET.
Contact Info
San Antonio Camper Park
Phone: 011 34 96 688-3650 (from the U.S. or Canada)
Email: info@sanantonioaltea.com
www.sanantonioaltea.com
Facebook: Search for San Antonio Camper Park
Altea tourism
www.catalonia-valencia.com/altea-spain-travel-guide.html
www.visitaltea.es
Alicante tourism
https://www.alicanteturismo.com/?lang=en