When the days shorten in northern Europe and the damp sets in, plenty of people pack their bags and head south to wait out the worst of it. The Spanish call it invernada — wintering — and on Orihuela Costa it’s almost a tradition. Every year, British, German, Nordic and increasingly French visitors spend the cold months here, in short sleeves at midday while it snows back home. If you’re thinking about a long stay this winter, this is your practical guide.
A microclimate built for winter
The southern strip of Alicante enjoys one of the best winter climates in Europe. Night-time temperatures rarely drop below 10 °C, and in the midday sun it’s common to reach 17–18 °C — warm enough to eat on the terrace in the middle of January. The area is sheltered from the cold inland winds and has no heavy industry, so the air is clean and the light stays with you most of the day. We go into more detail in our piece on winter sun on Orihuela Costa, but the short version is simple: here, winter feels more like a long spring.
Everything open, all year round
Spending the season away from home only works if the destination has a life of its own — and Orihuela Costa does. Supermarkets, health centres, pharmacies, the largest shopping centre in the province a few minutes away, weekly street markets and restaurants that don’t close in low season. Anyone settling in for months finds what they need without relying on the car for every errand. And when you feel like moving, there are seafront promenades, golf and padel a few minutes away, and inland villages to discover on any given day.
What to do during a long stay
Winter here isn’t for hiding indoors. Mornings call for a walk along the coastal promenade that links much of the area’s beaches; many people do it daily. Some take the chance to get back into golf, with green fees more affordable than in summer, or to join padel games. The weekly markets become a fixed weekend plan, and the pink salt lakes of Torrevieja or the inland villages make for easy day trips. It’s an unhurried rhythm — the kind that does you good after a year of rushing.
An apartment made for settling in
For a long stay, the accommodation makes all the difference: quiet, natural light and a space where you feel at home rather than passing through. Parque Recoleta, in Punta Prima, fits especially well. It’s a ground-floor apartment with a private garden terrace and two communal pools — a warm, peaceful retreat made above all for couples coming to spend the season. No stairs, everything close at hand and a few minutes from the sea, it’s the kind of place where a couple of months fly by. It sleeps up to four, in case someone comes to visit for a few days.
Long-stay terms and direct booking
We work with a four-night minimum all year round, and check-in is from 15:00. For anyone coming to spend several weeks or a couple of months in the sun, we offer special terms: write to us with your dates and we’ll work it out together, because wintering isn’t the same as a weekend, and the price needn’t be either.
You book directly with us, the owners, with no platform commission and personal contact in your own language before, during and after your stay. If you’re weighing up swapping the grey of winter for Mediterranean light, get in touch: Orihuela Costa has been the well-kept secret of those who know where winter is best spent for decades now.
