Moving to Costa Cálida
Matthew’s article this week concentrates on moving to the Costa Cálida, Murcia’s warm coast
Image ©Alan Gandy. Copyright notice.Moving to the Costa Cálida: part of east of Spain’s sunshine state
Ups
Warm by both name and nature, the Costa Cálida offers an attractive all-year-round climate. Indeed, many British football clubs like to visit in winter for some warm-weather training. Escaping from the frozen pitches of the UK.
Downs
There are pockets of the Costa Cálida that will make you wonder if you’ve in fact moved to a different country than your home. The likes of San Javier, for example, on the northern tip of the coast. It is here where international restaurants, “chicken curry and chilli con carne anyone?,” outnumber Spanish offerings.
Ins and outs
The closest airport to the Costa Cálida is Murcia (MJV). Further away, you’ll find San Javier and Alicante airports.
Education
El Limonar International School Murcia schools children aged from three up to 18 in the National Curriculum for England and Wales. Elsewhere, A-level students at Kings College at the La Torre Golf Resort achieved a 97% pass rate in 2015. If you’re looking for an American school, try Totana’s Shoreless Lake School which only accepts boarders.
Shop until you drop…
Cartagena houses the two-floor Espacio Mediterraneo where you can shop, bowl, and watch films at a nine-screen cinema. The Bodegas San Isidro in Jumilla is a great place to try and buy regional wines. In Mazarrón’s Best Wishes, you’ll be able to find greeting cards, English newspapers, and mobile phones.
Property types
Given the Costa Cálida’s development as a tourist area, mobile-home villages were built. Yet considering the coast’s all-year-round climate, these are good to live in 365. At the other end of the scale, the larger villas located within the various country and golf clubs are on the shopping list of the jet set.
Market watch
Mobile homes from around €10,000 and villas up to €10,000,000.
In Praise Of
“The Costa Cálida has one of the best climates in Europe with around 3,000 hours of sunshine a year and winter temperatures rarely drop below 15ºc. Plus there are miles of unspoilt beaches. There’s also a very good road system and three large shopping centres to choose from.” Stella Batchelor – Old Farmhouses
- Are you an expat living on the Costa Cálida? What do you like/dislike about it? Let us know below.
Matthew Hirtes, our resident broadsheet journalist, moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria back in 2004. He’s travelled extensively through Spain, covering it for such publications as Telegraph Travel, Metro, and The Independent. The author of Going Local in Gran Canaria: How To Turn a Holiday Destination into a Home, Matthew truly is a resident expert.
Matthew writes for two sections of Spain Buddy: Moving to Spain and Spanish Football as well as providing Reviews
February 19, 2016 @ 6:38 am
I wonder if the author has actually been to the Costa Calida? Murcia airport has still not opened and San Javier (MJV) is the closest just off the beach. I would describe San Javier as a typical working town with relatively few restaurants none of which serve ‘chicken curry and chilli’ although it is possible to get menu del dia at several Spanish restaurants there. San Javier is not in fact on the coast and you need to travel to Santiago de La Ribera about 2 miles away on the western shore of the Mar Menor, where you will find restaurants catering for every pocket, from fine dining to beach side cafes serving pizza and sandwiches, or to Los Alcazares south of Ribera which has an altogether more family resort atmosphere that is reflected in the type and menus of the restaurants there.