In no particular order, this area of the Costa Blanca is special because of:
1) The Weather – okay, at times there are rare rain days. But almost every other day of the year we enjoy the very unusual and pleasant microclimate as a result of the salt lakes of Torrevieja. The air is as clear and sparkling as pure cava, the sky a bright turquoise. The sea the stunning deep blue and the sun is always gloriously warm!
2) The People – the people here, of all nationalities, are as a rule; down to earth and honest. They look to work hard and enjoy life to the full. There are always exceptions but steer clear of them. Generally their “joie de vivre” and love of fiestas is infectious and makes it a very happy place to live or holiday.
3) The Lack of Perfection – it isn´t perfect – no one would say there have not been mistakes made here; unfinished buildings along the coast, empty units for let, the unintelligible cogs of Spanish bureaucracy but it is quite good that it is not posh and perfect!
4) The Food and drink – this has to be one of the cheapest places to eat a wide variety of food and drink in Europe.
5) The lack of traffic – we can drive where I want with barely a queue to be seen and a lack of stress on the road.
6) New projects – Zenia Boulevard; paradise…. A huge, decent shopping centre with a variety of options for spending, eating and entertainment – heaven. We also have gained a beautiful new concert hall/theatre in Torrevieja in recent years and lots of improvements to sports facilities and public places.
7) The Outdoor Living: pool, beach this afternoon with friends, probably this week we will enjoy a walk along the coastal path or at the beautiful salt lakes, followed by a barbecue. This way of living with fresh air and sunshine has to be one of the best things about this area of Spain.
8) The fresh fish: visit most supermarkets and they have a fresh fish counter which even can put some fishmongers in England to shame. The variety is outstanding. Delicious and probably fresh that morning!
9) The beach. Here some people even swim in the sea in winter, the sand is golden and clean, and even in the hottest days of August the beach can be enjoyed at some point of the day.
10) The fruits and vegetables: many years ago this area was purely agricultural and now there are still many fields of fruits and vegetables. The oranges here are possibly the best in the world. How good do tomatoes taste? We still see this reaction often from visitors as they taste the local produce.