Denia or Mojocar ???? Advice greatly appreciated

It would be difficult to find two more different locations. 

As you know, Mojacar town is a white-painted chocolate-box-top place on the top of a hill. 

Not much modern accommodation and a very long drive from anywhere. 

Mojacar beach is a laid back strip, with some modern accommodation rising quite steeply as you leave the beach behind you. Other than the beach, there is very little there.

Denia is a fully functional Spanish city, with most things you would expect a city to have. We spent a couple of weeks there looking at properties. We got by with very little Spanish. Denia has ferries to the Balearics. It has villas with large plots on the outskirts, as well as modern apartments close to the port.

It also has traffic, tight parking and an underground car park. 

There is an area to the North with many unsold apartments (with some of the problems that go with that - unpaid service charges, lack of maintenance and neighbours etc.). 

Property is quite expensive in Denia.

The climate is cooler/wetter than Costa Blanca, and significantly cooler/wetter than Almeria. 

There is a rail/tram link to Alicante City (not sure if it runs all the way, due to maintenance issues).

Hi Carole,

Before we moved to Spain almost 4 years ago, we looked as far south as Mojacar on the Costa Almeria, right up to Denia in Costa Blanca North, and many places inbetween.  We settled on a small town inland from Guardamar del Segura on the Costa Blanca South. 

I really liked Denia, but for all the reasons Kelvin has described, I would choose Mojacar.  Along the coast from Mojacar, you may have already found the coastal towns of Vera Playa and Garrucha; I particularly like the latter, as it is still typically Spanish.  If you go inland from Vera Playa, you'll find the town of Vera with its bullring (although I believe they use it for concerts now), which has all the shops and facilities you're likely to need for permanent living, whenever that time comes for you.  From that area, you're also driving distance to what many regard as the "real" Spain, with the white-washed houses of the Andalucian pueblos.  Most importantly for the winter, the climate is more temperate and much drier in Mojacar.

It's a pity your visit has been delayed, as nothing can substitute you getting a feel for these places yourself, although Google Maps' street view became my best buddy.

Kind regards,

Kim

Another couple of things ... 

Denia is largely flat, while the two Mojacars are not - we all get old.

Lots of the terraces/balconies in Denia are looking North or North-East (to get a sea view). Think about the seasons, and when you will want to be sitting out there.

‘To escape the cold British winters,,,,,’  - it gets very cold in the winter here. Alright, not many days of snow and ice (but they do occasionally happen) but although it can be pleasant outside actually in the sun during much of the winter months, in the shade, and also in your house, it can be very cold and damp. You will need to make sure that you buy somewhere which has heating installed, Spanish properties in the main, especially the older chocolate box type, not having been built with any, rather constructed to deal with the heat in the summer - no insulation and in the main single skin block walls. Bathrooms are deeply uncomfortable!!!!!This isn’t meant to be negative as such, but you do need to be aware of what it may be like - and currently, despite the Corona virus, it is very cold and wet, has been for a week and is forecast for at least the next week!