La Florida info please

Hi, I'm guessing you are from the UK so you need to be aware of the 90/180 rule within the Schengen Zone.

I'm also guessing you've been trawling the internet and fallen in love with a particular property. We did the same but ended up buying something we had long crossed off our list for various reasons and rejected our favourite within a minute of stepping in the door.

The first thing is to decide how you will get from and to the airport. I could cope with the airport bus to Torrevieja but would then take a taxi. What would you do for flights outside of bus times and how much would a taxi cost?

https://torrevieja.com/en/torrevieja-alicante-airport-bus-timetable/ 

How far is it to the supermarket, bars, restaurants, bus stop and beach?

Buying and selling in Spain is very expensive, 13% when buying and add estate agent costs when selling, typically between 5-7%. Property can take an age to sell as there is so much choice so you could end up lumbered with an unsuitable property for many months.

Find a rental and try before you buy is the best advice I can give you

Hi Cheryl

Thanks for your response, you have given me some food for thought. Didn't even think about airport outside of bus times so that's a big consideration.  We are aware of the 90/180 day rule so when not back in the UK we might pop to Cyprus which doesn't affect our time in Spain.

La Florida and surrounding areas do look like the ideal place for us with plenty going on. 

Hi 

La Florida has a local bus service, but it's not frequent, and it doesn't run late at night, or at weekends (except in summer). And it is definitely a local service - it won't take you into Torrevieja for instance.

In general, La Florida is a nice area, and stays lively through the winter because there are lots of expats of many nationalities in the area.

There is a small but well stocked supermarket selling food, and an excellent ironmonger, but you'll probably want to take the bus for any other shops.

A taxi to Alicante airport will cost around 60 euros.

Hope I've helped!

Cheers 

Steve

La Florida is serviced by a small bus ( app 16 seats )

It starts at Torrevieja hospital and travels a circular route back to the hospital, it includes a stop at Playa Flamenca beach.

One of the stops en route is La Zenia Boulevard, this is where you can connect with another circular route which covers Villamartin and Cabo Roig.

These services are more frequent in the summer, the daily service ends app 8pm.

La Florida and the surrounding areas of Los Altos, Playa Flamenca and Punta Prima are relatively flat and therefore walkable but maybe not in July and August due to the heat.

There are plenty of bars and restaurants within walking distance, La Zenia Boulevard would take app 35 mins and the Saturday market in Playa Flamenca 30 mins.

La Florida has its own supermarket selling a wide variety of goods including British products, it also has an excellent butchery department.

Many of the bars run different types of Societies, golf, bowls, board games, darts etc etc. Entertainment in the evenings can be found at many of the bars.

There is also an estate agent in La Florida which concentrates more upon this area and may provide you with more choice. https://www.rosamh.com/

This link is to the bus timetable, not sure how current it is but it will give you a good idea of frequency and coverage. https://torrevieja.com/en/horario-autobuses-orihuela-costa/

Ken.

PS SteveC2x posted at the same time so there could be an overlap of info.

Hi Steve

You have been very helpful, I did think after reading about the area that there was a bit more in the way of shops and that the bus service would have been adequate but seems not.  Thank you very much for the info.

Denise

Oh, Is there a bus service to La Zenia Boulevard? 

Hi Ken

Your reply is very helpful indeed and sounds more promising. You have also answered my question to Steve about access to the Boulevard. The area could work well for us especially as it has the type of property we are looking at within our small budget.  If we did buy there we could make the airport run work without the need for buying a car, even if it is getting a taxi one way.

Next step is to come visit the area as soon as we can.

Cheers

Denise

You are welcome Denise

You are correct, coming to the area and renting for a while is definitely the way to go.

You could consider this shuttle service for the airport trips

 https://innisfreecostablancaholidays.com/

 much cheaper than a taxi.

Ken.

Tia Good Morning,

We purchased a property in La Florida back in 2019, then the Lock-down so have only been to our apartment twice. However, prior to that we had a property at El Paraiso Torrevieja since 1986. We love the area, and La Florida. There are lots going on in and around with Bars Restaurants Supermarket hardware shop and a few others including Rosa Estate Agents, and of course The Emerald Isle, Pool Bar Restaurant. Not for everyone, but does give you entertainment 365 days a year, and we tend to go else where if the entertainment is not to our liking. If you are going to purchase a holiday home sounds like La Florida would suit. There is also a main Taxi Rank outside The Abbey Tavern, so another travel alternative. We are looking to move to Spain, pending our appointment we the Spanish Consulate Friday week. We will live a La Florida short term and then will be looking to sell our two bedroom first floor apartment look for a larger permanent home, maybe La Florida again pending availability. Hope this helps.

Kind Regards

Alan

Hi Alan

Thank you very much for your response. You are so lucky to have had a place in Spain for so long.  Can I please ask why you are moving from Torrevieja after such a long time? With it being close by I have seen some properties that are ideal and within our small budget but for some reason I keep veering back to La Florida area.

The property we have seen online is a 2 bed apt first floor with one below. Private roof terrace, communal pool. Just what we are looking for.  In around 3 years we will be retiring, hubby will be 55 and me a couple of years older 🙈 so still young and want lots going on around us. We will be spending half the year there following the 90/180 rule so it will be our second home.