ASTHMA and RESPIRATORY

The WHO has named the southern Costa Blanca as one of the healthiest climates in the world. However, it is a bit further south than you are looking. The areas around Santa Pola down to Torrevieja are classed the healthiest due to the salt flats and lakes there and the Crevillente mountain range helps keep the temperatures at a steady level.

The northern bit will, I am sure, also be a healthy area but read the attached article to get an idea of why the southern part is classed the healthiest. https://livespainforlife.com/news/104/why-the-costa-blanca/#:~:text=The%20region%20in%20and%20around,from%2018%2D28%20degrees%20Celsius.

We live in Pego and my wife too has a respiratory illness. 

The geography locally creates a form of bowl which can trap the air In times of little wind. My wife can find the winter here particularly difficult due to these conditions combined with smoke from the fields and people heating their houses. 

I would advise you, if possible to visit during January or February and spend 24 hours to witness this before deciding. 

If you google Quality of air in Orihuela Costa or place in which you are interested, you may find lots of interesting things. From my observation the worst pollutants are mikroparticles in the air and ozone, which sits on the ground level. As it is very dry area, the dust, Sahara sand, in winter polution from wood burning, through whole year pollen. There is a significant car pollution in many places. To come in winter and settle in wrong place, you may suffer from neverending smoke from farms, wood burners or a cigaret smoke through the thin walls from neighbours. Spanish houses are cold in winter, and suffer from mildew due condensation. But don't follow only what is written, do your research personally, in places, where you wish to stay longer. It  is always worth to pay a visit. I wish you good luck and good health. 

Hello Marian,

I have astma problems too and we decided to stay in Pego for the winter as it helps me a lot. We live in the outskirts of Pego. I can breathe freely here and I don't have to use my medicines or nebulisers when I stay here. I get my energy back whithin weeks.

Where we live there are not many houses and we certainly don't get a lot of smoke here. And my coughing will indicate immediately when it is the case. We then close the doors/windows, but that really doens't happen a lot and the bad air vaporises quickly through the wind. I cannot tell you how it is in Pego town or in another area. Somehow where we are the wind always blows bad smoke in the other direction, ie away from our house. Sometimes I can see the smoke, but it doesn't reach our house, it goes away.

In our house we installed CV and we sometimes use additional heating through a Qlima, also dry air. I walk in the Marjal or in the mountains for 1-2 hours every day and I sometimes play golf. You just have to find the good breathe-freely areas. 

But I agree with the Relyat: try the area first, but I would leave the UK earlier then January, if possible. People start heating their houses already in November. 

Thank you for all that info. We intend to try staying in places a few nights to get an idea of best area to choose.