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Costa Blanca property search
Apartments to rent in Costa Blanca
An apartment is the simplest way to spend a season on this coast — no pool to maintain, no garden, and in the right town no car either. Browse apartments across Altea, Calpe, Altea Hills, Finestrat and Sierra Cortina.
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Local insight
Town apartment or hillside apartment
This is the choice that shapes the stay. A town apartment in Altea or Calpe puts the promenade, the market and restaurants on foot, with the coastal tram for longer trips — you can genuinely live without a car. A hillside apartment in Altea Hills, Finestrat or Sierra Cortina gives you a wider view, a communal pool and landscaped grounds, but nothing within walking distance and a car for every errand. Neither is better. But people who rent a hillside apartment expecting to stroll to a bakery are consistently disappointed, and it is worth being honest with yourself about which you want.
Quick FAQ
- Can I rent here without a car?
- In central Altea, Calpe or Benidorm, yes — all three are walkable and sit on the coastal tram line. On any hillside, no.
- Where is cheapest for a winter let?
- Calpe generally, because the apartment supply is much larger and more owners compete for off-season tenants.
- Are apartments warm enough in winter?
- Modern ones are. Older seafront blocks with single glazing and air conditioning alone can be cool in January, so ask about heating before signing.
- Which town has the best winter atmosphere?
- Altea, for most people — a working old town, open restaurants and a resident Spanish population. Calpe is more practical, Benidorm the most fully open.
- Is parking included?
- In newer developments usually; in old town buildings and older frontline blocks often not, and street parking can be genuinely difficult.
- How long can I rent for?
- Anything from a summer week to a full year. The most common arrangements are monthly winter lets and stays of one to three months in the shoulder seasons.
Seasons and what they cost
Summer weeks carry a premium, heaviest for frontline apartments with clear sea views, though a smaller one than villas with private pools. The best value is the winter let: a monthly contract from November through March at a fraction of the July rate. Calpe offers the deepest supply and therefore the keenest winter pricing, because more owners are competing for a smaller pool of tenants. Shoulder season sits between the two and is arguably the best time to be here. Within any season the levers are distance from the sea, floor and lift, terrace size and parking. Two streets back from the front is usually quieter in August and meaningfully cheaper.
Who rents apartments here
Couples and individuals staying weeks or months rather than days. Winter residents are the biggest group, many returning to the same building year after year — Altea and Calpe attract them because both towns keep functioning out of season. Prospective buyers are the second, using a winter to work out which town they actually want, a decision that is nearly impossible on a viewing trip. A third is remote workers and people on sabbatical wanting a simple base with a terrace. Families with several children are usually better served by a villa, and anyone who wants a pool to themselves certainly is.
Where to base yourself
For a first long stay, central Altea or Calpe. Altea is the more attractive town with the better winter atmosphere; Calpe has more supply, a hospital, bigger supermarkets and two walkable beaches. Both sit on the coastal tram to Benidorm and Alicante, and both let you live without a car. Benidorm offers the fullest year-round city if you want that. Hillside apartments in Altea Hills, Finestrat and Sierra Cortina trade walkability for views, pools and modern construction. Airport transfers run from around 40 minutes at Finestrat to 55 at Calpe.
Before you take an apartment
Short lets need a tourist licence, and individual communities sometimes restrict them further, so check both rather than one. For a winter contract, ask specifically about heating — a great many apartments here rely on reversible air conditioning, which is adequate in a modern well-insulated building and noticeably less so in an older seafront block with single glazing. Confirm whether parking is included and where it actually is. In old town buildings, ask about the lift or its absence and think honestly about the stairs. Utilities are normally the tenant's cost and community fees the owner's.