Hinterland of Alicante – Spain beyond the postcards – week 13
Thinking of living in Spain? After 13 weeks exploring the Costa Blanca and the hinterland of Alicante, we learned that finding “the perfect place” is harder than it looks
In January this year, we set off to Spain, searching for the perfect place to live. After just over 3 months, we can now conclude: this road will not be an easy one.
We chose the Costa Blanca, as we had visited before and liked the vibe. Sure, it has Benidorm — but what in life is ever perfect?
The Marina Alta, with its charm, beautiful scenery, and cute towns, drew us in. We are not alone; the area is full of North Europeans who, like us, sought a different lifestyle — warmer, cheaper, or simply something new.
However, it seems we might have missed the boat, both financially and culturally. Spain has almost disappeared from this area, taken over by the Dutch and the Brits.
So, we decided to head further south and explore the hinterland around Villajoyosa and Alicante. We already checked out Castalla, Ibi, and Tibi — but for many reasons, it wasn’t our thing. One reason being the altitude of 700 meters: higher means colder, especially in winter — and escaping the cold was the whole idea!
Exploring the Alicante Hinterland: Aspe, Novelda, Monóvar, and More
This time, we picked an area right in Alicante’s backyard: Aspe, Novelda, Monóver, Monforte, and Agost.
Quite an ambitious list for one day, but we managed to visit them all — and were left feeling exhausted and a bit disillusioned.
Our first stop was Aspe, with around 20,000 inhabitants. Parking was easy, and the centre pleasantly surprised us.
It ticked many of our “must-have” boxes: a market, lively cafés on every corner, a gorgeous square with a lovely church, lush trees, a few cafés, and a pretty park with a fountain. I could easily imagine bubbly summer nights here.
We had an excellent coffee — just €1.30 — and noticed we were likely the only English speakers around. Full of hope, we moved on!
Only 4 or 5 km down the road was Novelda. Again, parking was easy, but the first impression was very different.
Street after street of parked cars, a random shop here and there, but not much else. No cute cafés, no hidden nooks, no real centre.
Eventually, we found a square with a church and a few attractive pedestrian streets — but it all felt a bit empty, lacking soul.
Surprising, as Novelda is bigger than Aspe, with 27,000 inhabitants.
Monóvar, Monforte, and Agost: Hopes and Realities
Onwards to Monóvar, a town of just over 12,000 people.
Again, it had the same uninspiring grid of streets. The historical centre was worth a walk — lots of steps, a scenic church, a castle, and plenty of cats. Yet again, there wasn’t much soul. Not many cosy cafés or spots to enjoy our picnic lunch. A Spanish lady asked me if I liked their “pretty town” — I wasn’t sure what to say.
We quickly drove through Monforte without stopping — it didn’t feel like we needed to see more — and finally arrived in Agost. At 376 meters altitude and just under 5,000 inhabitants, Agost is quite a cute town.
It has a long pottery tradition, with 11 active potteries and even a pottery walking trail. All in all, not bad — but again, it didn’t quite pull us in either.
By then, we decided we had earned a sunny terrace and a cold beer.
Final Thoughts: A Challenging Search
Our verdict? This area has some decent towns, but the immediate surroundings are less attractive.
The valley is wide and flat, and although the towns sit lower (300–400 meters) than Castalla and Ibi (700 meters), the landscape felt somewhat desolate.
There are many quarries, mines, and marble industries around Novelda and Monóver, making the surroundings messy and dry — less trees, more bush.
Interestingly, AI and some travel blogs seem more positive about this area. Maybe they see it through the eyes of a tourist?
We are exploring these places to live year-round, which is a very different lens.
Aspe? I would consider visiting again — it showed potential.
Agost? Too small, and likely touristy in summer.
The others? They didn’t convince me.
Call me difficult, but it has to feel right — this might be our last move after all!
Stay tuned for more!
Marijke
