As northern Europe sinks into grey, damp days, no small number of people pack the essentials and head south to sit out the worst of winter. Here they call it invernada — wintering — and on Orihuela Costa it has been the done thing for years now: British, German, Nordic and, each season more, French visitors settle in for the cold months and eat lunch in the sun while it snows back home. If a long stay this winter has crossed your mind, here’s what’s worth knowing.
A microclimate built for winter
Southern Alicante boasts one of the finest winters in Europe, and the numbers spell out why: at night the thermometer seldom dips below 10 °C, while in the midday sun reaching 17–18 °C is routine — plenty to eat on the terrace in the depths of January. Sheltered from the cold inland winds and free of heavy industry, the area enjoys clean air and light for most of the day. We unpack it in our piece on winter sun on Orihuela Costa, but the idea fits in one line: here, winter plays out like a stretched-out spring.
Everything open, all year round
A long winter stay only works if the destination doesn’t shut up shop out of season — and this one doesn’t. You’ll find supermarkets, health centres, pharmacies, the province’s largest shopping centre a step away, markets every week and restaurants still serving even as the crowds thin. Settle in for a few months and you won’t be reaching for the car on every errand: the essentials are close by. And when the body wants out, there are seafront walks, golf and padel a few minutes away, and inland villages ready for a getaway any morning.
What to do during a long stay
Winter here is no invitation to stay shut indoors. Mornings lend themselves to the coastal promenade that strings together much of the area’s beaches — for many it’s a daily ritual. Others seize the moment to take up golf again, with green fees gentler than in August, or get hooked on padel games. The weekly market ends up a fixed weekend date, and the pink salt lakes of Torrevieja or the inland villages lend themselves to unhurried outings. It’s that slow tempo that feels so good after a year against the clock.
A villa made for settling in
Over a long season the accommodation is everything: room to breathe, natural light and a place where you actually live rather than just sleep. Villa Capitan, in the Fortuna I urbanisation in Villamartín, is built for exactly that. It’s 300 m² over three floors, with three en-suite bedrooms, a fireplace lounge, a study and a fully fitted Bosch kitchen, plus a private pool with hydromassage and two saunas — Turkish and wood-fired — for the cooler days. The covered terrace lets you eat outside even in January, and tucked among the Villamartín golf courses, quiet is guaranteed. The beaches are about 5 km away, a short ten-minute drive. It’s the kind of house where a couple of months fly by, with plenty of room for visitors: it sleeps up to six.
Long-stay terms and direct booking
In winter the villa starts at €200 a night, with a seven-night minimum and a €200 end-of-stay cleaning fee; there’s no tourist tax. For anyone coming to spend several weeks or a couple of months in the sun, the best move is to write with your dates so we can look at it case by case — wintering isn’t a stray week, and the terms needn’t be either.
You book directly with the owner, with no platform commission and personal contact in your own language before, during and after your stay. If you’re weighing up swapping the grey of winter for Mediterranean light, get in touch: Orihuela Costa has been the well-kept secret of those who know where winter is best spent for decades now.
